Welcome to Lancaster Quakers
We have regular Meetings for Worship every Sunday and the first Wednesday of the month. There is a Children's Meeting every Sunday and our Teenage Meeting worships at 7pm on the first Sunday of the month. If you are visiting the area, you are very welcome to join us for worship. Please see the Diary page of this website regarding other activities and events.
Meeting for Worship
Sunday, 10:30am – 11:30am
Wednesday 12:30pm – 1.00pm followed by a bring and share lunch
Friends Meeting House, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1TX
If this is your first time at a Meeting for Worship
There is a welcoming Friend at the door of the Meeting House. Tell them that it is your first time, and they will be able to give you a leaflet which explains what to expect.
Enter the Meeting Room as soon as you are ready. It is a good thing if a Meeting for Worship can settle down a few minutes before the appointed time. Sit anywhere you like – there are no ‘reserved’ places. There are back friends in the hall if you need one and footrests in the Meeting Room for the less tall amongst us.
Our meetings for worship are blended that is Friends who are unable to attend in person join us via Zoom. They appear on two screens in the room. Three cameras situated around the room show the Meeting Room to those on Zoom. If you do not wish to appear on screen, please sit just inside the door of the Meeting Room.
A Quaker Meeting is based in silence, but it is a silence of waiting in expectancy for the spirit to move amongst us. For many minutes, perhaps for the whole of the Meeting, there may be silence. But that does not mean that nothing is happening. In the quietness of a Quaker Meeting those present can become aware of a deep and powerful spirit of love and truth that transcends their ordinary experience.
You may find it easy to relax in the silence or you may be disturbed by the strangeness of the silence, by distractions outside or by your own roving thoughts. Do not worry about this. Try if you can, if only for an instant, to be quiet in body, mind and spirit.
The silence may be broken if someone present feels moved by the Spirit to say something that will deepen and enrich the worship. The silence is interrupted for the moment but is not broken. We call this ministry, and it will be picked up by the microphones in the room and relayed to those on Zoom. When a Friend on Zoom ministers their words will be relayed to the Meeting Room by speakers.
Our children will join us for the start of Meeting and leave at 10.40 for their meeting except on a fifth Sunday when we will have all age worship which will be partly programmed.
At around 11:30, an Elder will shake hands and speak to signal the close of the worship. Everyone who wishes then shakes hands with those sitting near to them.
Then notices will be announced.
We very much hope that you will join us for coffee, tea and biscuits after Meeting for Worship. Feel free to speak to anyone. If you wish to know more about Quakers, please introduce yourself to anyone present.
If you wish to take part via Zoom, please contact the Elder whose details are at the at the bottom of this page.
Accessibility
The Meeting House has wheelchair access, a wheelchair–accessible toilet and wheelchair–friendly parking. There is a hearing loop system.
Hiring Rooms
There are a number of rooms in the meeting house that are available for hire. See the 'Hireable Spaces' tab (above) for details. Please direct all enquiries about booking rooms to the warden, (contact details below).
Library
You can view the catalogue of our library here.
Directions and Map
By Car:– Travelling North through the town centre on the one–way system, turn left at Waterstones Bookshop, signposted to the railway station. This brings you onto Meeting House Lane. The Meeting House is about 250 yards from the corner on the right. There is limited parking behind the building, but on Sundays there is also parking on the railway bridge about 50 yards further on.
By Bus:– If you are unfamiliar with Lancaster's bus system it is best if you just go to the bus station. Come out of the main entrance and turn left. Walk up Bridge Lane and along China Street at the top of the hill. At Waterstones Bookshop, turn right up Meeting House Lane. The Meeting House is about 250 yards from the corner on the right.
By Train:– Leave the station by the main entrance. At the top of the station ramp turn left and then immediately left again into the Meeting House.
Map:– To get a map and directions to this local meeting, go to the Area/Home page of this website and click on the relevant red marker on the area map displayed there.
Contact Details
Friends Meeting House
Meeting House Lane
LA1 1TX
Warden: Tasha Heny
Tel: 01524 62971
Email: lancasterquakers@gmail.com
Elder For enquiries concerning attending Meeting for Worship at the Meeting House or via Zoom please contact:
Ann Morgan (Elder)
Email: ann.morgan44@btinternet.com
Clerks
Ruth Joyce; Mike Forde; Sophie Smith
Email: lancasterlmclerks@gmail.com