Here are some resources to learn more about Framingham Friends Meeting and Quakers more broadly:
FAQ’s about FFM
How should I dress when I visit for meeting for worship?
You’ll notice from our photos that Quakers dress for comfort more than fashion. You are welcome to dress in clothes that are comfortable for you.
Are Quakers a Christian denomination?
The roots of the Society of Friends are in Christianity, however today, we are a theologically diverse group of people. Some of us in Framingham Friends Meeting are Christian; others are Buddhist, Sufi, earth-centered, Universalist, and non-theist. There are no creeds in Quakerism; no litmus test of belief. How we live our lives, seeking together and being of service, is much more important to us than how any individual among us views the Divine.
With no clergy, who is in charge?
All of us in the community are responsible for seeking together how our gifts can best be used in service of the meeting. A clerk is appointed for a 3-year term, becoming the primary contact person for the meeting, chairing the monthly meeting for business, and signaling when it is time for worship to end. We also have a number of committees including: ministry and counsel; first day school; fellowship; care and community; library; calendar; maintenance; nominating; and peace, justice and earth care.
What is meeting for business?
The third Sunday of the month, after worship and fellowship, we hold a meeting for business to hear committee reports, raise and consider concerns, and oversee our finances, among other things. All are welcome to participate. Rather than voting on an issue, it is the clerk’s job to determine when we have reached unity. At times, this means that we move slowly on some issues, but the process of reaching unity is spiritually important to us and part of our search for what we are led to do.
To Learn More
New England Yearly Meeting (the regional body of Quakers in New England)
Friends General Conference (a national body of Quakers)
Friends United Meeting (an international body of Quakers)
https://www.friendsunitedmeeting.org/
Friends Journal (a monthly Quaker magazine)
https://www.friendsjournal.org/
Friends World Committee on Consultation (an organization that works to connect all branches of Quakerism)
Quaker Speak (a collection of short videos of Friends sharing aspects of their spiritual journeys)
Any questions? Please email ffmquakerquestions@gmail.com