Overview: Quaker meeting for worship is often described with a focus on silence, but the practice of speaking into the silence, known as giving vocal or spoken ministry, is equally important to a full understanding of how this kind of worship works.

It is also often a focus of anxiety for Quaker communities - is there enough ministry or too much, how do we judge the content of ministry, and how can ministry be improved?

Verdict: With this brand new book entitled Speaking in Quaker Meeting for Worship: What, When, How, and Why author Rhiannon Grant dutifully addresses the many questions about speaking in meetings for worship, providing a practical guide for individuals and communities who want to deepen their meetings for worship with a better understanding of spoken ministry.

For those not aware, Quaker meetings for worship are gatherings where people come together in a spirit of silent waiting and listening, seeking connection with God or the Divine. They are characterized by a lack of external structure, with attendees sitting in silence and sharing messages when they feel led to do so. These meetings are open to all, regardless of their religious background.

A meeting for worship usually lasts for an hour. In Quaker worship there are no ministers or creeds. They first gather together in silence to quiet our minds – they don’t have set hymns, prayers or sermons either.

In the stillness they open our hearts and lives to new insights and guidance. Sometimes they are moved to share what we discover with those present. They call this ministry and it is where they listen to what everyone has to say to find its meaning for all of us. Anyone can give ministry, including visitors.

And so what Rhiannon admirably does here is to not only bring forth a dutifully sculpted prose on the Quaker custom itself, but moreover entwines her knowledge with all aspects of our worshipping lives. A task perhaps not handled quite so eloquently, nor with as much impassioned practicality before, the book itself is one that has the over-arcing ability to both relax you and yet openly teach you at the very same time.

For in the quiet we look for a sense of connection. This might be a connection with those around us, with our deepest selves, or perhaps with God. As we feel this sense of encounter grow stronger, we may begin to see the world and our relationships in a new way. Our worship may take us beyond our own thoughts and ideas to help us respond more creatively to the world around us.

In closing, I urge you to purchase this book, as it was designed for anyone who would like to further understand Quaker meeting for worship better, especially how spoken ministry relates to the silence and stillness afforded to it within.

About the Author - Rhiannon Grant lives in Birmingham, UK, and works for Woodbrooke, the Quaker study centre. She teaches on modern Quaker thought, including theology and philosophy. As well as non-fiction work on religion, both academic and accessible, she writes fiction - her first novel, a lesbian romance set in Neolithic Orkney, was published in 2019 - and poetry.

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