About Boulder Friends Meeting
Where is Boulder Meeting located?
1825 Upland Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80304 [Map]
Please park in the spaces across from the meeting house on Upland or at Crest View School nearby. The parking lot adjoining our building is reserved for people with limited mobility or small children.
What is Quaker worship like?
If you have haven’t experienced Quaker silent worship before, it may feel unique. Boulder Friends gather in silence in Meeting for Worship, without formalities or professional ministry. Through quiet waiting or prayer, we seek inspiration, comfort, and Divine guidance. Listening and seeking are important parts of our worship, and we seek the Inner Light as our spiritual guide.
Recognizing that each person in Meeting possesses a part of the truth, or God’s wisdom, we trust in the silence to bring forth ministry. Typically a few worshipers are inspired to offer vocal ministry and we provide a period of silence surrounding each spoken message for reflection. Spoken ministry is not discussion or education; it is a vocal expression of the Divine in our lives. Learn more about Quakers.
What to Expect in Quaker Meeting for Worship (Video)
How long is meeting?
Meeting for Worship lasts one hour followed by the sharing of personal joys and sorrows. Then introductions and announcements usually take about 20 minutes. Afterward, all are invited for fellowship and refreshments in the Fellowship Room.
What are the regular Sunday programs?
Sunday Meetings for Worship, held in-person at the meeting house
8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The early meeting usually has small attendance and little vocal ministry. The later meeting may be attended by up to 100 people and has more vocal ministry. We do not pass a collection plate, but there is a small box on the table outside the worship room if you wish to make a financial contribution. If you cannot arrive in time for 10 a.m. worship, please gather in silence with others in the foyer and enter at 10:15.
To protect our chemically sensitive friends, please avoid using scented products such as perfume, aftershave, lotions, certain hair products, laundry soap, and fabric softeners that infuse chemicals into your clothes and hair. A section of seats is reserved for people with these sensitivities. See Safe Products for Chemically Sensitive People.
Sunday morning worship online, accessed from the Internet via Zoom
10 am
Online activities begun during the Covid-19 pandemic have become a valuable alternative for those who are unable to attend in-person for a variety of reasons. See Online Worship and Activities for instructions on how to join us in online worship through your computer or smart phone.
Childcare
Available during Sunday activities at the meeting house
10:00 – 11:15 (during Worship)
11:15 – 12:00 May be available during fellowship
12:00 – 2:00 May be available during special programs
First Day School
10:15 – 11:15 am
Sunday school for children grades K -12 is offered on 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month during the school year. Children are encouraged to join the first 15 minutes of Meeting for Worship with their parents before going to the classrooms down the hall. Learn more about First Day School and childcare.
Program Hour
12:00 – 1:00 if in-person, 1:00 – 2:00 pm if on Zoom
Programs are frequently offered after Worship and fellowship on Sundays. Most are presented either outdoors or online via Zoom. They may feature a Friend’s spiritual journey, adult religious education, reports on Quaker activities, discussions or singing.
Meeting for Business
1:00 p.m., Second Sunday each month, on Zoom
Formally called “Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business,” this meeting addresses the care of the Meeting and the meetinghouse. It takes place the second Sunday of each month, after Worship and fellowship. Decisions are made under the guidance of the Spirit through collective spiritual discernment.
What other activities and events are offered?
Group activities at other times include Quaker Studies classes, book discussions, potlucks, retreats, and regional gatherings. Visit this page to learn other ways you can get more involved.
