Quakers

“But to all who received him, all who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”

            ~ John 1:12

I began attending the Quaker meetings during my last month in Monteverde.  Monteverde was settled by a group of Quakers who were escaping the draft in the United States in 1951.  They still maintain a strong presence in Monteverde, though the town has since grown and is mostly Costa Rican residents.  The meetinghouse was in the Monteverde Friend’s School, and was built in a way that reminded me of Birchwood, entirely of wood.  Although I came to Costa Rica to be immersed in the culture and language here, the Quaker people and customs were a very appreciated reminder of home.

The Monteverde Friends School

The Quaker Meetinghouse

I didn’t really know what to expect on my first visit to the Quakers.  Heather and I had read a little about them, and I pulled from what I learned about them in school.  The seating in the meetinghouse was arranged in a circle, with no designation as the ‘front.’  The service here began with hymns.  They had two hymnals, and anyone could request a song, which was then sung a cappella.  I requested Be Thou my Vision, one of my favorite hymns.

After the hymn-sing, everyone sat in silence.  Unlike traditional churches with a pastor, the Quakers believe that the Holy Spirit comes to them in silence, and anyone can reflect aloud at any moment they choose.  They have no sacraments, but receive communion with God through meditation and reflection.  During my first visit I sat through the hour in anticipation, waiting for someone to speak, or for something to happen.  Eventually someone did stand up near the end of the hour.  She spoke about the importance of love, and then someone echoed her reflection in Spanish.  I felt more comfortable with the silence during my second visit (and this is coming from someone who is generally comfortable in silence anyway).  I realize that this form of worship (and all worship really) requires practice.  We are all constantly yearning to refocus our hearts on God, and there are many practices and traditions that allow all different kinds of people to find relationship with Christ, and that is a beautiful thing!  It doesn’t matter how many times I go to church, read the Bible, pray, meditate, sing, or fast, I will never be a perfect Christian.  I will sin time and time again, in Heather’s words, I am broken.  But still I come seeking communion with God, in whatever way I can, though worship, silence, scripture, sermons, or walks in the woods, and Christ pulls me in to his Kingdom, regardless of my flaws.

In the words of the Quakers

I really enjoyed the weekly Quaker meetings.  After a chaotic week of research, classes, family time (in Spanish, which made it particularly stressful), and just the general noise of the world, escaping into the asylum of silence was a cherished gift.

A favorite Quaker hymn (they sang this song a lot)

The last meeting I attended was a joint day between the Quakers and the Catholics.  First the Catholics came to the Quaker meeting, then everyone had lunch together, and finally the Quakers went to the Catholic Mass.  It was a celebration of traditions, and a chance to share each other’s customs.  In the middle they had a big dance.  The Costa Ricans displayed their traditional dance, and then the Quakers taught everyone how to square dance.

Costa Rican dance

Square dancing