What are the Queries? 

Friends have assessed the state of our religious society through the use of queries since the time of George Fox. Meetings use queries as a guide for self-examination, as a framework for periodically examining, clarifying and prayerfully considering the direction of our individual lives and the life of the meeting community. Quakers explore many facets of their daily lives to be sure that each is living in harmony with the Quaker community, the wider communities and the planet. 

As an example, the queries for Deepening Our Faith in Meeting for Worship are:

• Are our meetings for worship held in stilled, expectant waiting upon God?
• As we worship in the living silence, are we drawn together by the power of God in our midst? Do we experience a deep reverence for the integrity of creation?
• How does our worship nurture all worshipers, creating a deeper sense of community?
• How does our meeting encourage vocal ministry that spiritually nurtures the worshiping community?

Meetings apply the general queries in a variety of ways. Some meetings prepare written answers—for example, as background for developing a state-of-the-meeting report. Some Meetings use the queries as an aid to inward reflection; some make them part of the Meeting for Worship or Meeting for Business—either by reading one set of queries or by reading selections from that set. There may be times when a meeting will reword a query or contemplate a new one to meet its particular situation.

Whatever the approach, faithful attention to the queries—open to the Spirit—can enrich the life of the meeting and individual Friends. 

The current queries are contained in our Faith & Practice book. Click here for the Queries - PYM Faith and Practice