"Quakers respect the creative power of God in every human being and in the world around us. We work through quiet processes for a world where peaceful means bring about just settlements."

adjusting to a new way of meeting

Our second meeting went without a hitch and we were happy to be able to meet in this way. One or two members were with us in spirit though not on line. That made it very special. Please call 01380 860181 if you are interested in joining us in our Zoom meeting for worship.

One of our members told us how she prepared for the first meeting.

7am  Alarm wakes me up at what we know is really 6am. Mutter darkly about folly of first Zoom MfW being on the first day of British Summer Time. 9am  Look up Robin’s email with instructions on how to use Zoom. Decide it is going to be simple.  Take dog for walk.

10am Return home. Get laptop going, press link on Robin’s email, open up Zoom.  Save Zoom file as instructed then spend 10 minutes copying and pasting the link instead of ID. Put in ID and like magic, I am connected.

10.15am Realise have to be in quiet space for Meeting, impossible at usual dining table with dog, cat, husband and 2 adult children now resident because of coronavirus.  Assuming laptop battery is sufficient for an hour, disconnect from electric supply. 10.20am  Push husband out of his study. Create space on spare table, open up laptop, adjust position of chair to hide chaos behind me.

Move mattress temporarily propped up on wall.  Remove electric cables on back of door.  Attempt to create image of a tranquil haven, perfect for MfW.  Compose face into suitably contemplative expression. Press button and suddenly there’s Robin and other Friends on my laptop screen.

10.25am  Laptop crashes as no life left in battery.  Run screaming to dining table to retrieve plug, run back to study.  Remove pile of papers burying extension cable socket, plug in laptop. 10.28am Re-enter all information required to get me to re-connect with MfW, including pressing ‘mute’ as an option – who knows what’s going to happen in the following hour given the chaos of the previous half hour?

10.29am Take deep breath, press Enter on the keyboard. Sigh of relief, I am back with everyone. 10.30am Meeting begins 10.33am Becomes apparent not everyone has pressed mute button. Can’t resist looking at where people are sitting. Jonathan’s tuning in on his phone so can’t see him. Cat scratching at door to be let in. 10.35am Have settled into MfW. 

11.30am Jean brings Meeting to a close and we all greet each other.
 
Now you know how not to do a Zoom Meeting for Worship. See you next Sunday!

Contact: Devizes Quakers 

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