Online Library at Abington Meeting

In light of the exceptional pandemic situation and vastly reduced traffic coming to the meetinghouse, the Library Committee has given lots of thought to how we can best serve our meeting community. We want to make sure the many resources available at the library can be accessed, should anyone so desire. We are delighted to offer you assistance in accessing these resources! All you need to do is check the online library (Click Here for LibraryThing) for books according to author, title, or subject. If the book is in our library, you can go to this online form to request the title from us: Click Here for online request form.
You can also just request a title from us without looking it up in the online search; if we don’t have it we’ll let you know.

Pendle Hill pamphlets are not listed in the online library (LibraryThing) data base. However you can go to this Pendle Hill link to find all the issues and their descriptions: Click Here for Pendle Hill Pamphlets Instead of purchasing, you can then request to borrow a pamphlet from our library using the online form above.

We will leave requested books or pamphlets in the Meetinghouse vestibule (always open) in the white library box. If you are at the meetinghouse for MFW you can always look for desired books yourself after consulting the online library or browsing. They are alphabetical by primary subject area both downstairs and upstairs. Most Pendle Hill pamphlets are upstairs in numerical order.

We hope you use our wonderful library resources and enjoy!

Using LibraryThing - Instructions:
1. Always use the direct link for the Abington Meeting Link (see above). If you become lost, return to this direct link.
2. This will take you to the full listing of Abington Meeting books. You can scroll the list of 900+ books here.
3. To search for a particular title, author, subject: Look for the "Search Your Library" box in the middle right. (Do not confuse it with the "Search Site" box above.)
4. Enter a search for an author, title or subject here. Make sure "ALL FIELDS" appear in the last section or change this field to Titles/Authors, Subjects, etc.
5. If you click on the book you want, this brings up the LIBRARYTHING information which may include more information, such as other authors, reviews, etc.
6. To return to the Abington listing, hit the return arrow at the upper left screen until it returns to the Abington Meeting listing.
7. Avoid selecting choices at the top with the brown background, such as "Home". You will then be asked for a name and password. To get back into our library, simply press the back arrow or go out and back in with the original link.

Hello and welcome to our meeting. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

New to Abington Friends Meeting?

All are welcome here!
We invite newcomers to attend Meeting for Worship and other activities at Abington Friends Meeting! Please come for a visit!

At the heart of Quaker spiritual experience is the understanding that there is something sacred and holy within each of us—a power that connects us all and transcends our individual selves. Friends use many names to describe this “greater something”: Universal Love, The Divine, The Seed, God, the Spirit, the Inward Light, the Christ Within, among others . Whatever name we use, we believe this presence is accessible to everyone, and that each person can listen for Divine or Universal Truth in their own heart.

Our worship and decision-making practices are rooted in this belief—that together, we can listen for and be guided by Universal or Divine Truth. Our Guiding Principles, or Testimonies—of Integrity, Equality, Peace, Simplicity, Community , and Stewardship—flow from this living and immediate experience of the Spirit.

Affirming the sacredness and equality of every individual, we warmly welcome people of all faiths, spiritual journeys, ages, nationalities, races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Because we recognize this inherent sacredness and equality in everyone, we do not have a single minister or pastor; instead, we believe that all who gather with us in worship are potential ministers.

Our worship begins with a period of silent prayer or quiet centering, allowing each of us to become still and attentive. After a period of time, if anyone feels moved by the Spirit to speak, they are welcome to stand and share a brief message. We ask that each person speak only once during worship, and that a period of silence follows each message, so that every message can be fully heard and received.

Toward the close of our worship, there will be an opportunity to share joys, sorrows, and prayer requests. We conclude worship by shaking hands, followed by time for visitors’ introductions and brief announcements. Afterwards, on most Sundays, we invite everyone to join us for a coffee break and fellowship across the hall in our John Barnes Room. Sometimes we also offer educational programming or other special activities.

We are grateful for your presence with us and hope you will feel at home in this community of seeking, listening, and shared spiritual experience.

This testimony from eighteenth century Friend, John Woolman sums this up well:
“There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath different names; it is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion nor excluded from any where the heart stands in perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what nation soever, they become brethren.”

Here is some helpful information:
Our official name is: Abington Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. We are called "monthly" because we meet once a month to attend to business, but we have meeting for worship every Sunday.

Indoor Meeting for Worship
10:00 AM until 11:00 AM
Year-round

Outdoor Meeting for Worship
Every Sunday, mid-June - early September (weather permitting)
10:00 AM until 11:00 AM (happening at the same time as indoor Meeting for Worship)
In addition to our normal indoor Meeting for Worship, we hold optional outdoor Meetings behind the Meeting House during the summer.

Programming for Children and Youth (also called First Day School)
Youth Programming (grades k - 8)
Every Sunday, September - May
10:00 - 11:00 am
Childcare (all children younger than kindergarten)
Every Sunday, year-round
9:45 - 11:15, with additional times to support adult class and Meeting for Business, September - May
Click Here for more information on Programming for Children and Youth

Adult Classes
Occasional Sundays, September – May
11:15 AM. All ages welcome.
First Day School for Adults consists of talks and activities that provide a Quaker perspective on the issues and challenges of everyday life.

Parking
Members and attenders park on the right side of the driveway leading up to the Meeting House (accessible from our entrance on Greenwood Avenue) or in the parking lot on the west side of the Meeting House. Please note that our meetinghouse driveways are one-way, so vehicles must enter from Greenwood Avenue and exit onto Meetinghouse Road.

Orientation
As you enter the Meetinghouse, which is what we call our place of worship, the room where the Meeting gathers will be the first door on your right. The John Barnes Room, which is where we meet for adult classes and special events will be the first door on your left.

Meeting Etiquette
Because Quakers worship in silence, please lower your voice when approaching the Meeting House before Meeting for Worship. Likewise, please silence your cellphone.

There is no pastor or minister. Instead, attenders rise and speak when the Spirit moves them, generally keep their comments brief and of a spiritual, heartfelt nature, and allow ample time for others to reflect on what has been said before rising to speak. Statements often have a common thread; however, this is not a requirement.

Please browse around this website for other important information! Click here to start browsing