August 16th 2026

Vocal ministry occurs when one is moved by the power of the Spirit to share what is felt during a meeting for worship. It can be in the form of a prayer, a song, praise, teaching,witnessing, or the simple sharing of a single thought. We each sit in silence, quiet our minds, and wait on that small still voice within to speak to us. When the Spirit does speak to us, we consider the message. We try to discern its truth. When we believe that what the Spirit has spoken to us is for others as well, we share the message in the meeting. This is called vocal ministry. We are encouraged to listen in tongues, as people will speak of their experience in the language they use, and it is up to the listener to listen to “where the words come from,” translating into their preferred language as needed. This concept comes from John Woolman’s description of a visit with the Native American Indians in The Journal and Major Essays of John Woolman where he asked the interpreters to sit down, believing that the divine spirit would communicate his prayer directly to the listeners’ hearts. He wrote Papunehang spoke to one of the interpreters, and I was afterward told that he said in substance as follows:

“I love to feel where words come from.”

South Central Yearly Meeting, Faith and Practice, pg 13