A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

It's Sunday morning, or, as the Friends call it, First Day. You join the others in the meetinghouse. It's simple, unadorned. You go sit quietly on one of the pews. People smile at each other, but nobody says a blessed word.

And it stays that way for nearly an hour. Until the meeting's leader calls time. Then you all go outside and talk.

There's no music. There's no marching around in robes. Nobody offers, or takes, 'Communion'. Nobody reads scripture at you, or tells you that God wants you to vote Republican. Nobody collects any money.

If somebody stands up to talk, they've got something on their heart. You listen, but don't stare, applaud, or argue. You let it happen. People take this seriously.

All except for Ben Franklin in the corner. He's asleep. Actually, that happened at Arch Street Meeting, in downtown Philadelphia, the first day young Franklin arrived in town. He'd walked from Boston, he wasn't a Quaker, and he was tired. I'm sure they just chuckled.

A Quaker meeting will bore the Devil to death. It will also bore a Fundamentalist to death. Lacking anybody to argue with, he'll go away quietly. That's the idea.

Radnor Meetinghouse was built in 1717. It's still used. A very quiet place, except during the Revolution, when George Washington's people commandeered it for an outpost. Shame on them. You don't talk about war in positive terms in a Quaker meeting. That's what comes of being so close to Valley Forge, though.

If you ever get a chance to attend a Quaker meeting, please do. You won't need any money. You won't need to genuflect, recite a creed, or know the lyrics to 'Holy, Holy, Holy'. Nobody will sign you up for anything. If you went up to a Quaker and said, 'I don't believe in God,' they'd just smile at you. And ask if you wanted to talk about it sometime, they'd like to hear your views.

Just not in the meeting. Meeting's are quiet – unless the Holy Spirit's talking.