WELCOME
Welcome to the Roanoke Quaker website! You will find here our contact information and monthly calendar as well as short accounts of our history, worship, beliefs and much else. Also featured are updates on Blue Ridge Gathering, the area Friends get-together, and links to neighboring Meetings.
We welcome visitors. We love to share our worship with others. We'll even talk to you about our beliefs, though we are not much on proselytizing. And, no, we don't dress like the Quaker Oats Man or say "thee" and "thou" any more....
Roanoke Friends meet on Sunday mornings at the Alexander-Gish House, 641 Walnut Av. SW, in Highland
Park at 10:30. Worship lasts about an hour during which time, a program of religious
education for children is offered.
And finally please note: The
Outreach Committee for Roanoke Friends has been collecting
contributions to WVTF-FM. When we send them $300 in contributions, the
radio station will feature five announcements that the day's
programming is sponsored by the Roanoke Quakers. So if you are already
contributing to WVTF-FM, send us the contributions and provide the
Meeting some outreach! You may send the checks, made out to "WVTF-FM",
to Jane Hundley, 3212 Woodview Rd., Roanoke VA 24018.
A SNAPSHOT OF QUAKERISM
What will you experience if you attend if you attend a Quaker Meeting for Worship? You
will find Friends sitting in a circle for an hour of silence, with
brief vocal ministry occasionally coming from the participants. It is a time of quiet, healing and reflection in the presence of the Spirit of God.
What are the beliefs of Quakers? Peace, simplicity, community, integrity and equality are important testimonies for us. They all flower from our rediscovery of the Inner Light, that is, we can feel the spirit of God moving within ourselves.
How do Quakers organize themselves? Friends create offices and committees as needed, and members and attenders of the Meeting fill these roles. We do not employ a minister. Decisions are made at a once a month Meeting for Business, much like our Meeting for Worship, where Friends prayerfully seek guidance from God. This may result in a sense of the Meeting, that is, a general sense that this is the path that God would have us follow. A Clerk, or chair, articulates this in a minute. We do not vote on these decisions.
For more information, please check for the pages on Quaker Worship and Beliefs, Meeting for Business, or Quaker Literature.
Our newest page "Baltimore Yearly Meeting". BYM is the regional association of Quaker Meetings in the mid-Atlantic area. Please also check out "Quaker Writings", featuring short pieces on aspects of Quakerism. And, oh, yes, we've added a link on the "Other Links" page for Quaker-related merchandise. Advertise your Friendliness!
GENERAL INFORMATION
Roanoke Meeting gathers in the Alexander-Gish House, 641 Walnut Av. SW, in Highland Park. Some other activities occur in homes or at other sites.
Religious education for children, with a space and a planned program, is available during the 10:30 AM Meeting for Worship. Children are encouraged to attend part of the Meeting for Worship, too.
Contributions to the Meeting may be mailed to our Post Office Box, listed below. It may also be handed to Lettie Collins, our treasurer, at Meeting.Roanoke Friends may be contacted at 540-725-1131 or jenny@rev.net. Our mailing address is PO Box 8023, Roanoke VA 24014-8023.
All are welcome to worship with us!
GENERAL SCHEDULE
Every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 9 AM: Meeting for WorshipEvery Sunday of the month at 10:30 AM: Meeting for Worship.
Every Sunday of the month at 10:30 AM: First Day School (Religious education for children). Children may also attend part of the worship.
Every first Sunday of the month at noon: Potluck.
Every second Sunday of the month at noon: Adult Religious Education program.
Every third Sunday of the month at noon: Meeting for Business (Friends are reminded that Meeting for Business is a Meeting for Worship).
Every fourth Sunday of the month at noon: Bible study.
Once a month: Hollins University Worship Group; gathers September through
April. Call Mike Heller at 772-1654 for more information.
Meeting for Healing meets the second Monday of each month. Call Edna Whittier at 344-9448 for more information.
ALSO:
Lynchburg Meeting gathers for worship every Sunday at 10 AM in Lynchburg College's Religious Life Center, 1501 Lakeside Drive. Call Jim Owens at 434-836-5331 or Heidi Koring at 434-847-4301 for more information. Lynchburg is under the care of Roanoke Meeting.
AND:
A tip of the broadbrim to Matt Clark, a friend of Friends, for setting up this website!