History
The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, began in the northwest of England in the 1650's. Seekers like George Fox and Margaret Fell felt that the established churches of the day weren't places in which they could worship. Instead, they found themselves sitting together silently, waiting for the Spirit of God to appear in their midst. In time missionaries brought the message of this direct experience of God to people.
Quakerism spread across England and America by the late 1600's. In the 1700's and 1800's Quakers withdrew from the world, setting themselves apart. Some Friends, however, became leaders in the movements to end slavery and to secure equal rights for women. Nowadays, with Quakers across the world, they are fully involved with society at every level.
Roanoke Friends Meeting began in the mid-1960's. A program about Quakerism was held at the Roanoke Unitarian-Universalist Church. Some of the people who attended the event, to their great surprise, were Friends. They hadn't known each other previously but decided that they would start gathering on Sundays. Over the years the Meeting maintained a small core of regulars. About 2004 several Friends moved into Roanoke, and a number of newcomers arrived, enlarging the group. There is quite a bit of excitement and energy at Roanoke Meeting currently!
|