Practical Advice for Those Seeking Quakers

As those who at sea are held by an anchor, pull at the anchor yet do not drag it to them, but rather drag themselves to the anchor; so those who according to the life of spiritual knowledge try to draw God toward them imperceptibly bring themselves to God.
Clement of Alexandria (~150-215 AD)

1. Pray

Sit in solitary silence with God. Listen to your Inward Teacher and learn to hear what you are being guided to do. Quakerism is an experiential religion, built on the belief that we can each of us experience God directly, discern God's will for us directly, and use God's strength to do as he wishes. Prayer is our link with God, and it is fundamental to any pursuit of the Life and the Way.

2. Read

The Quakers:

• Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) has a very interesting Are you a Friend of Truth? series of questions to ponder.
• A Testament of Devotion, Thomas R. Kelly
  Purchase from QuakerBooks.org.
  Quaker classic. Very readable and inspiring.
  
• Journals of John Woolman Purchase from QuakerBooks.org.
  Quaker classic. A little more difficult, but an inspiring account of a Spirit-filled life.
  
• Truth of the Heart George Fox Anthology
  Purchase from QuakerBooks.org.
  Rex Ambler's annotated compilation has been very helpful to me.
  
• Essays on the Quaker Vision of Gospel Order, Lloyd Lee Wilson
  Purchase from QuakerBooks.org.
  This book helped me feel more confident and affirmed in my religious experiences as a Conservative Quaker.
  
• Light Within and Selected Writings of Isaac Penington
  Purchase from QuakerBooks.org.
  A much-loved Quaker writer.
  
• A Plain Life: Walking My Belief, Scott Savage
  Purchase from Amazon. (Not available from QuakerBooks.org)
  Readable sharing of one modern plain Quaker's journey following a leading.
  
• Creeds and Quakers: What's Belief Got to Do With It?
  by Robert Griswold
  Purchase from QuakerBooks.Org
  
  

3. Connect

Thee can also go see what is going on in the "Quaker blogosphere" via Martin Kelley's Quaker Blog Watch. He has an extensive list of Quaker blogs and websites: A Subjective Guide to Quaker Blogs and Websites. I do have strong reservations about the nature of the conversations that can arise and sometimes emotionally erupt. I find the volatility of online blog discussions and groups troubling. Bill Samuel offers a list of some of the Quaker web groups that are out there and his thoughts on their nature and tenor. There is also Quaker.org, which has an encyclopedic listing of Quaker and Quaker-related websites. There is also QuakerInfo.org which describes itself as a Quaker Information Center and as a "gateway" to Quakerism. He also has a page listing "Christian renewal" Quaker opportunities.

Other Plain and Conservative Quaker Websites

• Quaker Ranter Blog
• Conservative Quakers in America
• Plain Friends Page from Crossroads Friends Worship Group.
• The Conservative Friend
• Conservative Quakers [dot] com

4. Attend

Quaker.org has a fairly comprehensive list of Quaker churches and meetings at:http://www.quaker.org/meetings.html

Also, you can check things out at Friends General Conference's QuakerFinder.org

For more on the use of Church vs. Meeting among Quakers, see my Short Glossary of Quaker Terms, Phrases, Acronyms and Initialisms.