New to Meeting

Welcome to State College Friends Meeting!

Thank you for your interest in State College Friends Meeting. All are welcome at our Meeting, and we encourage you to come and experience a Meeting for Worship for yourself. To help you become acquainted with what to expect, review the material on this page and explore the links provided. The document “How We Worship” can be found in the “About” drop down menu and can be most helpful to people new to Meeting. Each week for Meeting for Worship, there is someone available to answer any questions visitors may have. We are a welcoming and supportive community, guided by the testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. We look forward to having you join us for Meeting for Worship and the social time that follows.

Meeting for Worship

We worship in silence, with no minister, sermon, or prepared prayers.  We begin worship by centering ourselves to find the inward stillness that quells the noise of everyday thoughts and opens our spirits to new revelation.  Individuals may rise and speak if spiritually led to do so. To be absorbed, each message is properly followed by a period of silence. Meeting ends when a designated Friend shakes a neighbor’s hand, signaling a time for us all to greet one another.

We meet for worship every Sunday at 11:00 for approximately an hour.  After worship, sharing of joys and sorrows, singing, announcements, and introductions, we gather for food and fellowship in the social room.  Please join us.

On the second Sunday of the month, we share a potluck meal after meeting for worship.  This is an opportunity for members, attenders, and newcomers to get acquainted, enjoy each other's company, and share news. Contributions of food are appreciated, but newcomers should not feel obliged to bring a dish.

Activities for Children and Youth

Childcare is provided for all young children during the meeting for worship.  Babies and children up to five years old are cared for in the nursery, located at the end of the hall of the education wing of the Meetinghouse.  Please introduce yourself and your children to the care givers.  Feel free to stay in the nursery if your children would like you to do so.  

For school age children, First Day School (Sunday school) classes are held each Sunday starting at 11:15; children attend meeting for worship with their parents for the first fifteen minutes of meeting for worship before departing to their classrooms with their teachers for religious education.

Our young people are active--lively discussions, service projects, and social events are just a few of the ways in which young Friends grow and learn together.

Please contact the Religious Education Coordinator, Kerry Wiessmann, kerrywiessmann@gmail.com or 814-571-8909, or the clerk of Religious Education, Karen Anderson, kmacom305@gmail.com for information about activities for young people.

Adult Activities and Education

Adult education is provided, typically scheduled for the second Sunday in the month at 1:00, following potluck.  Please see the weekly bulletin or monthly newsletter or the State College Friends Meeting webpage ( HYPERLINK "http://statecollegefriends.org/" \n _blankstatecollegefriends.org) for information on upcoming topics.  In addition, the Meeting sponsors outside speakers, films, worships, classes on Quakerism, and informal discussion groups.

Publications

Our weekly bulletin provides a calendar and summary of upcoming Friends' activities.  Our monthly newsletter does the same on a monthly basis and also includes the minutes of the previous month's business meeting, news about members, summaries of correspondence, and monthly Queries.  If you would like to receive the newsletter, please put your name and address (including email address) in the secretary's mailbox near the front door of the Meetinghouse.

The Friends Journal is a monthly magazine for Quakers worldwide.  Several copies are on display in the lobby; feel free to borrow them.  Also on display are pamphlets and brochures about Quaker history, beliefs, and testimonies on various issues.

Additional information can also be found on our bulletin board in the social room.

Contributions

We do not pass a collection plate.  Financial contributions in any amount are welcome and may be put in the specially marked mail slot in the entryway or mailed to the Meeting, to the attention of the treasurer.

Meeting for Business

The business of the Meeting is conducted in a worshipful gathering dedicated to the decisions affecting the State College Friends Meeting as a community and corporate entity.  Meetings for business are typically held the first Sunday of the month at 9:00 a.m. and everyone is welcome to attend and participate.

Committees and Interest Groups

As we have no appointed ministers, the pastoral, spiritual, and organizational needs of the Meeting are met through various committees.  The Meeting as a whole has a presiding clerk who is a key contact person for the Meeting.  Each committee also has a clerk.  Committees are an excellent opportunity for participation, community, service, and support.  The following are some of the standing committees of the Meeting:

Worship and MInistry is responsible for the care of the worship experience and ministry to members and attenders.

Finance is responsible for the financial oversight of the Meeting, making financial recommendations to business meeting and maintaining bookkeeping records in accordance with an annual budget approved by the business meeting.

Outreach seeks to nurture inquirers and attenders within the Meeting and inform the larger State College community about our Meeting and its activities.  The committee develops publications and schedules greeters.  

Peace and Social Concerns responds to both local and international concerns.  This committee serves to inform and educate the Meeting about peace, social justice, equity, and social well-being issues and acts to empower individual and collective actions.

Refreshments organizes the food (and cleanup) after meeting for worship and for the potluck meals.

Religious Education committee members are actively involved in the First Day School program and in special activities throughout the year.

Worship and Ministry committee is concerned with the quality of the meetings for worship and for business meeting as well as the spiritual well-being of the Meeting's members and attenders as well as the pastoral care of all associated with the Meeting.  Members of this committee must be members of Meeting.

Building and Grounds committee is responsible for the maintenance of the Meetinghouse and its grounds. 

Affiliations

State College Friends School is under the care of the Meeting.  This school has a pre-school program as well as education for students from kindergarten through 8th grade.  

Foxdale Village, a Quaker-directed retirement community in State College was founded by Meeting members and a number of the board of directors are drawn from Meeting members.

We also express our testimonies through support of Friends' organizations such as the American Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and many others.