We are Christ-centered Friends who equip and encourage all people
to respond to God's love and transforming Spirit.

Silence and Meeting for Worship
June 19, 2005

"There is a sign in front of the Friends Meetinghouse in Cambridge, England that says, "Don't just do something…SIT!" In an age when 'busyness' is equated with productivity, and workaholics and playaholics are the two areas of addiction to which people gravitate, " this doesn't sound like bad advice to me.

As Sam Murphy pointed out at our discernment retreat…By and large, western civilization is one of frenetic doing and endless activity. There is just so much to do and so little time to do it. We rush from one appointment to the next, wondering where the day has gone.

For the vast majority of people, silence is not way up there on our lists of priorities. But entering into true holy silence is more than just passively sitting and doing nothing. If it isn't something more than that we will become like the Quakers described by some old English fishermen-"The Quakers just came here and sat and sat and nobody never said nothing, until at last they all died and so they gave it up."

Last week I began a mini series called "holy silence." It may seem a bit absurd to talk about silence. You might be thinking, why don't we "just do it" as the Nike commercial says. But my leading to speak about silence rises out of my concern that silence is often misunderstood and undervalued in our culture.

Granted, you don't have to be a Quaker to practice silence. Other traditions practice silence-but what makes Quaker silence unique?

Silence is one of the great gifts of Quaker spirituality. For 350 years Quakers have been practicing silence. The rise of the Quaker movement, based on the capacity of each individual to seek and commune with God without the need of a priest or religious ritual was an extremely radical event in the church's history.

Foundational to Quakerism is this belief that the Living Christ is present today to teach each one of us, that he speaks out of the stillness the truth that we need to hear in this very moment in time. As Quaker founder George Fox discovered, "There is even One, Christ Jesus who can speak to thy condition." When Fox realized this - it was "a moment that turned his life outside in." He realized that God wasn't somewhere out there, but right here inside of him.

At our discernment retreat a few weeks ago we talked in length about our mission statement, "We are Christ-centered Friends who equip and encourage all people to respond to God's love and transforming Spirit." How might we better equip ourselves to respond to God's love and transforming Spirit in our times of corporate silence? How can we come to our times of silence in meeting, and especially our unprogrammed Sunday, which happens to be next week, equipped with the listening tools that we need?

While some view Quaker silence as a gift, I've heard others say, "I really don't get much out of the silent times. I'm just not the contemplative type." Or… "Quaker silence seems rather pointless for someone like me who isn't even sure what I believe about Jesus and God."

Maybe one of the reasons we derive so little benefit from silence is that we don't expect to receive anything in the silence. How do we move from silence being a passive act to one of utter and complete receptivity to God?

As we think of the silence in our meetings for worship, the first listening tool that is needed is an attitude of expectant waiting. We are seeking communion with God. A God who loves us more than we can comprehend, (like the story I read to the children about the father and his prodigal son.) A God who longs to be in relationship with us.

I love how Quaker author; Rufus Jones describes this… "The early Friends made the discovery that silence is one of the best preparations for communion with God… Silence in itself, of course has no magic. It may be just sheer emptiness, absence of words or noise or music… But it may be an intensified pause, a vitalized hush, a creative spirit, an actual moment of mutual and reciprocal correspondence with God." He goes on to say that this "is a double search, God is seeking us, even as we seek him."

The silence is not empty because there is the anticipation of meeting our Beloved. Think of your human relationships… When you love someone you can't wait to spend time with them, can you? One of the foundations of Quakerism and Christian faith is our ability to have a personal intimate relationship with God.

A study of the life of Jesus shows how he demonstrated this to his disciples as a model for them to copy. He invited his followers to recognize their own inner world, where God was already present, waiting to be acknowledged and known. As we gather on Sunday mornings, we enter into the silence in the presence of others who are also expecting to encounter God. "What is God going to say to me, to us?"

