Embracing Faith and Community
Mount Airy Friends Meeting welcomes all to explore faith and community.
Our History
During the 1890’s, several Friends ministers came to Mt. Airy and held ‘”stirring” revivals. Annie Armitage and Emma Malone were from Ohio, Mary C. Moon came from Guilford College, and Meredith and John Kitrell from Indiana.
By 1894, a group of Friends. Led by G. Calvin Welch, John L. Worth and Caleb Mitchell began to meet in the Methodist Church (which still stands by the present Meetinghouse). When the building was sold, Friends move to a large room call “The Hall” on the second floor of the old Welch Building on South Main Street. Growth was steady and by 1904 Mt. Airy Friends, with $1850 in the building fund, announced plans for a new Meetinghouse. Leverette Rugg was pastor at that time. When the building was completed sometime in 1905, the outstanding debt was only $500. By the time of the dedication on April 14, 1907 the Meeting was debt free. The total cost of the Meeting House, described as a beautiful new building of granite, was $3500.
By 1907, membership was approximately 100 and the Meeting was vigorously engaged in Bible study groups, Sunday School and revivals. Much effort was given to evangelism in the area. The Meeting participated in the establish of a Meeting at Dobson and supported efforts “over the mountain” at Galax and Hillsville. It also supported work in Tennessee and West Virginia and joined other Meetings in Surry Quarterly Meeting in the support of the Blue Ridge Mission in Ararat, Virginia (which had been established in 1888). Nor were traditional Quaker concerns forgotten. Old minutes frequently reference to the Meeting’s activities on behalf of such concerns as peace testimony and opposition of the death penalty.
Shortly after the Meetinghouse was completed, John L. Worth built and donated a house on South Main Street to be used as a parsonage. In a few years, Sunday School rooms were added to the Meetinghouse. The Fellowship Hall was added in 1966-67.
Our “Testimonies” are the principles we have found to live by and act upon based on our values and beliefs.
SIMPLICITY
Focusing on what is truly important and letting other things fall away.
PEACE
Seeking justice and healing for all people; taking away the causes of way in the ways we live.
INTEGRITY
Living as whole people who act on what we believe, tell the truth, and do what we say we will do.
COMMUNITY
Supporting one another in our faith journeys and in times of joy and sorrow; sharing with and caring for each other.
EQUALITY
Treating everyone, everywhere, as equally precious to God, recognizing that everyone has gifts to share.
STEWARDSHIP
Valuing and respecting all of God’s creation; using only our fair share of the earth’s resources; working for policies that protect the planet.
Our Outreach Programs
Mount Airy Friends have supported the Yokefellow Ministries of Mount Area for quite a while. We bring designated food items each month (such as peanut butter). Contributions to Yokefellow Ministries is also a line item in our budget.
We support this ministry to help reduce hunger and food insecurity within our community.
We support this ministry to help reduce hunger and food insecurity within our community.
Mount Airy Friends serve lunch once a month to the homeless in support of Shepherds's House Outreach in Mount Airy.
We also donate money, blankets and clothing to Open Air Ministries in Mount Airy.
We also donate money, blankets and clothing to Open Air Ministries in Mount Airy.
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Mount Airy Friends have recently created a "Blessing Box" ministry. Donations of household cleaning products, paper goods, and personal hygiene products are collected for clients of Daymark Recovery Services here in Mount Airy.
Our Calendar
Our Staff
Pastor Dennis Moore
Dennis Moore has been the pastor of Mount Airy Friends since Spring 2024. He and his wife Lavonne live in Mount Airy and are such a blessing to us.
Organist Kitty Martin
Kitty has blessed Mount Airy Friends with her musical talent for 44 years!
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Custodian Esmer Bustos keeps our facilities meticulous!
General Info About Quakers
Quaker Info --Compiled by Pastor Dennis Moore
Inner Light
God reveals Himself within each individual’s conscience and consciousness through Jesus Christ the “light of the world” and by the Holy Spirit; powerful enough to illuminate the deepest corners of our soul and guide our lives.
Quaker Mystic
A belief in a direct, personal experience of God, often referred to as the “inner light’ or Christ within”. It emphasizes a direct relationship with God, the divine, that is not mediated by clergy or sacraments, resulting in a transformed perception of the world and one’s actions with that understanding.
NOTE: Quakers believe that the “Inner Light” should not simply be a mystical experience but should result in a person’s actions and working for the good of others; “Love thy neighbor”.
