WHERE WE WORSHIP
In Friends' eyes, God is in everyone
By Mary Kaye Ritz
Adveritser Religon Writer
• Name of church: Honolulu Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
• Our denomination: The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers.
Among the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, worship is conducted without ritual and often in silence. From silence may flow spoken inspiration. At the conclusion, everyone joins hands with those alongside.
The word "Quaker" was the nickname given to the followers of George Fox in 17th-century England. At a trial in Derby, Fox addressed the magistrate and told him he should be trembling at the word of God. Some consider "Quaker" a term of contempt, but Friends themselves have adopted it informally.
• Where we are: The meeting house is at 2426 O'ahu Ave. in Manoa.
• Our numbers: There are about 120 Friends on O'ahu; about 60 of them are active members. Statewide, there are about 160 Friends; nationwide, about 217,000.
• No paid leadership. "All Friends are ministers," said Tom Huff, one of the Friends in Hawai'i. Margery Cox is the clerk for the meeting; clerks' terms last about two years.
• What we believe: According to The Religions of America almanac, "The central Quaker belief is in immediate and continuous revelation, available to all who seriously seek it, in all times and places. All other sources of religious authority are secondary."
Or, as Huff said, "I suppose there's a phrase all Friends would agree to: There is that of God in every person."
Simply put, they have no creed; theirs is a mix of mysticism, rationalism and humanism.
"As each person experiences God in him- or herself, the religious task is to become open to being led by God in you," he said.
Some Friends will argue whether they are Protestants or even Christians, depending on the definitions. Jesus, Huff pointed out, was not called Jesus Christ, but Jesus, son of Joseph. "The question of the Christ, that's a human concept," he said.
Their meetings, often conducted in silence, are held without ritual or formalized program. Out of their silent waiting may flow "spiritual messages, vocal prayer, Bible readings or ministry — from anyone who feels called to participate," notes The Religions of America almanac. After an hour of worship, when the meeting is broken, everybody shakes hands with those sitting alongside.
• Our history: Quakerism was founded by Fox; it arose in England and America in 1650. It came to Honolulu in 1936, when Gilbert and Minnie Bowles were instrumental in establishing the first meeting of Friends.
Four years ago, an official meeting was established on the Big Island. It became a separate congregation of about 30, by Huff's estimate. That group meets every Sunday, each time at a home of one of the Friends.
• What we're excited about: "We observe the usual holidays in our culture, but we don't use the church calendar," Huff said.
Two events are set for this month: There will be a silent retreat Feb. 15-17 and a study session Feb. 17 on "Reflections From a Prayer Vigil for Peace."
• What's special about us: The Friends are often active in social issues, organizing prayer vigils and taking up humanitarian issues.
However, they do not proselytize, which is why it wasn't until a reader e-mailed The Advertiser asking about Quakers that they welcomed the attention.
One prominent trait of believers is their love of peace. With the other "historic peace churches" — Mennonites, the Amish and the Church of the Brethren — the Friends are often characterized as pacifist, choosing to not fight in a war. Huff became a medic in Korea rather bear arms.
"Looking at the whole history, what's special about Friends is the inward demand to eliminate as much as possible the difference between faith and action," he said.
For example, Friends do not take oaths, even in court where they'll affirm the truth rather than swear to anything. The American Friends Service Committee, with headquarters at the O'ahu Avenue building, holds a demonstration against the war in Afghanistan every Friday afternoon.
• Contact: 988-2714; on the Web, quaker.org.
To recommend a subject for a Where We Worship profile, e-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com; call 525-8035; or write: Faith Page, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802.
