About Us

Asheville Monthly Meeting of the Religous Society of Friends

227 Edgewood Road
Asheville NC 28804-3314
(just east of UNC-A campus)

(307) 800-1604

Meeting for Worship Every First Day (Sunday) at 10 a.m.

All are welcome

Children's program each Sunday from 10:15 to 11:15
Childcare provided for 2nd hour activities
on the first, second and third Sundays from 12:00 to 1:00

About the Asheville Meeting House

This is a link to a comprehensive article about the meeting house building from the Preservation Society.

https://psabc.org/trolleys-towers-fruits-and-friends-the-story-of-227-edgewood-road

And, here is the article in pdf form.

https://ashevillefriend.org/AboutUs/227Edgewood.pdf

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Unprogrammed Worship

The Asheville Friends Meeting is an unprogrammed meeting.

Taken from the Wikipedia entry on the Religious Society of Friends.

Unprogrammed worship is the more traditional style of worship among Friends and remains the norm in Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the United States and Canada. 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. Meeting for Worship generally lasts about an hour. A member will rise and share a message (give "ministry") with the gathered meeting when they feel they are led by the spirit. Typically, messages, testimonies, ministry, or other speech are unprepared, and members are expected by the community to discern the source of their inspiration—whether divine or self. Unprogrammed worship is generally deemed to start as soon as the first participant is seated, the others entering the room in silence. The Meeting for Worship ends when one person (usually predetermined) shakes the hand of his or her neighbor. All the members of the assembly then shake hands with their neighbors, after which one member usually rises and extends greetings and makes announcements. Many meetings serve coffee or tea after meeting, which gives everyone an opportunity to catch up with friends and chat with visitors.

"There is that of God in every person." This simple, powerful testimony leads the Asheville Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends to welcome all people, including those of any sexual orientation, gender presentation, or gender identity. We advocate for equality of all people and for the right of everyone to live safely and without fear.

Asheville Friends:
* Reject the anti-scientific notion of a "gender binary."
* Affirm the right of every person to self-identify their gender.
* Recognize all gender expressions as valid and real.
* Acknowledge, affirm, and embrace the gifts of the Spirit embodied in our transgender, intersex, and nonbinary beloveds with joy, humility, and gratitude.

We welcome queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender folks as co-equal participants in our spiritual journey and in all other aspects of the beloved community.

Clerk: Lilith S
Asst. Clerk:
Recording Clerk: Elliott J
Asst. Recording Clerk:
Treasurer: Satchel L
Asst. Treasurer: Ellen C
Meetinghouse Coordinator: Adrianne W
Archivist: unfilled
Recorder: Barbara E
SAYMA Representative:

Board of Directors (As owners of real property, we are required by law to have a Board of Directors to manage our assets)
Pat J
Ellen C
Kitti R
Beth E
Satchel L

Meeting for Worship

Every First Day (Sunday)
10:00 a.m. Silent worship
10:15 a.m. First Day School for children
11:00 a.m. Sharing of joys & sorrows
11:15 a.m. First Day School ends
11:30 a.m. Fellowship

Meeting for Worship with Attention to Our Business

There is a saying among Friends that we did not abolish the clergy, we abolished the laity. Join us after rise of Meeting for Worship to experience the aspect of Quaker practice that most sets us apart from other religious faiths, as we seek to discern Divine leadings in our work and discover Divine truth for our community.

Each Second First Day (Sunday) of the month
Supervised play for children
Begins at 12 noon
Ends by 2 p.m.

Sandwich Sunday

Each Fourth First Day (Sunday) of the month
Begins after rise of Meeting
"Loaves, fishes, and fellowship" - everyone welcome!
Healthful, homemade dishes encouraged
Be mindful of dietary restrictions and list ingredients of your offerings
Ends when cleanup is completed

Adult Spiritual Enrichment

First and third First Day (Sunday) of the month
Begins at 12 noon
Supervised play for children
Ends by 2 p.m.

Midweek Meeting for Worship

Our Midweek Meeting is currently on hiatus.

SAYMA

Asheville Friends Meeting (AFM) is one of the monthly Meetings in Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association (SAYMA.) One of AFM's members, Barbara, compiled a short history of SAYMA. To read it please click on this link.

To learn more about SAYMA, go to their website, sayma.org.