Mennonite or Quaker?

Have you worshipped with either?

Also, I think it's a minority of Quakers now who have unprogrammed worship.

It sounds like www.fum.org Friends United Meeting may be a good fit for you. They are explicitly Christian and allow for theological diversity. As the largest organization of Quakers, Friends United Meeting is decidedly centrist and contains a wide range of Christian Quaker theological outlooks from very progressive and inclusive views to very conservative and traditional beliefs among individual members. Friends United Meeting considers itself to be noncreedal which allows it to embrace a wide range of Christian Quaker theological viewpoints.

Depending on the closest congregation, FUM offers both unprogrammed and programmed meetings. Programmed worship has hymns and sermons with pastors but also has a period of open worship where we wait upon the Holy Spirit. My local FUM church in Whittier, CA in fact offers both types of worship for Friends. You would have to check with your closest Friends Church to you.

You might also want to peruse this link for a Conservative (i.e. Orthodox or Traditional in terms of Quaker practice, not necessarily politically conservative) Quaker understanding: Our Faith :: Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)

Doesn't the answer lie with your own feelings about the various points you made in the OP? I realize that you said, in several places, that your view was not settled yet, but it seems that we could not advise you well until you decide. What we could do at the present would be to promote one or the other on the basis of our own preferences and beliefs.

I would agree with dsaly, though, to the extent that there is a much greater range of worship style and belief among Quaker groups than most people believe. Some are almost indistinguishable from the average Evangelical Protestant church while others are like the traditional Quakers who had no minister, no sacraments, and the meeting waits for different people to get up and speak as the Holy Spirit moves them.

Not to paint the Mennonites out of your considerations, but there probably is a place for you somewhere in Quakerism if you think that's the choice between Quakers and Anabaptists.

I've known a lot of Mennonites/Anabaptists and never met one that agreed with Eternal Security... and rightfully so since it was invented during the Reformation.. even Luther knew better..

I've attended an unprogrammed Quaker meeting on two separate occasions--the first time, it was a midweek service that ended up being a silent worship period (since no one spoke, though anyone could have if they felt moved by the Spirit to do so), and a Sunday service in which a variety of people spoke and a lot of interesting and insightful things were said. I haven't returned to the service in nearly three months, and I find myself dearly missing it as if it's been forever. I love attending the church that I am a member of, so I have been thinking that I want to stop in for another midweek service at some point (I am hoping sooner than later), rather than on a Sunday.

In my region, Quaker services tend to be extremely inclusive and have attendees and members (with different forms of membership...) with a wide variety of beliefs, although Quakerism has traditional Christian roots and, although I cannot confirm it, I expect that the majority of Quakers would identify as Christians. From what I gather, there are Quaker services in other parts of the country in which the sacraments are observed if one feels called to participate in them.

There is a podcast called 'Quaker Faith & Podcast' that I enjoy listening to, that may provide some perspective. It features a man with a more conservative perspective on Christian faith, and a woman with a very theologically liberal perspective:

Home - Quaker Faith & Podcast

I live near a Mennonite community and have studied all the Plain dress denominations.

So far

I agree with most of a lot of them however there's always like one thing I disagree with each group Everytime .

However a lot of the bylaws and order and Beliefs and customs were written to set them apart from the others.

The Bible also warns against false doctrines and There is a lot of extra man made rules in a lot of these denominations .

It's a very noble thing to want to live as sin free as possible and being old fashioned and the old fashioned life is a great thing compared to the hustle and bustle of everyday life in 2017,18.

However by being to far Plain dress I feel could alienate other ethnic groups that didn't grow up that way from getting saved and coming to know Jesus.

So Far I agree with the Amish lifestyle except I believe God let King David d denfend his people so I'm not pacifist. I believe Jesus saying turn the other cheek was to your neighbor not nessacarily defending your country or family .

And I think Cars and electric are very useful in the times we live in now .


I yearn for a Pentecostal Amish experience with Plain Dress people but with the Batism of the Holy Spirit however I have not stumbled upon anything like that yet .

FaithfulPilgrim said:

Anabaptists seem to accept the Bible as infallible and as the final authority

Click to expand...

This is the main difference that all Anabaptists individuals and groups (by definition) agree upon as far as I know. THey may have many differences, but they all honor the Bible as Yahweh's (God's) Word and as the one and final authority for our lives.

When they become known, even in the usa, they are often persecuted, so they don't advertise . The few I heard of in person were , I think, (no proof), actually forced to disband by large 'regular' 'churches' that used secular powers/authorities to 'bulldoze' them (after graciously offering the small groups to join their big accepted groups, which of course Anabaptists cannot in good faith do) .

Anabaptists know from Scripture confirmed by Yahweh that the so-called osas deception is not true, so don't join a group that says otherwise if you think you found Anabaptists. Same with groups willing to do violence to any person to harm or kill them - those groups are not Anabaptists.

When and if you find a person or a group of believers immersed in Yeshua's Name, don't advertise it on forums, online, or elsewhere - that brings down strong persecution just like in China where they are not even allowed to speak out loud Jesus' Name , nor sing out loud even in their own homes any Gospel songs. To find a group or individual /home meeting is a miracle of grace - treasured greatly and honored by Yahweh.

Something I've been wondering is what Quaker applications for membership are like. When I joined a conservative Presbyterian church, I had to sign off on a massive packet full of specific questions and answers (though they claimed my answers were longer than they expected), and when I joined a UMC it was just a matter of agreeing to 5 points that, in my case, I was happy to say yes to.

If it is like Anabaptists, you have to die, be buried , and be resurrected in Christ Jesus.

("crucified", immersed, risen in newness of life as in the NT) ....
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'Formally' in other Quaker groups may each be different as this quik search on the internet revealed:
QUOTE:
Letter of application for membership (self.Quakers)

submitted 2 years ago by B*****r (Convergent)

I've been attending Meeting for Worship for over 2 years and have found that I feel very much at home among Friends and that it is my spiritual home. With that in mind, I am hoping to apply for membership in the coming weeks or months.

I believe the process is to write to the Clerk of Monthly Meeting, but what exactly do you put in such a letter? Do I simply state that I wish to apply for membership in the society, or do I give information on my background and what led me to Quakerism? I sometimes find it quite hard to express myself in writing, especially regarding matters close to my heart!

... ... ...
...

[–]i********d 2 points 2 years ago

I don't remember what I put in my letter, but it wasn't more than a paragraph or so.

Your letter, or a synopsis, will be read at Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, and then given to Membership & Marriage or the equivalent. They will contact you for a Clearness Committee, where you will talk about your spiritual journey.

You'll be fine! Put whatever feels authentic to you, and if you have a hard time expressing yourself in writing, you can even say that. You can't really mess up!


[–]c**********r (Convergent) 2 points 2 years ago

First, ask the Clerk or someone on the Ministry & Counsel committee or equivalent what is required to apply for membership, since procedures can vary from Monthly Meeting to Monthly Meeting.

As for what goes in the membership letter, it depends. If you've been going to this Meeting for 2 years and you feel that everyone there knows you well, then I don't think you need to include much.
But if you feel the Friends there don't know you well, then you should offer a more detailed description of your spiritual path thus far, just so the other Friends can get a better sense of where you're coming from."