The New York Quarterly Meeting is the governing body for five Quaker Meetings of New York City: Brooklyn Monthly Meeting; Fifteenth Street Friends Meeting; Morningside Monthly Meeting, Manhattan; Manhattan Monthly Meeting; and Staten Island Meeting. The New York Quarter maintains Meeting Houses in Brooklyn and Manhattan and Friends Cemetery in Prospect Park. New York Quarterly Meeting is also the spiritual region for Flushing Monthly Meeting. The Quarter maintains a spiritual connection with New York City’s three Quaker schools: Friends Seminary in Manhattan and Brooklyn Friends School and the Mary McDowell Friends School in Brooklyn. About The Religious Society of Friends, “Quakers” The Religious Society of Friends have lived and worshiped in New York City since the 17th century. Coming from diverse religious backgrounds, Friends look for spiritual guidance from many diverse sources, including direct, personal experience. We believe that within each person is a special power. Some call this power God, some the Holy Spirit; many Friends call it the Inner Light. We believe that everyone can experience this Light and that it can be the foundation for convictions and actions. The Quaker way of worshiping together is a Meeting of people who seek the Inner Light. Meetings for worship begin in silence--no minister leads us; no formal prayers are said, nor hymns sung; no religious symbols are displayed. If someone is moved to speak, his or her words may enrich the understanding of those present. Both our silence and our spoken words bring us closer together. (Source, Brooklyn Monthly Meeting) Our diverse community also includes Manhattan Monthly Meeting, which is semi-programmed.