[H]ow deep is online worship really? Is God there with us in the ether? Are we being guided by something larger than ourselves? As we use videoconferencing tools more and more, our shared experiences tell me that the big-picture answer to these questions is pretty good, yes, and maybe. The Presence can be experienced while gathered online and our decisions can be guided by something larger than ourselves.Barry Crossno, “Where Two or Three Are Gathered Online”
2020 was a year of seismic shifts for the Religious Society of Friends. The novel coronavirus and concerns for the safety of Friends who were especially vulnerable to it prompted many monthly meetings and churches to halt in-person worship and organize virtual Meeting for Worship, and a majority of FGC’s affiliated Yearly Meetings decided to hold their annual sessions virtually. Online worship has been uncharted territory for many of us, and for Friends who have been unable to participate in the experience of Quaker community and worship in-person, the past six months have offered a glorious window into new possibilities. This was especially true of the Virtual FGC Gathering, which welcomed 1,000 Friends from around the world to a week of web-based workshops, worship, and community for all ages. – By Marta Rusek, Communications Manager | 8/31/20
Friends Reflect on Virtual Worship and Events
- Where Two or Three Are Gathered Online by Barry Crossno, FGC
- An Online Lifeline for Friends of Color by Vanessa Julye, FGC
- The Outgoing Epistle of the 2020 Virtual Pre-Gathering of Friends of Color and their Families by Participants of the Pre-Gathering Retreat
- Staying Connected and Engaged During a Pandemic by Diane Randall, FCNL
- A Gathering Like No Other (A Reflection on the Virtual FGC Gathering) by Lori Piñeiro Sinitzky, FGC
- VIDEOS: Varying Quaker Ways of Worship and Sharing Friends’ Stories During COVID-19: Our Reflections and Our Hopes led by FWCC General Secretary Gretchen Castle
On April 17, 2021, Yearly, Quarterly, and Monthly Meetings along with other Quaker organizations gathered to share what they’ve learned about creating community and opening ways to allow Spirit to move us online. We hope you will find these resources useful in your Quaker community.
Recordings from the Consultation
Panel: What Have We Learned? Spirit and Community-Building Online
These Roundtable Discussions are available to view now:
- Clerking Online
- Religious Education and Programs for Youth
- Religious Education and Programs for Adults
- FCNL: The Nuts, Bolts and Pitfalls of Online Quaker Gatherings
- Beyond Worship: Fellowship in our Meetings
- Experiential Spiritual Exploration and Deepening Online Roundtable #1
- Experiential Spiritual Exploration and Deepening Online Roundtable #2
Other Resources
Online and Hybrid Worship
- Tips and Tools for Virtual Worship and Gathering NEYM
- Thoughts on Hybrid Worship Emily Provance
- Decision Making and Discernment Guidance for Online & Blended Meeting for Worship for Business Woodbrooke
- Needs and Recommendations for Hybrid Business 2021 David Colletta
- Pastoral Care at a Distance NYYM
Clerking Online
- Clerking by Zoom Steve Mohlke NYYM
- Virtual Clerking Emily Provance
Re-Opening Meetings for Worship
- Resources for Meetings Approaching Reopening Amid COVID NEYM
- Advices and Queries for Reopening Wilmington Yearly Meeting
Religious Education and Programs for Youth and Families
- Supporting Spiritual Nurture in the Home: PYM RE Conversation slides Phila YM
- Worship with children at home and online Phila YM
- Religious Education Planning: Connections and New Directions Fall 2020 and available slides Phila YM
- Together at Home and Online: Religious Education During COVID-19 Phila YM
- Guidance and Practice for Online Youth Gatherings when participants are under 18 Phila YM
Technology
- Owl for Hybrid Meetings? Phila YM
- Automatic Live Closed Captions in Quaker Meetings David Colletta
- Virtual Coffee Rooms Using Proximity Chat Cofactor
Accessibility
- Best Practices for Increasing Accessibility in Zoom Meetings David Colletta
- Anti Racist Clerking Screener Eppchez Yes, member of the Institutional Assessment Implementation Committee
Multiple Resources
- Resources for Friends and Meetings – COVID 19 NYYM
- Being the Church Online Resources Kathleen Wooten
Last updated on December 19, 2025.