Advice about Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)
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Archived Q&A and Reviews
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Quaker Silent Meeting with childcare?
Nov 2008
My husband and I and our 1 year old daughter are moving to Berkeley in a few weeks. We have been members of the Religious Society of Friends for 10 years, most recently attending the Morningside Meeting in NY. We are interested in finding a Friends Meeting (Quaker) in the area. We would prefer one with a childcare/first day school program. We want a silent meeting. Does anyone know of such a meeting in the East Bay? We won't intially have a car, so bus access is important. Thanks, we look forward to worship soon. Needing Silence
The Berkeley Friends Meeting is great and has childcare. http://www.quaker.org/berkmm/ I rarely go anymore but when I do go I love it. Sincerely, Ali
Looking for a Quaker Philadelphia Yearly group
July 2008
I am looking for a Quaker Philadelphia Yearly group in or around Berkeley. Does anyone know of a meeting? This is not a pastor-lead group. Thank you in advance. Friend of Quaker
I have been a regular attender at Strawberry Creek Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (we are part of the Pacific Yearly Meeting) for many years. Strawberry Creek is an unprogrammed meeting, which means that there is no pastor and no programmed service.
It is a wonderful, vibrant community of caring, socially active individuals. It is as racially and socioeconomically diverse a meeting as I have ever attended, and is equally welcoming to straight and LGBT individuals and families. I consider Strawberry Creek to be my extended family.
We meet Sundays at 10am at the Berkeley Technology Academy at 2701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (cross street is Ward), which is walking distance from the Ashby BART Station. The building is completely accessible to wheelchairs.
Every Sunday, child care for infants and toddlers, and First Day (Sunday) School for elementary, middle, and high schoolers is offered.
Please come visit us! Feel free to e-mail me with any further questions. Philippa
The Berkeley Friends meeting is diagonally across from Peets on Walnut St. There used to be a Strawberry Creek Friends meeting that met at the Friends Church on Sacramento & Cedar in the hall in back (whereas the service with the minister was in the sanctuary.) I suggest you call the office and ask if it still meets. I'm originally from Phila. and the Walnut street meeting house is pretty darn close to what I was used to. good luck! Peggy
August 2006
Re: Radical church or synagogue
I love Quaker meeting, and an unprogrammed Quaker meeting is about as radical as it gets in many senses: no minister; no creed; unfortunately for you, no music (though our Meeting does have a singing group that meets between meetings for worship). We sit in silence and wait until one of us feels that the Spirit has moved them to speak to all of us. The Quakers have traditionally valued peace, equality, community, and simplicity. My home meeting takes place on Sundays at 11 a.m. on the corner of Walnut and Vine, diagonal from Peet's Coffee. There's another worship at 9 a.m. but there's no childcare at 9, though, of course, you could bring your daughter to worship. If you have questions, I'd be happy to hear them. Heather