Middleton Friends Meeting: May 2023

5.11.2023

A New Picture and "A Brief Introduction to the Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)"

We are thankful two returning visitors joined us at Meeting on 5/7-- We decided we needed a new picture 📸

Next time we'll try to get our "online" attendees in the photo too!

Please join us on Fifth Day (Thursday) for mid-week Meeting at 3pm

and/or First Day (Sunday) Meeting at 10:30am.

Online zoom worship, readings, and Bible Study by Ohio Yearly Meeting and other Meetings can be found on the events calendar:

https://ohioyearlymeeting.org/calendar/

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"A Brief Introduction to the Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)"

The goal of this information was a pamphlet (years ago!) that visitors could obtain when attending Meeting. It is a great summary of Quaker worship and how it is unique from other denominations. We thought it was so informative that it belongs on our blog/website.

Realizing this may be hard to read, online access to the 4 pages is available via: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G-X5AQ7qHtyOTZRstMIxXMr34KfVDBFR?usp=share_link

Middleton Friends Meeting

Welcome to Friends

Meeting for Worship

Only God knows the inward states and spiritual need of each individual. When all sit as one body, and look to Jesus Christ, His Power is intensified. It usually takes a little while to get your mind still and to set aside your own thoughts so that God’s Spirit can do it’s work in you.We invite you to participate in our worship of God together silently, to prayerfully wait upon the Lord. “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10. With the help of the Holy Spirit, who directs the worship, our minds are withdrawn from all outward and distracting things, and we are enabled to maintain a solemn, waiting attitude of spirit.

God is able to direct the worship, by which we receive guidance and direction for our lives. As we come to know God’s will God also gives us strength to do His will, consolation, comfort, conviction of sin, forgiveness and a reordering of our lives according to His priorities.

In John 4:13 & 14 Jesus spoke to the woman at the well saying, "whosoever drinketh of the water that I give him shall never thirst again." In that same chapter verse 23 He told her, "The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth."

Someone may be led by God to stand and communicate a spiritual message, usually brief, or to kneel and pray vocally.

1st Peter 4:11 directs, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God; If any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever, amen."

God may call anyone to this ministry. “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” Matthew 10:20. And none go beyond the measure of the spirit of God, nor quench it; for where it is quenched, it cannot try things. So if you have anything upon them to speak, in the life, that you may answer that of God in every man upon the earth. (George Fox)"

So as we sit in silence with our hearts resting in Him. Anyone may be given some words of Wisdom from God to speak aloud, or learn silently for one's own edification

We extend a cordial welcome to all present at our Meeting for Worship.

The Meeting for Worship closes with the shaking of hands.