Charleston Friends Meeting
Charleston, West Virginia

The Charleston Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is a congregation of Quakers.

We believe that each person has the capacity to know directly the will of God - what we call the Inner Light - without requiring a liturgy, ritual, or creed. Instead of relying on a pastor, we all minister and guide each other. Quakers reach for life in the spirit of love, truth, and peace, seeking "that of God" in ourselves and others. The Quaker way bears witness to that spirit in the world by stressing integrity, simplicity, peace, equality, community, and stewardship.

Our Meeting is non-pastoral, for we do not have a designated minister, and unprogrammed, with no set plan of devotional activities. Our weekly silent Meeting for Worship is an unstructured hour gathered together in spiritual seeking. The silence may be broken when someone feels led to share a message.

• If you are curious, here is a short introductory essay on Quakers by an Australian Friend: Facts About Friends
• Friends General Conference provides this brief piece: Friends and Worship
• The Friends World Committee for Consultation has an extended essay on the basics: Meeting the Spirit -- An Introduction to Quaker Beliefs and Practices
• You can also talk with a Charleston Quaker about our Meeting by calling us at 304-343-4700.

Visitors and Seekers are welcome. Here is what you can expect:
If you arrive early, we will have a chance to chat. Do not be concerned if you arrive a little late, just quietly take a chair with us and we will introduce ourselves after Meeting for Worship. Ours is a small Meeting, and you might be surprised at our informality. In the tradition of Plain Dress, we meet in casual attire, typically jeans or shorts.

After Meeting for Worship, we catch up socially over coffee and tea. We almost always have some sort of planned discussion after that, what we call Second Hour - the schedule is here. Some of us meet bi-weekly for informal Bible study that features comparisons of different translations of Scripture and exchanges from our individual perspectives and spiritual leadings. Every couple of months, Friends gather with other friends for supper and an evening of talk as a Book Group.

Meeting for Worship
Sunday at 10 a.m. -- but check our current calendar for special events. Sometimes we do things in places other than our usual location.

Directions:
We meet in the East End at the RCCR building (Religious Coalition for Community Renewal), at 1516 Washington Street East, between Elizabeth and Ruffner Streets.
[Click here for a map]

RCCR is a one-story building between Tudor’s and WV Healthright. The entrance faces the parking lot and WV Healthright. The building is handicap accessible.

Contacts:

Telephone
(304) 343-4700

• Exit 99, Greenbrier Avenue, State Capitol exit.
• Turn towards the river and the Capitol.
• Turn right at the light onto Washington Street East.
• Follow Washington for about ½ mile. Our building is the one before Tudors.

Mailing Address:
Charleston Friends Meeting
10 Fossil Creek Lane
Charleston, WV 25314-2170

From Kanawha Boulevard:

• Turn onto either Ruffner or Elizabeth
• If using Ruffner from the west, turn right at Washington Avenue. Our building is on the left, between Tudors and HealthRight.
• If using Elizabeth, turn left at Washington Avenue. Our building is on the right. Still between Tudors and HealthRright.