Through us, not from us: vocal ministry and Quaker worship

All Quakers are equal in sharing responsibility for their meetings and worship, whether the minsitry is in silence or through the spoken word. It makes for a telling spirituality. Speaking out of silence is a phenomenon that hardly exists outside the Quaker community. It is an extraordinary experience, simple and immediate. But 'what thou speakest is it inwardly frmo God?' asked George Fox, one of the first Friends of Truth who quaked in the Light - hence Quakers. Isaac Penington claimed that 'The end of words is to bring men to the knowledge of things beyond what words can utter.' So Friends came to know 'the word of God' in new ways and spoken ministry, from out of those who wait in silence, has been the unique Quaker experience for over 350 years. 'Through us, not from us' recounts the talks of four experienced Friends from a conference on Vocal Ministry, examining the context in which it began and how it is now practised and nurtured. They explore the source of the prompting to speak and the power it can release in Quaker worship to inspire a witness for peace and social change. For those on a spiritual quest there is rich material here, both for a study group and for individual reflection.