Welcome
Goose Creek is a warm and welcoming community where we support each other in our shared journeys of the Spirit. We believe, in the words of the Quaker writer Thomas Kelly, that “deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return.” In our worship and in our daily lives we seek to remain always with our hearts turned toward that Divine Center.
Quakerism is not defined by creeds or doctrine. Rather it is a lived spiritual practice where we seek God in our experiences and live out our faith in our shared world. We believe that there is that of God within each and every human being – adults and children – regardless of faith, race, nationality, sexual orientation, or life experiences. We are called to answer that Divine spark, that Light Within, both in ourselves and in others.
We welcome all seekers, find deep kinship in our shared humanity, and value our differences.
Book Sunday, June 2026
Queries: Eighth Month
Outreach
- Do you, as the way opens, share Friends’ principles with non-Friends?
- Do you witness to your Quaker faith by letting your life speak?
- Do you make non-Friends welcome in your meetings for worship?
- Do you find ways to encourage their continued attendance?
From Baltimore Yearly Meeting “Advices.”
Our belief in the universality of the Inner Light requires us to “walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone” as George Fox urged. No human being is excluded from our sense of community, for we are led by our faith to view human beings as children of God rather than as stereotypes of cultures, nations, or ideologies. It is individual people with whom fellowship must be established, and each Friend must seek in the quiet of worship the personal strength to work at the establishment of community.
Voices
“Many of the people who come to us are both refugees and seekers. They are looking for a space to find their authenticity, a space in a spiritual context. It is a process of liberation. Some discover what they need among Friends, others go elsewhere. This gift of the sacred space that Friends have to offer is a two-edged sword. It is not easy administratively to quantify; it leads to ambiguity. It demands patient listening; it can be enriching and challenging to our complacency. It is outreach in the most general sense and it is a profound service. It may not lead to membership and it may cause difficulties in local meetings. But if someone comes asking for bread, we cannot say, sorry we are too busy discovering our own riches; when we have found them, we’ll offer you a few. Our riches are precisely our sharing. And the world is very, very hungry.”
— Harvey Gillman, 1993
The very simple heart of the early Quaker message is needed as much to-day as it ever was… The really universal thing is a living experience. It is reached in various ways, and expressed in very different language… The common bond is in the thing itself, the actual inner knowledge of the grace of God. Quakerism can only have a universal message if it brings men and women into this transforming knowledge. The early Friends certainly had this knowledge, and were the means of bringing many thousands of seekers into the way of discovery. In virtue of this central experience, the Quaker movement can only be true to itself by being a missionary movement.
— Henry T Hodgkin, 1916
News
Taylor Foundry Farm Bell returns to Lincoln
A farm bell made at the Taylor Foundry in the 1870s has been placed on the lawn in front of the Goose Creek meeting house. It was rung the first time at its new location on July 4, 2026, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. More.
Goose Creek bell ringers celebrate the 250th anniversary
A small group of hardy Friends braved the scorching temperatures to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by ringing hand bells 250 times on the front porch at Goose Creek.
Goose Creek minute affirming concern for refugees
Goose Creek has approved a minute affirming its concern for the physical safety and humanitarian needs of undocumented immigrants and refugees. More.
Calendar
Friends and visitors are also invited to join us for our hybrid Meeting for Worship at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday. If you would like to participate online, please use the link below.
Meeting for Worship also available via Zoom.
Sign up to provide refreshments for after Meeting for Worship.
Sunday, August 2
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:15 a.m. Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business
Friday, August 7
10:00 a.m. Coffee & Quakerism (venue TBA)
Sunday, August 9
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Sunday, August 16
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Thursday, August 20
7:30 p.m. Online guided nature meditation
Sunday, August 23
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Sunday, August 30
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:15 a.m. Ministry & Worship Committee meeting
4:00 p.m. Annual summer picnic
Sunday, September 6
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:15 a.m. Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business
Friday, September 11
10:00 a.m. Coffee & Quakerism (venue TBA)
Sunday, September 13
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
3:00 p.m. Screening of “Cockacoeske’s Dilemma.”
Thursday, September 17
7:30 p.m. Online guided nature meditation
Saturday, September 19
10:30 a.m. Reading Group — Living the Quaker Way by Philip Gulley
Sunday, September 20
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Sunday, September 27
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:15 a.m. Ministry & Worship Committee meeting
To request an email announcement or addition to the calendar, please contact us at goosecreeknews@gmail.com. Please read our Goose Creek Email Protocol for further guidance.
Street Address:
18204 Lincoln Road
Purcellville, VA 20132
Postal Address:
PO Box 105
Lincoln, VA 20160
