About Us

Welcome

The Claremont Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is an unprogrammed Meeting. This is reflected in the fact that we have no paid clergy as everyone is considered to be a minister. All members and attenders are responsible, as a community, for taking care of the needs of the Meeting.

Although the historical roots of Quakerism lie in the Protestantism of the 17th century, and most present-day Friends regard themselves as Christians, not all contemporary Quakers see themselves as Christian. Some regard themselves as members of a universal religion. Therefore, words such as Spirit or Divine Light are often used in place of God.

History

The Claremont Monthly Meeting had its beginning in 1941 under the care of Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena and used various locations around Claremont to hold worship. It officially became a Friends Meeting in 1953 and, as additional space was needed for the children, arrangements were made for use of a number of rooms at Scripps College. Because of the growth in attendance and the necessity for holding committee meetings in homes, the desire and need for a Meeting House was very much in the minds of members. The first real sight of the goal occurred in 1961 with the purchase of the property at 727 Harrison Avenue in Claremont. The Meeting House was largely finished and in use by July of 1963 and officially dedicated that October.