We are the Holland Quakers, a small worshipping community faithful to honoring the Light within each person, seeking unity in Spirit, and believing that Love is Divine and abundant.
About Us
We’re the Quakers of Holland, Michigan
We’re the Quakers of Holland, Michigan. We are a small Christian-rooted community that believes every person can experience God directly, without the need for priests or formal rituals. We seek to live out that belief in everyday life.
The History of the Holland Quakers
Interest in worship in the manner of Friends began in Holland in 1987, and the Holland Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends was formally established in 2008. The story of Holland Quakers is, in many ways, Larry’s story. As a founding member, he helped nurture the meeting as part of his own spiritual journey. Here is that story in Larry’s own words.
“In the late 1980s, I was a member of a Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. It was a nourishing spiritual home, and I was involved in leadership, especially in planning and leading alternative worship services and educational experiences. In that role, I hoped to make the Christian message real for our congregation—and for myself. Yet, for a variety of reasons, I found I could not honestly call myself a true believer. Under the guidance of our pastor, I was introduced to contemplative practices in other settings, which were spiritually rich but not regularly available. Though we tried to cultivate similar experiences within our church, they never quite took root.
Around that same time, our high school-aged daughter spent a summer working at a Quaker-run Palestinian girls’ school in the West Bank and later chose to attend Quaker-affiliated Earlham College. Through her experience, I became more familiar with Quaker thought and practice. Soon after, a Quaker couple at Hope College began hosting a small worship group in their home. While I still had a church home, a way opened.
Those experiences led me to silent worship on Sunday evenings, which quickly became my spiritual home. I was not leaving something behind, but moving toward a new Light. That small gathering, under the care of the Grand Rapids Friends Meeting, grew into the Holland Friends Meeting. I feel blessed to have been part of its creation and continued growth.”
Timeline of the Holland Quakers
1989
Holland Friends Meeting became an official worship group under the Grand Rapids Meeting.
1989-1999
Holland Worship Group meets in homes, with many also attending the Grand Rapids Meeting.
1999
Holland Worship Group became a Preparative Meeting under the Grand Rapids Meeting.
1999-2008
Holland Preparative Meeting met in member homes.
2008
Holland Friends Meeting became a Monthly Meeting, independent of the Grand Rapids Meeting.
2010-Present
Holland Friends Meeting begins gathering at the Western Theological Seminary.
Our Stories
Stories have always played an important role in the Quaker tradition. From the earliest days, people shared personal experiences of how the Spirit moved in their lives.
Our Values
Although Quakers have no official doctrine, we do have shared testimonies or values which are unifying across communities—Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.