In September of 1957 a small group of Friends met together in Charlotte. We first met at the Y.W.C.A., then in each other’s homes and at Christ Episcopal Church until we purchased our first Meetinghouse in 1959. We were located at 2327 Remount Road from 1972 to mid 1996. We have been at our current address on Rocky River Road since 1998.
Our Meeting is Unprogrammed which implies we don't have a pasor. The Meeting for Worship is rooted in silence, and anyone who feels moved by the Spirit may speak during the silence. Each person present shares in the full responsibility and blessing of the Worship. A Clerk is appointed by the group to act as leader. This clerkship rotates, usually every two years, as do other offices. Because there is no pastor, the responsibilities for marriages, memorial services and ministry to those in trouble are shared by the whole Meeting community.
Charlotte Friends Meeting has an active First Day School (Sunday School) for children and a Forum for adults each Sunday. Both members and non-members lead Forum discussions on a variety of topics.
During the Vietnamese War we organized the Charlotte Draft Counseling Service, which sought to provide impartial, accurate and free information about the draft to anyone requesting the service. This Meeting joined with two other small religious groups in Charlotte to attack the problem of housing, and together we created Clawson Village, to provide home ownership opportunities to low income families. The Meeting has been involved with other projects such as a discussion series at a local prison unit, working for day care for handicapped children, and bringing together clergy who are concerned about peace. We are presently active in supporting residents of ECO House, a work release facility for female prisoners, as they move from institutional life back into society. Individual members seek to serve the Charlotte community in a wide variety of ways, including volunteering with Crisis Assistance Ministries, working for better race relations, serving mentally handicapped citizens, and helping international people who are residing in Charlotte.