Quakers and Virtual Communities

In this episode of Quakers Today we ask, What are your thoughts and feelings about virtual online worship communities? 

• Writer Linda Seger talks about the essential work of centering into quiet as part of her regular writing process. In her QuakerSpeak interview, “Quakerism, Creativity, and the Artistic Process,” Linda shares about her approach to creativity and spirituality and how it is shaped by her Quaker faith.
  • “Being able to center allows you to go to the computer to start that process without being in a frenetic desperate state.”
  • Linda also wrote the article “Nothing Can Separate Us from the Light” for the March issue of Friends Journal, in which she asks the question, “How isolated are we?”
• Ann Jerome shares with us the success of creating and maintaining a sacred online gathering. She wrote the Friends Journal article, “We Listen as God Listens: Cultivating Sacred Space Online.”
  • “The format is similar to worship sharing. What distinguishes it as unique is a handful of elements. One is the nature of the queries, which are written to be especially deeply searching and broadly welcoming.” Ann agreed to share some of the queries with us.
    • What is silence, in addition to the absence of sound?
    • When have you experienced rebirth?
    • How do you know when you’ve entered sacred space, or when sacred space has entered you?
    • How has God surprised you lately?

Click here to listen to Ann Jerome read her entire article.

• And Anita Bushell talks about the many ways she believes Zoom fails to provide the connections Quakers need. You can read her article, Zoom Spells Doom and Gloom: The False Promise of Virtual Meetings.
  • “When we are present, fully 100% present with each other in person, we are not doing anything else. I think that social skills and social interactions always excite me.”

You will find a complete transcript of this episode at Friends Journal

After the episode concludes we share voicemails from listeners who answered the question, What are your thoughts and feelings about virtual online worship communities?

Question for next month

In the April issue of Friends Journal we will consider revival and personal spiritual growth. 

What about you? What is a daily practice that clears your head and steadies you for the day?

Leave a voice memo with your name and the town where you live. The number to call is 317-QUAKERS, that's 317-782-5377. +1 if calling from outside the USA.

Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation (FPC) content online.

Season One of Quakers Today is sponsored by Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS).

Are you a young adult between 21 and 30 years old? Do you know a young adult who is looking for community and purpose-driven work? QVS is a year-long fellowship for young adults. Fellows work at nonprofits while building community and exploring Quakerism. Visit quakervoluntaryservice.org or find QVS on Instagram @quakervoluntaryservice.

Feel free to send comments, questions, and requests for our new show. Email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org.

Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound. You heard “Tell It Later'” by Kikoru, “A Thousand Moons Ago” by Johannes Bornlog, “Company Keeper” by Frank Johnson, “School Days” by John Runefelt, “Breeze U” (instrumental version) by Collin Lilm, “Water Mirrors” by More Sugar, “The Big Let Down” by Curiosity, and “Stoked” by FElix Johansson Carne.