The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume Light of that message Meeting for Worship ends when one Friend, designated in advance, shakes hands with his or her neighbors Then everyone shakes hands No two meetings are ever the same.12 Friends treat all functions of the church as a form of worship, including business, marriage, and memorial services, in addition to regular Meeting for Worship The two main forms of Quaker worship are often referred to as “programmed” and “unprogrammed.” “ ” worship is the more traditional style of worship among Friends and remains the norm in Britain, Ireland, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and parts of the United States During an unprogrammed meeting for worship, Friends gather together in “expectant waiting” for divine leadings Sometimes a meeting is entirely silent, sometimes quite a few people speak Silence is greatly valued by Friends In removing pressure and hurry, it helps them to be aware of the inner and deeper meaning of their individual and corporate lives It enables them to begin to accept themselves as they are and to find some release from fear, anxiety, emotional confusion and selfishness The seating for a meeting for worship is usually arranged in a circle or a square to help people to be aware of one another, to be conscious of the fact that they are worshipping together Those present settle quietly, and by corporately seeking God’s will, become open to one another This may happen quickly, or it may take most of the meeting, usually an hour long “dz worship resembles a typical Protestant worship service in the United States This tradition arose among Friends in the United States in the nineteenth century in response to large numbers of converts to Quakerism during the national spiritual revivalism of the time Typically there are readings from scripture, hymns, and a sermon from the pastor A period of silence (similar in practice to that of unprogrammed meetings, though generally shorter) is included in some programmed Friends worship services There is a very wide variety of sources of spoken ministry and the acceptance of them is an important part of Quaker worship Since the Religious Society of Friends is part of the Christian tradition, people may speak of the life and teachings of Jesus, use words from other sources, or refer to events in daily life 205