Worship & Ministry
Our Committee
Queries for the Journey
Intervisitation
State of the Meeting Queries
The Worship & Ministry Committee
The purpose of the Worship and Ministry Committee is to enrich the spiritual life of the Monthly Meetings, Preparative Meetings, and Worship Groups that make up Southeastern Yearly Meeting. the committee encourages loving sharing and acceptance of the wide variety of direct spiritual experiences Friends have, and the many ways in which they describe the source of their faith.
The Committee also sponsors workshops at the Gathering and during the year, offers weekly ‘Queries for the Journey,’ provides queries for Spiritual State of the Meeting reports, and encourages intervisitation.
We meet in person and online at Yearly Meeting, Fall and Winter Interim Business Meetings, and online on Zoom.
If you would like to learn more about the Worship & Ministry Committee and its work, e-mail one of the clerks: Jan Dahm, Lisa Erazmus, and Richelle Ogle.
Queries for the Journey
The Worship and Ministry Committee offers “Queries for the Journey,” weekly queries to help Friends center in their daily journey through quiet, contemplative reflection.
New queries will be posted monthly. You can see all “Queries for the Journey” posted to date here.
Queries are meant to be read thoughtfully in the Light without indulging in self-criticism or judgment. This practice gives us a way to help recognize the movement of the spirit within us, and follow spirit more faithfully.
Queries for the Journey – 7th Month (July) 2024
(The Queries for the Journey for May, June, & July were discerned in a collaborative effort with Anne Pomeroy and their elders, and are meant to be part of the reflection that coincides with Anne’s three upcoming retreats, but can also be used individually as Friends are led.)
1st week:
Living a spiritual life can be called honoring that of God in us and others as we live our days. How might this manifest for you? How do you see this happening in committees, meeting for worship, for business, and in individual relationships?
2nd week:
Are there waves or trends in what you are hearing from Spirit?
3rd week:
How do you distinguish calls for action that come from the world or ego, from ones that come from Spirit? How does discernment from deep listening guide our journey as Friends? When you have been deeply listened to, how have you seen the ripples of being listened to manifest in ministry, action, and relationships?
4th week:
Have you doubted a nudge, a message in Meeting for Worship, or a direction in your life? What happened afterwards? What comfort or discomfort do you experience when you receive a nudge or hear a call?
Intervisitation
The fifth Sundays of a month are Intervisitation Sundays in SEYM. The Worship & Ministry committee encourages Friends to visit other Meetings or Worship Groups in your region on fifth Sundays, to bridge the geographic distance between Friends. Sharing worship, fellowship, ideas, spiritual gifts and support strengthens our SEYM community and understanding of our faith.
To visit another Meeting in person, see our Find Quakers page.
To visit virtually, please see the Online Worship page.
When you participate in Intervisitation Sunday, tell us about your visit! E-mail one or all three of our Worship & Ministry Committee Clerks: Jan Dahm, Lisa Erazmus, and Richelle Ogle.
Spiritual State of the Meeting Queries
Spiritual State of the Meeting Reports provide us not only with news of other Meetings, but a deeper understanding and appreciation for our Yearly Meeting community. George Fox started this tradition of writing annual State of the Meeting reports. He asked those first Quaker Monthly Meetings to encourage each other by sharing their news of ‘how the Spirit has been moving among you.’
Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups are asked to write annual State of the Meeting Reports to be shared within SEYM. These provide us not only with news from other Meetings, but a deeper understanding and appreciation for our community. In the process of writing these reports, Friends have the opportunity to pause and reflect, and gather a sense of the ‘Life of the Meeting.’ In the process of writing these reports, Friends have the opportunity to pause and reflect, and gather a sense of the ‘Life of the Meeting.’ The result is truly deep and inspiring!
These Spiritual State of the Meeting Queries are offered as starting points for the writing process. It is suggested that Friends choose only four or five queries to work from.