Writer and editor Julie Odland wrote a great article titled “Being a Quaker is Right for Me” that was published last month in the Frederick News-Post.
Odland’s father was a Lutheran pastor, and she grew up in the Christian church. Although she liked those communities, she said she had “serious doubts about the creed.”
It was through grammar (she is a writer after all) that she became interested in Quakerism. Friends’ use of the terms thee, thou, and thy to express equality caught her attention.
She started attending meetings for worship regularly in 2002 in Pennsylvania. After she moved to Maryland in 2009, she became a member at the Frederick Friends Meeting.
Odland has a wonderful view of Quakerism.
She writes “the modern Religious Society of Friends embraces a wide range of spiritual beliefs. Membership does not require adherence to any particular doctrine… What unites us is a shared commitment to Quaker values and practices, rather than a fixed creed.”
She says that the unprogrammed meeting for worship “feels like the most sincere way to experience God. Each person is responsible to be present, listen and serve. The unstructured worship experience is rich and pure.”
In her article, she also writes about the SPICES testimonies and Friends’ reputation for activism.
You can find Odland’s full article here on the Frederick News-Post website.
Peachtree Friends Meeting 