On June 25th, my friends Jalal, Danyar, and I made our way to Arch Street to a Quaker church.
Upon entering the church, we were greeted by a lady and a gentleman at the door. We expressed our desire to participate in the worship, and they warmly welcomed us, offering to write our names on stickers and place them on our chests. We gladly accepted and wrote our names, attaching the stickers to our T-shirts.
As I stepped inside, I was immediately struck by the profound silence that filled the room, despite the presence of numerous individuals. I noticed that everyone, including ourselves as newcomers, wore badges with their names written on them. It became apparent that this practice was not exclusive to us, but rather a way of showing respect by addressing individuals by their names when engaging in conversation.
Choosing a seat at the end of the hall, I positioned myself to have a view of all the attendees. Sitting down, I began to observe the people around me and appreciate the beauty of the silence. It was perhaps the first time in my life that I experienced such profound silence in the presence of others.
The room housed a total of 23 people, including the three of us. Among them, nine were female. The majority of attendees were older individuals, but there were also some young people present. As I observed the worship, the predominant feature was silence. There was one young man and woman who remained silent throughout, their eyes closed as if engrossed in a deep communion with their respective gods. I initially believed they were maintaining silence for the entire hour, but then an elderly gentleman slowly stood up and, with a tremor in his voice, shared his contemplation about a passage he had read from Tolstoy. He spoke about how humans never truly die, as only their bodies perish, not their souls. His words captivated the attention of everyone present. After he finished speaking, he sat down, and the silence resumed.
It was during this moment that I realized the significance of Quaker worship. If one feels compelled to share something, they can simply rise and speak, and others will listen attentively. I found this aspect truly beautiful. Here, one has a safe space to voice their thoughts and feelings, knowing they will be heard.
When the clock struck 11:30, a young lady stood up and greeted everyone with a cheerful "Good morning, friends." Suddenly, everyone stood up and reciprocated the greeting, including ourselves, which elicited a lighthearted moment. The young lady then invited anyone who wished to introduce themselves or share something to do so. I raised my hand, stood up, and explained that I come from Kurdistan and that this was my first time attending a Christian church for worship. The entire congregation warmly welcomed me, and my friends, Jalal and Danyar, also took the opportunity to introduce themselves. Subsequently, other individuals stood up, introduced themselves, and one person asked a question, although I couldn't quite hear it clearly.
Following this, we were informed that coffee, tea, and donuts were available if we desired to join the congregation. Without hesitation, we accepted the invitation. While enjoying our donuts, we engaged in conversations with some of the attendees, who proved to be incredibly friendly. They showed genuine interest in Kurdistan, and I found myself immersed in a delightful conversation with them.
Before leaving the church, a lady come and talked with me, she said that we call each other friends, we are “Friends society”. And I asked what about Quakers?, she said “Yes, we Quakers, call each other friends”.
She went on to share with me that they have all agreed upon a set of principles known as SPICES. Intrigued, I asked her to elaborate on what SPICES entails. She explained that it stands for Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. Personally, I believe that these principles are fundamental values shared by all religions, although regrettably, people often fail to uphold them.
Seeking further clarification, I asked her what would happen if my inner light led me to a different god than hers. She responded with a lighthearted tone, saying, "Ask three Quakers about God, and you may receive five different answers." We shared a laugh, and she continued by emphasizing that Quakerism grants individuals the freedom to follow their inner light. She expressed that each person's inner light is unique and different from others', and they do not inquire about which god one's inner light guides them towards.
Curiously, I inquired whether a Muslim, or anyone of another religion, could be considered a Quaker. She replied with a jovial tone, "Yes, Hahaha, if they follow their inner light." At that moment, I noticed another young lady who shared with me, "I love the freedom my religion has provided for me."
Eventually, the time came for us to bid farewell. We turned around and said goodbye to everyone before leaving the church. This experience marked my first attendance at a worship outside of the mosque, and it allowed me to witness firsthand how individuals with different religions and beliefs worship their respective gods.
I found solace in the profound silence and felt a genuine connection with the people I encountered.
Reflection by Omar Namiq - 2023 SUSI Student Leader
