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Tampa Friends

Tampa Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

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About Tampa Friends

Tampa Friends Meeting House Circa 2004All are welcome to join in our meetings for worship. As an unprogrammed meeting, we worship in silence. We welcome young Friends into our First Day (Sunday) school.

For an introduction to Friends, we suggest you read "Silent Worship and Quaker Values" by Marsha D. Holliday.

Tampa Monthly Meeting is a part of the Southeastern Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (SEYM) and Friends General Conference (FGC). If you are new to Quakerism, you may want to visit their web sites to learn more about us.

Meeting for Worship

Masks are optional. Please stay home if you are sick. We welcome you to join us at the meetinghouse or virtually via Zoom at 10 am each First Day (Sunday). For instructions, please subscribe to our email list. Zoom meetings do not connect with the meetinghouse on the third First Day (Sunday). Please join us at the meetinghouse on those days.

Meeting for WorshipWe meet each First Day (Sunday) at 10 am for Meeting for Worship. We are an unprogrammed meeting, so we sit in silence until the spirit moves us to speak. Members, attenders and visitors rise to speak as the spirit leads them. Friends should leave a brief time between speakers and not use spoken worship for discussion or going back and forth.

At 11 am the clerk will end the Meeting for Worship by announcing that the Meeting will continue in silent worship while members, attenders and visitors announce any joys, sorrows or concerns. As in the earlier Meeting for Worship, Friends should leave space between each speaker. The clerk will indicate an end to this section of the Meeting by asking Friends to introduce themselves.

Children attend First Day (Sunday) school during the adult meeting. All are welcome to join us for Meeting for Worship each week.

First Day (Sunday) School

First Day (Sunday) school runs concurrently with adult worship at 10 am each First Day (Sunday). Special lessons have been planned for our wee ones and youth who attend First Day (Sunday) school. The children usually enter into our worship space and sit with the adults until about 10 minutes into the meeting when the children leave for their own special service. We welcome all children to attend First Day (Sunday) school.

Adult First Day (Sunday) Program

We hold an Adult First Day (Sunday) program at 9 am before Meeting for Worship on certain Sundays from September through May. Check the event calendar for more information. These sessions are usually centered around a reading and include thoughtful discussion and silent worship. All are welcome to join us for our Adult First Day (Sunday) program. Catch up with what we've done on our AFDP notes page.

Meeting for Worship With a Concern for Business

Our business meetings are conducted in the spirit of worship on the second First Day (Sunday) each month. Committees meet separately to discuss and make recommendations to the meeting and the members and attenders of Meeting for Business discern and make decisions by discerning a sense of the meeting. All are welcome to attend our Meetings With a Concern for Business.

Committee Meetings

Currently the only committee meeting is the Committee of the Whole.

Potluck

Preparing for potluck On the third First Day (Sunday) we join together in fellowship around a potluck meal. Don't worry if you didn't bring anything... there is always enough and visitors are always welcome at our table.