Welcome to Worship Sharing

The purpose of worship sharing at Baltimore Yearly Meeting is to provide occasions for spiritual deepening through shared, prayerful listening and speaking from one's heart in response to a given question. Here are some guidelines for participants.

I. Sharing out of the silence

Time and space between sharings is helpful to really take in what has been said and let it settle into us.

2. Speaking from experience

While we have many ideas about our faith, this is really a time to speak from our experience. For some it is helpful to think of beginning with "1 felt..." or "My experience of this is "

3 .Listening with acceptance

We are listening for "that of God" in another, cherishing that unique and particular expression of God through another person. While it can be tempting to offer advice, rebuttal, or commentary, this is truly a time just for listening and receiving another, even when it is difficult to do so.

4. Keeping the experiences confidential

It is important to keep what is said "in the room" so that Friends may feel free to speak what is in their hearts.

5. Passing

Sometimes there is a hesitation to speak. A response has not yet formulated within or the topic seems not quite right. In such a case, Friends are encouraged to pass. Leaders return to those who have passed before closing the worship sharing experience to see if something has

ripened into speech.

6. Holding in the Light

It is helpful to the group as a whole and to the individual speaking to be held by others in the Light. This helps to open the group to a deeper experience of the Spirit at work.