“[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

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