The goal here is not to isolate from each other in the room but to be mindful of those that are here with you and to look at them and hold them in the Light. The way this room is set up lends itself to really seeing each other. From my experience, waiting and listening together with others deepens my sense of communion with God. Jesus promised…"Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I will be in the midst."

Second helpful equipping tool is what Friends have called, centering down. Becoming still is not always a simple matter. Generally, in this setting we will hear the sounds of children's voices, someone coughing, or snoring, or stomachs growling. The key ingredient isn't so much the total absence of noise as receptivity and a willingness to listen for the still small voice.

But even if the room is quiet, there is still all of this chatter going on inside of our heads. All the demands and pressures and concerns of the past week we bring to meeting for worship. Unfortunately, we don't just magically leave them at the door with the greeter as we receive our bulletin and walk into this space.

Last week we talked about Elijah and his experience of hearing the still small voice in the silence. Remember, after the earthquake, wind, and fire came the still small voice. One writer says it well when she says, "It can take quite a while and considerable spiritual effort for the earthquake of emotion, the wind of social pressure, and the fire of self-will to subside."

Centering down is when we attempt to let go of our distractions and the baggage we walked into meeting with. To let them flow in and then out of our minds. I find it helpful to become conscious of my breathing. To breath in deeply, to be conscious of my body, and my posture. You might like to close your eyes as you move into the stillness. Some people like to have their palms open on their laps as an act of openness and receptivity to God's presence. If this is helpful, do it.

Another equipping tool for entering into the silence is preparation. Arrive at meeting on time, prepared with a theme, a thought; a poem, or a Bible verse to help you get started. (Ex. God is love)

On a programmed Sunday, we always have several spaces of silence. So during that time you might want to reflect on the scripture reading for the day, a thought from my meditation, the words from a song, or hymn we have sung, a quote in the bulletin, etc.

If it is an unprogrammed Sunday, feel free to bring your journal, your Bible or a devotional book you have been reading. I also put a reading in the bulletin for that very purpose, as a starting place for your thoughts. Take a moment to glance at what is there to help you. The goal is not to empty your mind, but to become aware of God, to welcome the Living Christ as your teacher into this hour we share together.

Then as you begin to relax into the Loving Presence, use the tool of self- reflection. This is where we get real inside-in the privacy of our own souls. I often think about my relationships with my family and with those of you in this faith community. (Work, school, friends.) If I am harboring negative feelings towards someone, especially if they are sitting right here in this room, it will more than likely block my receptivity to God. So what I try to do is confess to God whatever it is I am feeling towards this person. I may not be able to resolve it in that moment, but I've named it and opened myself to God's transforming Spirit in the situation.

So in the silence of self-reflection "we attempt to engage our emotions, our moods, our sensations and bring before God the whole rhythm and texture of our lives. We can be honest with God, because we know that God loves us no matter what. That "perfect love casts out fear." It is in this kind of holy silence that we can be molded into the people God wants us to be.

As we commune with God we might be led to speak to the gathered meeting. Sometimes there is something burning inside of us that needs to be spoken to the group. Don't be afraid to say what is in your heart. It may be the message someone else needs to hear that day. You may be shy or hate public speaking. But remember, it is the heart from which the words come that matter, not the eloquence of your words. You may feel during this time like offering up a short vocal prayer. (Like Bill did last week.)

Finally, our journey inward always needs to lead us outward. Toward the end of our shared silence we will prepare to re-enter the world ready to witness with our lives to the love and presence of God. Silence will become God's tool to challenge us to live compassionately in the world. Hopefully, our lives will speak in the coming week out of the sacred silence that we have shared.

As one Quaker wrote, "Quakers find in silence a deepening process-bringing us into our hearts-where we meet God-are empowered-and finally led to the service of others." As I have said numerous times, our contemplation and listening to God will ultimately lead us into action-into the kingdom work that Jesus talked about.

In closing, a word to you seekers out there… If we are honest, we all are involved in a struggle within ourselves about what we really believe about God. Don't be discouraged, even that struggle within us is faith. Faith grows in us when we can humbly say to God, "I don't know…I don't understand…I am in need."