HISTORY OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS:

The Religious Society of Friends, popularly known as Quakers, was founded in England by George Fox in the mid-17th century. It was during this period of Protestant Reformation that new sects eliminated various ecclesiastical structures, rituals, and creeds from their respective religious practices. The Religious Society of Friends, the most radical of the new sects, discarded all church forms as well as the paid priesthood. George Fox, speaking from his own spiritual experience, believed in an indwelling Divine Spirit in every person as the ultimate authority to direct human behavior. Those who agreed with Fox became the Religious Society of Friends.

HISTORY OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE FRIENDS MEETING:

The first appearance of a Quaker family in Albemarle County was in 1742 but it was not until the mid-20th century that a Quaker presence became continuous. In 1938 Chic Moran met fellow student Werner Janney at the University of Virginia and the two began meeting "after the manner of Friends."  That gathering was disrupted by World War II and it was not until 1952 when two Quaker families, Keith and Mary Wiley of Earlysville and Chic and Fermine Moran of Free Union, began the meeting that became the present Charlottesville Friends Meeting. In 1963 the group was established as a Monthly Meeting. Over the years the location of the Meeting moved from Madison House at the University to, eventually, in May of 1982, the present location on Forest Street.

ORGANIZATION AND OTHER INFORMATION  How Friends get things done 

CALENDAR  Schedule of events at our Meeting 

TESTIMONIES AND QUERIES Instead of creed...

QUAKER SITES ON THE INTERNET

• Tandem Friends School   

• WWW Friends Links to all things Quaker

• Pendle Hill  Quaker retreat and study center

• Friends Committee on National Legislation A Quaker lobbying organization for peace and social justice issues 

Return to Monticello Avenue
Last update: September 15, 2004
Access count: 2815
© 2000 by Charlottesville Friends Meeting
quakers@avenue.org