About Quakers
Quakers share a way of life, not a set of beliefs. Our unity is based on silent worship, where we seek a communal stillness. Beginning with stillness, our faith becomes action.
The Quaker commitment to peace, equality, simplicity, sustainability and truth arises from the conviction that love is at the heart of existence and that all human beings are unique and equal.
Faith and Practice
Quakers have no set creed. We believe there is something of God in each person. There is no general agreement on the interpretation of God. Some believe in a traditional idea of God, while others believe it represents what is good in us – and lots of other interpretations in between. Quakers were originally rooted in Christianity, but now seek enlightenment (the Light) from wherever it might come. Some Quakers are very aligned with Christianity, while others more so with other religious traditions, or none. We are all seekers of the Truth.
Quakers do have Testimonies:
Peace, Equality, Simplicity, Truth, Sustainability
We do our best to put our faith into practice, guided by these Testimonies. We are further guided by a collection of Quaker writings in a book which is available at every Meeting, Quaker Faith and Practice, along with The Bible.
We are Stansted Local Quaker Meeting, which principally serves Stansted and Bishop’s Stortford and surrounding villages. As we have no paid clergy, as well as holding Meetings for Worship, we arrange our own business and every month or so, we hold business Meetings, known as Local Meetings for Business. These are also regarded as a form of worship.
We are a small but active Meeting, and are part of the larger Thaxted Area Meeting, which comprises Local Meetings at Saffron Walden, Dunmow and Bardfield, as well as our own Meeting. We hold some joint events, as well as four times a year holding Area Meetings, which include business for the whole area. Information on the other Local Meetings in Thaxted Area can be found at www.saffronquakers.org.uk.
All Meetings are part of Britain Yearly Meeting, the national organisation, which is based at Friends’ House, 173-177 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ.