South Mountain Friends Meeting is an unprogrammed Quaker Meeting that began in the 1960’s. We grew in number and in 1983 settled into the Newman Center in Ashland. Five years later we became a Monthly Meeting within the North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. A few years after that, in July 2000, we moved to our present home at 543 South Mountain Avenue.
Amongst Friends, faith and practice are inseparable. Drawing on the Quaker testimonies of equality, peace, simplicity and stewardship we seek unity and integrity within our inner and outer life.
Meeting for Worship, or silent worship, is the central practice of unprogrammed Friends. We gather in silence to "wait upon" the eternal Spirit within and seek to put to rest the workings of the mind. Sometimes, out of silent worship, a person may be "moved by the Spirit" to share with the Meeting a vocal ministry as part of their worship. Friends value spoken ministry that comes from the heart and we value the silence that we share together. Spoken ministry is typically followed by a period of silent worship that allows each of us to experience ourselves within the Light of the message.
We invite all. If Quaker meeting is new to you, know that you are welcome to gather with us and share the Spirit that is accessible to all.