DeLand Worship Group is part of the unprogrammed tradition among Quakers, which means we practice waiting worship rather than pre-planning our services. In waiting worship, we listen in silence, waiting for God. Sometimes an entire hour goes by in silence. Sometimes someone is moved to voice an insight they are receiving, after which we return to silence. 

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This form of worship is based on the belief that everyone has direct access to God. It may look like meditation, but instead it's a way to clear away distraction so we may experience God directly. When we do this together, we find the effect is amplified.

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If we feel a message forming in us during worship, we ask inside if it's just for us or if it's to be shared. Most messages we receive are for us alone. If we feel a prompting to share it, we must discern where the prompting is coming from and whether the message is to be shared during worship. This can be a difficult discernment to make; it takes practice. After worship is over, we often share insights that didn't demand to be spoken during worship.

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Having practiced waiting worship for centuries, Quakers have found that silence is often richer than any words that could be spoken. In the silence, we connect with God, each other, and ourselves.

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