I had a few ideas in my head before I entered the worship room, about what a Quaker Meeting was like. One idea was that it was held in a large room with long lines of chairs going across it. Almost like the pews in a church. Another was that it was like a Sikh room of worship. Everybody would sit in a line in the middle of the room. Then we would all kneel. (I say all because I assumed there would be tens of people.) Then pray.

I have always believed that in some way or another, if you are feeling happy or pleasant, then you are in the presence of God. Because from my point of view, God has given part of himself to us in the form of joy.

When I came into the room there were about ten chairs in a small circle. The room was hardly a church hall. I was amazed at just how wrong my thoughts on a Quaker Meeting were. I went over to one of the chairs and sat down. I looked around for a while and began to take everything in: the Bibles on the small round wooden table in the centre of the circle. The dim but comforting lighting. And the shape of the room that curved around the circle of chairs.

Everybody shut their eyes. I didn’t for a few minutes. I still wanted to think about what was going on. There wasn’t really anything going on at all but I felt the need to look around and see what everybody else was doing.

After five or so minutes I shut my eyes too. I was relaxed. Normally I would just be bored of sitting with my eyes shut. This was pleasantly different though. I felt a really warm presence around me; something that made me feel happy.

I have always believed that in some way or another, if you are feeling happy or pleasant, then you are in the presence of God. Because from my point of view, God has given part of himself to us in the form of joy. All the good things in the world are God. And the warm feeling I got when I sat in the worship room was telling me that I was in the presence of God, and that was the best feeling of all.

As I left the room I could remember how anxious I was to walk into a room full of about fifty odd people. It put a smile on my face. I could also remember that I was feeling quite dull. Not in the sense that I was bored or that I was ill. But that it was just another day. Things were average. I noticed the difference being in that room had put on my emotion and I was far more relaxed and happy. It was a true experience to be a part of and I’m glad I did it.

Although I may be a Christian and not a Quaker, I would definitely go to another Meeting again. The Meeting was, as I had previously explained, very enjoyable. And the thought of bringing myself closer to God is something that makes me very happy. Quaker or not; I am eager to go to another if it was to be like my first.

Shaun undertook work experience at The Friend.