Friends first started meeting “at the spring” around 1761, previously
meeting as part of Cane Creek Friends Meeting, which was established as
a monthly meeting in 1751. The earliest written record of the
Meeting can be found in the words of Daniel Stanton, a visiting Friend
from Pennsylvania, who on Second Month (February) 6, 1761 wrote: “We …had a meeting
at…the Spring, which though small… (was a good meeting)…and Friends
were glad to see us.”
Spring
was named for
the free flowing springs located around the site. (On any
given meeting day, you can probably find some of our children still
playing in one of the springs!) Located in central North Carolina
and about equidistant from the towns of Burlington, Chapel Hill,
Pittsboro and Siler City, Spring, which is a rural meeting, draws its
attenders and members from this broad area. These “friends” come
from diverse spiritual backgrounds to gather and worship as “Friends”.One may find that a universal and definitive description of Friends’ worship, as well as of our basic beliefs, is difficult to come by. Over the last 175 years, Friends have unfortunately divided themselves into many different groups. Many have since grown apart in form of worship and even theology. For the first 150 years of its presence, Spring existed as a meeting in the more traditional form of Quaker worship. Such worship is characterized by Friends gathering and collectively waiting upon the Lord “out of the silence”. That silence could be occasionally punctuated by divinely inspired leadings by various members and attenders. For the next 90 years of its existence, Spring generally adopted a pastoral form of worship. More recently, Friends at Spring have endeavored to bridge the many branches of Friends’ groups, adopting a “semi-programmed” form of worship. Spring does not employ a pastoral minister, as do some meetings. Rather, Spring draws upon the active contributions and involvement of its members and attenders. A typical month at Spring would include:
- One First Day (Sunday) of the month (typically the first Sunday) of “unprogrammed” worship, or worship “out of the silence”
- Two First Days (Sundays) of the month (typically the second and fourth Sundays) of “semi-programmed” worship, with a guest or visitor (often from Guilford College’s Quaker Leadership Scholars Program) bringing a brief message and concluding with a season of worship "out of the silence”
- One First Day (Sunday) of the month (typically the third Sunday) of “semi-programmed” worship, with a brief message offered by one of our members or attenders and concluding with a season of worship “out of the silence”
- When a fifth First Day (fifth Sunday) occurs during a month, Spring enjoys a “hymn sing” in which members and attenders participate in choosing hymns and lifting our voices to the Lord. The hymn sing is also concluded with a season of worship “out of the silence”.
- First Day (Sunday) school is held each week, with classes for both children and adults. One First Day school session each month is devoted to a meeting wide "forum" where a particular subject is presented. Past forums have included visits by some of our Muslim neighbors, Friends relating their experience as concientious objectors during World War II, discussions on living wills & health care issues, presentations by various local charities, etc.
Spring has a long history of witness to the community. Early in our history, a battle of the American Revolution, known as the “Battle of Lindley’s Mill” was fought on and around the grounds. In this battle, several hundred troops were engaged with many finding final resting places in our burial ground. The governor of the State and his council were actually held prisoner in the log meeting house of the time.
Friends of Spring Meeting were also actively involved with efforts along the Underground Railroad, assisting others in their quest for freedom. Members of the meeting also suffered for faithfully clinging to our Peace Testimony during the Civil War.
Spring’s
current
meeting house is believed to be the third on the site.
Constructed in 1907, it is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and reflects the influence of the twentieth century pastoral
movement among North Carolina Friends.History is interesting to read and nice to claim, but says little or nothing about the character of our present state. For this, we must rely upon our own actions. Friends at Spring are currently involved in a number of activities that might in some small measure be considered along side those deeds of our predecessors. Spring Meeting is involved with the area's Loaves and Fishes ministry, distributing food and provisions on a monthly basis throughout the community. We are active participants and supporters of the Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, which produces the acclaimed, historically based dramas “Sword of Peace” and “Pathway to Freedom”, which depict some of the past activities and events in which Friends partook. Spring is active in laboring for abolition of the Death Penalty. We assist in disaster relief through the Friends Disaster Service. We support the “waging of Peace” as exemplified by Quaker House and the American Friends Service Committee. We also have a unique relationship with Guilford College’s Quaker Leadership Scholars Program.
Our
hope
and mission
is to faithfully bear our responsibility and privilege of promoting
God’s Kingdom here on earth. We draw upon the forbearers of our
meeting as examples of how to do so, with the full realization that the
present and future is our responsibility and in the Lord’s hands!