FAQ

In the unprogrammed tradition followed by Swiss Quakers, worship happens when two or more people feel the need to be still together and seek God’s presence.

The silence can happen anywhere and anytime, but Friends usually refer to a meeting for worship that takes place regularly at a meeting house or another fixed place. Although Friends hold all days as holy, in Switzerland they do maintain a practice of having Meetings for Worship on Sundays.

In attentive waiting together in silence, Friends can find peace of mind and a renewed sense of purpose for living and joy in wonder at God’s creation.

Friends may worship entirely without words, but often there will be some brief spoken contributions.

Spoken ministry comes from a very wide variety of sources and the acceptance of them is an important part of Quaker worship.

Since the Religious Society of Friends comes from the Christian tradition, people may speak of the life and teachings of Jesus, use words from other sources, or refer to events in daily life. Friends try to receive positively what is said and to look for the underlying truth, regardless of the words in which it is expressed.

Those who receive messages in Quaker meeting contribute as meaningfully as those who contribute by cultivating the silence from which wisdom may flow.

Just turn up! Join us in silence with an open spirit.

Friends are encouraged to come to meeting for worship with "hearts and minds prepared."

After an initial period of 10-15 minutes to settle into silence, there may be a query or question which is read which Friends may wish to consider during the hour.

If we are impelled to speak out of the silence, we remind ourselves to be brief, to be clear, and to leave sufficient space between contributions so that each message be received and held respectfully.

At the end of the hour, Friends will join hands to close the meeting.

There will be fellowship over tea and coffee.

You can consult some of the books and brochures in our extensive library and read the Us et coutumes / Bräuche (scroll down in this section) as well as our archives which are available online.

Some Friends read the bible while other Friends may read other inspirational texts.

When Quakerism began in England, the Bible had just come into common circulation and it was widely read and quoted, with some attributing infallibility and using it to support their positions.

At times, Friends fell into the same habit. But they also believed in the contemporary, living revelation of God's will. Therefore, the Bible is not the final test of right conduct and true doctrine.

Divine revelation is not confined to the past. Friends believe that by the Inner Light, God provides everyone with access to spiritual truth for today.

Friends's attitude to formal creeds and theological dogma is different from many faiths. Friends believe that Truth is continually being revealed to us.

Friends are aware that words are limited in how they can express our deepest experiences. Words and phrases can lead us to very different interpretations.

Friends attempt to live up to Testimonies or Quaker values. We continually examine ourselves in the silence by using Queries to see how we are doing. Recognizing, that personal beliefs affect behavior, Friends recognize that what we do and how we live our lives is more important than our stated beliefs. We may have strong religious views, but that will be tested in how we act in the world and ultimately how we act is the real test of faith.

Quakers create compilations of practices which often include writings on faith. These documents are specific to each community. In Switzerland we call this Us et Coutumes or Bräuche. British Quakers call their document, Faith and Practice.

A number of Friends are not Christian. Some are even atheist or agnostic. We believe that everyone has access to the divine and that we are called to consider the nature of our religious experience. For this and other reasons, the Religious Society of Friends accommodates a range of religious outlooks.

A wide span of the religious spectrum is thus reflected in the views of Friends. There are those whose faith is most sincerely expressed in the traditional language of orthodox Christianity. Other Friends could justly be described as religious humanists. Other Friends blend the religious faith of their ancestors or the one in which they were raised with their present practices. Some Friends may simultaneously maintain membership with Quakers as well as other communities.

Friends do not believe in creating an artificial division between the secular and the religious, but rather that all of life when lived in the Spirit, is sacramental.

Friends reject traditional outward ceremonies and sacraments which early Friends called "empty forms," but they do not reject the spiritual reality that they symbolize. For example, baptism is an inward or spiritual experience, not a ritual act. Similarly communion is a conscious openness to and communication with the Divine.

Friends do not regard the sabbath and Christian festivals as more holy than weekdays. That said, Swiss Quaker groups mostly keep to the tradition of holding Meeting for Worship on Sunday.

Friends have no dogma about what happens after death. Some Friends are convinced that there is an afterlife, while others are convinced that there is not.

Friends do not consider a life after death as a reward for virtue, not as a compensation for the suffering of their lives on earth. Fear or threat of damnation does not induce Friends to live better lives.

All Friends feel it is more important to live this life and seek to improve the conditions of humanity in this world, rather than to engage in speculations about the next.

Friends believe that the divine is accessible to all and that divine revelation comes to everyone. In keeping with this belief, children and young people are as important to the life of the meeting as any one else.

Some people may find it difficult to remain in the silence of the Meeting for Worship for the whole hour. If they attend, younger Friends often stay in the meeting for the first 15 minutes or to come in towards the end.

During worship time, younger Friends may attend a learning session which helps them be aware of their role in the community and to learn about Quaker spiritual traditions and practices. Younger Friends may also choose to stay in Meeting for Worship.

Switzerland YM is a smaller Quaker community with a fluctuating number of active young Friends. If you want to come to a meeting with a younger person, please let the local group know so that arrangements may be made.

There are periodic meetings for families held, most often in the region between Geneva and the Valais. If this is of interest to you, please contact us.