Experiments in Meeting for Worship:
Plain, Virtual and Blended
Conversation Circles, June 21 & 23, 2022
F from its inception, Quakerism has been an experimental faith, and the disruption of these times has opened a profound experiment in Meeting for Worship. Some find online worship inclusive, allowing Friends otherwise separated by distance, disability, or disease to gather in the Spirit. Some find a technologically supported connection to be intrusive and uninspiring, preferring ‘plain’ worship, whether outdoors, in a well-ventilated indoor space, or in solitude. As Friends increasingly gather face to face indoors, we find ourselves in a new phase of experimentation: how to marry virtual with in-person worship in a manner that is inclusive, yet not intrusive, and support meetings to discern their leadings for plain vs. blended worship.
In this conversation, we hope to evolve our understanding through shared experience. Join this ‘spiritual potluck’ by bringing one piece of wisdom: whether an experience, a story, question, or challenge. We will focus on the spiritual experiment, the experience of technologically assisted and plain worship, discerning how Meeting for Worship may change as a result. Next month, we will host conversations on technology and methods for harnessing electronics to facilitate gathered, covered worship.
Queries:
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What is your experience of virtual, plain and blended Meeting for Worship?
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What is bringing meetings together? What is pulling meetings apart?
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How can we refrain from judging one another due to leadings for plain vs virtual or blended worship?
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How can meetings come together in discernment, in faith that the Spirit will open the way?
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How can Friends meetings provide opportunities for online, in-person and hybrid worship without splintering the community?
Facilitators:
TUE: Sita Diehl (Madison WI, NYM)
THU: Cameron Hughes (Goose Creek, BYM) and Andrew Wright (Durham, NCYMC)
Resources:
- Being the Church Online, Blog by Kathleen Wooten
- Best Practices in Hybrid Worship, David Coletta, Tech Ministry, QREC Pre-Conference Workshop, July 29, 2021
- Exploring Hybrid Worship Models, Compilation from Lake Erie Yearly Meeting, May 2021
- Hybrid Worship and Gatherings, Nia Thomas, New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM)
- Pendle Hill’s Hybrid Worship Experiment, July 22, 2020
- Quaker Gatherings: best practices and creative explorations, Facebook group facilitated by Kathleen Wooten
- A view of the great people to be gathered: Worship at Britain Yearly Meeting, Kathleen Wooten, May 31, 2022
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An Introduction
The Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC) is an international, cross-branch, grassroots network of Friends sharing a stewardship for lifelong Quaker faith formation through religious education. We formed in April 2014 and now serve more than 300 Friends in our network. We actively engage and support each other across languages and continents. We gather for regional and annual conferences and offer monthly Conversation Circles via an online conferencing platform.
Steering Circle
We share leadership as part of our collaborative mission, making decisions using the Quaker ‘sense of the meeting’ process, sitting in expectant, worshipful waiting for the emergence of shared truth. Read more…
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The Resource Library
Finders Guide, a sampling of the collection
The QREC Resource Library is a place to share lessons and other educational information in support of our work as Quaker religious educators. This library is a forum for curricula, articles, videos and other educational materials on Quaker themes. You will also find principles, policies and procedures to strengthen operation of your child, youth and adult religious education programs.
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Find renewal, companionship, and help for nitty gritty issues in Quaker religious education, all the while opening spaces for Spirit to work and listening together for God’s way forward.
QREC holds an annual conference and retreat. In addition we hold online Conversation Circles and post other religious education events as we learn about them.
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Home is the heart of faith formation for all families. This is especially true for Friends. As an experiential religion, Quakerism is best learned through living in loving community. Indeed, the vast majority of faith formation for our young Friends happens at home in the busy swirl of daily life.
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