I still have not figured all of it out. My observation is that each meeting begins and ends in complete silence. It seems to be a moment to reflect before and after worship. After the worship portion is complete you quietly shake the hands of the person sitting to either side of you (not everyone in the pew in front and behind you as I am accustomed).
Quaker meetings can take many forms to include music meetings or celebration meetings like the one we attended today about Victorian England. It's strange but also the most fun. I go to these when I can because the kids receive their merit marks and certificates they have earned. Today my daughter received one for her writing and art. Unlike schools in America, these are earned and not just given to every student so I think she was very proud of her achievement.
Today, her dad accompanied me to the celebration meeting. He thought that it was just a show and tell play about what they learned. So, when everyone automatically went silent, he found it odd. I mean, when else do children as young as 3 and up to 12 go silent on purpose for a few minutes without you having to tell them to be quiet? In response to his puzzlement, I turned to him and said "Welcome to your first Quaker meeting."
