Who are "Friends"?
We are members of the Religious Society of
Friends, a faith that emerged as a new Christian denomination in England
during a period of religious turmoil in the mid-1600s, and is practiced
today, in a variety of forms, around the world. To members of this
religion, the words "Quaker"and "Friend" mean the same thing.
We are not Amish, Anabaptists, Shakers or Puritanswe come from a
separate tradition than these other groups.
What do Friends believe?
"Our Christian mission is to share the Good News of remission of sins and new life through Jesus Christ to
all persons everywhere (Luke 24:47 and Matthew 28:19).
"This is most effectively accomplished when presented by both word and deed as exemplified through the life of
Christ as He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and in general, met the needs of the people with whom He was ministering."
From the Indiana Yearly Meeting missions statement
What's the history of Back Creek Friends Meeting?
Members of the Religious Society of Friends migrated from the Carolinas to southern Grant County, Indiana, in the
late 1820’s where they settled along both sides of a creek. Having come from a local meeting in North Carolina
called Back Creek, they named the creek and their new home Meeting, Back Creek. Worship began here in 1829
and the Meeting was established in 1831. Presently it is the oldest worship group of any denomination meeting
in the same location under the same name in the county.
As education was important to the early Quaker settlers, school was held in the original meetinghouse. In 1874 the Meeting built a two-story brick school that was used by Friends children. In 1883 Back Creek helped establish the Fairmount Friends Academy.
Between 1839 and 1893 Back Creek hosted the June Quarterly Meeting. Attendance grew to an estimated 10,000 people. It took six to eight out-of-door pulpits to accommodate all who wanted to preach.
The present meetinghouse was constructed in 1899. An annex containing a pastor’s study/library, classrooms, fellowship hall, and rest rooms was dedicated in October of 1997.