Silent Worship
Individuals wait in silence upon the Lord, seeking inner guidance and allowing “Christ within us”, through the Holy Spirit to illuminate one’s thoughts and actions
Quaker Meeting (Versus “church”)
In early development of the Quaker Faith, when all Meetings worshiped in silent worship without clergy, they called their gatherings a “Meeting” instead of “Church” to emphasize their direct belief in direct, unmediated access to God and not needing formal Clergy.
Today, most Quaker Meetings have a minister and a form of programmed worship, but the name “Meeting” as opposed to “Church” remains.
Meeting House
Early Quakers called the building where they gathered a “Meeting House” rather than “Church” to further signify their distinct approach to worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHERE IS THE CHURCH? We are located at 109 West Wilson Street, Mount Airy NC. WHAT TIME ARE SERVICES? Worship service is held in the sanctuary each Sunday, beginning at 11am and usually ending by Noon. Sunday School is held in the Fellowship Building behind the church, beginning about 9:30 am and usually ending by 10:30 am. Light refreshments are served, with fellowship from 9:30 until 10am. WHAT DO I WEAR? We do not have a dress code—you wear the sort of clothes you’d wear any other time of the week. Most attendees are in casual clothing, but feel free to wear “Sunday best” or jeans and sneakers…..whatever you are comfortable wearing. Quakers have long believed in the principle of plain dress. Think of the “Quaker Oats man”. Quakers wore plain clothing because expensive clothes could be used to intensify differences between people based on class, where people in fancy clothing would not want to be seen socializing with others “less dressed”. This was part of the inspiration for the Quaker testimony to equality. WHERE DO I SIT? Anywhere you like. No need to worry about “taking someone’s seat”. Those of us who attend regularly move around a bit—just to sit with other people and visit! WHERE DO I PARK? Our church parking lot is across the street. Street parking is available (handicap parking is directly in front of the church).
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A QUAKER SERVICE? The Mount Airy Friends church is a programmed type of worship. A typical Sunday morning service involves a mixture of hymns, Bible readings, silent worship, prayers, and a sermon.
WHY THE NAME “QUAKERS”? The Quaker movement began in 17th century England. Frustrated by the spiritual shortcomings they perceived in the Church of England and other Protestant denominations, early Friends such as George Fox chose to go back to the roots of Jesus’ teachings around non-violence, simple living, God’s concern for the marginalized, and everyone’s capacity for immediate and equal access to God’s spirit. Though they named themselves the Religious Society of Friends, opponents mocked them as “Quakers” for the way their bodies often shook when they were overcome with spiritual energy. HOW DO QUAKERS LIVE? George Fox, whose visions helped shaped the Quaker beliefs in the early days, offered this advice on how to live: “Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you.”
WHERE IS THE CHURCH? We are located at 109 West Wilson Street, Mount Airy NC. WHAT TIME ARE SERVICES? Worship service is held in the sanctuary each Sunday, beginning at 11am and usually ending by Noon. Sunday School is held in the Fellowship Building behind the church, beginning about 9:30 am and usually ending by 10:30 am. Light refreshments are served, with fellowship from 9:30 until 10am. WHAT DO I WEAR? We do not have a dress code—you wear the sort of clothes you’d wear any other time of the week. Most attendees are in casual clothing, but feel free to wear “Sunday best” or jeans and sneakers…..whatever you are comfortable wearing. Quakers have long believed in the principle of plain dress. Think of the “Quaker Oats man”. Quakers wore plain clothing because expensive clothes could be used to intensify differences between people based on class, where people in fancy clothing would not want to be seen socializing with others “less dressed”. This was part of the inspiration for the Quaker testimony to equality. WHERE DO I SIT? Anywhere you like. No need to worry about “taking someone’s seat”. Those of us who attend regularly move around a bit—just to sit with other people and visit! WHERE DO I PARK? Our church parking lot is across the street. Street parking is available (handicap parking is directly in front of the church).
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A QUAKER SERVICE? The Mount Airy Friends church is a programmed type of worship. A typical Sunday morning service involves a mixture of hymns, Bible readings, silent worship, prayers, and a sermon.
WHY THE NAME “QUAKERS”? The Quaker movement began in 17th century England. Frustrated by the spiritual shortcomings they perceived in the Church of England and other Protestant denominations, early Friends such as George Fox chose to go back to the roots of Jesus’ teachings around non-violence, simple living, God’s concern for the marginalized, and everyone’s capacity for immediate and equal access to God’s spirit. Though they named themselves the Religious Society of Friends, opponents mocked them as “Quakers” for the way their bodies often shook when they were overcome with spiritual energy. HOW DO QUAKERS LIVE? George Fox, whose visions helped shaped the Quaker beliefs in the early days, offered this advice on how to live: “Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you.”
Picture Gallery
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Contact Us!
Phone: 336.786.8420
EMAIL US: