1) Q: I thought Quakers were all dead, and only found in history books?
A: We are still alive and kicking. In fact, in 2017 there were about 81,300 Members in North America and 377,500 worldwide in 86 countries. Worldwide map of Quakers by FWCC
2) Q: Are Quakers Christian?
A: Worldwide, the vast majority of the Religious Society of Friends are Christians. The Society though is inclusive and spans the range of traditions from Universalist to Evangelical.
3) Q: Are Quaker worship services generally the same as other Christian denominations?
A: Yes and No. As Quakers span the different traditions, you will find different types of worship services. Quakers generally believe that each person can have a direct relationship with God without an intermediary and that there is that of God in everyone. If a minister is present they are there to help in that relationship. Worship in Evangelical Friends Churches is similar many ways to other evangelical Christians, having programmed services led by a minister. Here in Wellsboro, we have unprogrammed services where messages are delivered by anyone out of the silence as led by the spirit. See the What to expect page.
4) Q: What is the difference between Quakers, the Religious Society of Friends, Yearly Meeting, Quarterly Meeting, Monthly Meeting, Friends Meeting, Friends Church, and Friends?
A: The Religious Society of Friends is the formal name. Quaker was a name used to make fun of people because they seemed to quake out of silence during worship. The name stuck and is now just a convenient shorthand for the Society of Friends. Likewise, the members of the Society refer to each other as Friends, as a shorthand. So as not to be confused, those outside the Society are referred to as friends spelled with a small "f" and members are referred to as Friends spelled with a capital "F."
Friends try to say what they mean, referring to each of the divisions in the Society with meaningful names. Monthly Meetings are called that because they originally met once a month to conduct business. Different Monthly Meetings gather quarterly in what are called Quarterly Meetings. The different Quarterly Meetings came together once a Year in Yearly Meetings. Today the term Monthly Meeting may not mean as much and the group may not have business meetings that often. In some areas, they use the term Friends Meeting instead. The difference in some instances indicates how the group was formed. To indicate the style of worship many Evangelical congregations are referred to as Friends Churches.
5) Q: Is there some overall head of the Religious Society of Friends.?
A: No, The Society is a bottom-up organization. As each person can have a direct relationship with God, we come together as equals sharing in the search for the Truth and working together in service. Thus, no head or council sets policy, theology, belief structure or social concerns. It is the communal search for the Truth that determines the direction of the Society.
6) Q: Are you related to the Quaker Oatmeal Company?
A: No, While members of the Religious Society of Friends have founded many well-known businesses and schools, there appears to be no relation to the Quaker Oatmeal Co. It is thought that the name and logo were picked to signify integrity and honesty.
7) Q: Are Quakers Amish?
A: No, While Friends generally ascribe to the principles of Simplicity and Right Stewardship, Friends would by all outward appearances be no different than other people and use all the modern conveniences. There are though a small number of Friends that still hold to Plain Dress and Plain speech.
8) Q: Are Quaker and Shaker the same thing?
A: Not really. Shakers are a different Christian denomination. The Wardley Society in Britain broke away from early Quakers. Ann Lee led a small contingent of this group to America to Found the Shaker movement, formally known as the United Society of Believers. Because of this history, there are some testimonies held in common with the Quakers. Their group was sometimes referred to as "Shaking Quakers" due to their spiritually choreographed movements during worship. There is still a small community that exists at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, ME.