Red wood Meetinghouse with white trim, trees on all sides. On the right white print over light blue, reading Portland Friends Meeting Society of Friends - Quakers

One of the best ways to learn about the Society of Friends is speaking with us before or after Meeting for Worship. We always welcome questions and when we don’t know answers, we can find out together.

This page includes resources related to Quakers in general as well as resources related to Portland Friends Meeting specifically.

If you are looking for worship opportunities, Friends General Conference maintains a searchable list of Quaker Meetings and Churches — the Quaker Finder — here.

Links to Resources on this Page

Quaker Speak Videos

These short videos produced by Friends Journal present Quakers talking about their beliefs, their worship and how being a Quaker inspires their lives. The last of the five changes weekly.

One of the best ways to learn about the Society of Friends is speaking with us before or after Meeting for Worship. We always welcome questions and when we don’t know answers, we can find out together.

This page includes resources related to Quakers in general as well as resources related to Portland Friends Meeting specifically.

If you are looking for worship opportunities, Friends General Conference maintains a searchable list of Quaker Meetings and Churches — the Quaker Finder — here.

Table of Contents

Quaker Speak Videos

These short videos produced by Friends Journal present Quakers talking about their beliefs, their worship and how being a Quaker inspires their lives. The last of the five changes weekly.

top

Membership

If you have been attending PFM, built connections in our community, and are feeling led to explore becoming a member of the Society of Friends (Quaker) please reach out. You can read about membership and the process for becoming a member of PFM in the NEYM Faith and Practice chapter on Membership.

The Co-clerks of Ministry and Counsel Committee or Co-clerks of the Meeting (see newsletter for current listing) would welcome a conversation.

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NEYM Faith and Practice

This is the resource book that we and all meetings in New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) use for guidance and inspiration on our Quaker faith as well as practical guidance on processes and procedures.

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Quaker Organizations

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Committee and Individual Responsibilities

For a list of individual and committee responsibilities at PFM, contact us.

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Clearness Committees

Quakers use a process of small group discernment called clearness to test leadings of the Spirit. Clearness is used by the Ministry and Counsel Committee (M&C) for decisions on ministry, membership, and marriage. This link to NEYM Faith and Practice which gives a detailed overview of the process in section 8B. 

Ministry: Clearness committees are used by Ministry and Counsel for discernment on leadings to different types of ministry from spiritual gifts used in our community to traveling with a concern. This link provides a full description of types with processes from NEYM Faith and Practice.

Personal Discernment: In addition, many community members find clearness to be a useful process to get clarity about other life decisions such as job-related choices, moves, or even difficulty with a friend. Co-clerks of Ministry and Counsel are glad to talk with you to see if a clearness committee might be useful and to discuss whether an informal process or a meeting under the care of M&C would be best.

top

Shared Witness

Shared Witness is when Spirit leads the Meeting to a collective sense that we must respond together to a call to take action in the world. Learn More

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Newsletter Archive

top

Membership

If you have been attending PFM, built connections in our community, and are feeling led to explore becoming a member of the Society of Friends (Quaker) please reach out. You can read about membership and the process for becoming a member of PFM in the NEYM Faith and Practice chapter on Membership.

The Co-clerks of Ministry and Counsel Committee or Co-clerks of the Meeting (see newsletter for current listing) would welcome a conversation.

NEYM Faith and Practice

This is the resource book that we and all meetings in New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) use for guidance and inspiration on our Quaker faith as well as practical guidance on processes and procedures.

Quaker Organizations

Committee and Individual Responsibilities

For a list of individual and committee responsibilities at PFM, contact us.

Clearness Committees

Quakers use a process of small group discernment called clearness to test leadings of the Spirit. Clearness is used by the Ministry and Counsel Committee (M&C) for decisions on ministry, membership, and marriage. This link to NEYM Faith and Practice which gives a detailed overview of the process in section 8B. 

Ministry: Clearness committees are used by Ministry and Counsel for discernment on leadings to different types of ministry from spiritual gifts used in our community to traveling with a concern. This link provides a full description of types with processes from NEYM Faith and Practice.

Personal Discernment: In addition, many community members find clearness to be a useful process to get clarity about other life decisions such as job-related choices, moves, or even difficulty with a friend. Co-clerks of Ministry and Counsel are glad to talk with you to see if a clearness committee might be useful and to discuss whether an informal process or a meeting under the care of M&C would be best.

Shared Witness

Shared Witness is when Spirit leads the Meeting to a collective sense that we must respond together to a call to take action in the world. Learn More

Newsletter Archive