Online Meeting for Worship
Guidance from Ipswich Quaker Meeting on online Meeting for Worship
Summary
We meet online on a Wednesday evening at 7:45 for 30 minutes and on Sunday morning at 10:30 for an hour. Everyone is welcome to join us.
Join with this link https://zoom.us/j/8625601602 or open Zoom and enter this meeting number 862-560-1602.
Zoom now requires all meetings to have a password. To obtain our meeting password either ring Mike our Warden on 01473 257649 or email ipswichquakers@gmail.com
To mute and unmute with your keyboard press Alt-A on Windows or Command-Control-A on a Mac, or just hold the space bar down if you are on mute and it will unmute. If you are not speaking it is better to be on mute to avoid unnecessary background noise.
Full accessibility shortcut details for Zoom are available here.
If you have not met with us online before read below for a full explanation of what to expect and how to get set up.
What can I expect when I join an online meeting for worship?
Online meeting for worship is very similar to normal meeting for worship. When you arrive in the Zoom room you will find others there who will welcome you (this will also show that everyone can hear each other).
Settle down and wait as others arrive. If there are more than 8 or 9 people they will not all appear on your screen. If you click on the ‘Participants’ button this will show you the names of everyone who is in Meeting.
It’s a good idea to arrive on time but if you happen to be late no one will notice your arrival as such. One of the pleasures of online MfW is opening your eyes and realising that someone new has joined!
Make sure your microphone is off (don’t worry if you can’t do this) and that your mobile is off.
The Elder for the meeting may say a few words of welcome, explain how we will end the meeting and call us to start.
Settle down and centre into the silence just as you would normally do.
If you are moved to offer vocal ministry do this just as you normally would – but remember to put your microphone on first (its easy to forget this in the silence) The Elder will end the meeting.
Afterwards meeting for worship has finished there will be notices and conversation. I’m sure there will be technical questions but let’s also make sure there is time to share how online worship felt. And time to share about how we are feeling about this whole, strange, difficult situation.
Leaving the Zoom room
Leaving is really easy. Just click on the red Leave Meeting button. If something happens at home that means you have to leave no one will notice or be disturbed by you going. If the meeting has ended and you want to go, then just say you’re going or give a wave and click the Leave Meeting button.
How can I join our Meeting for Worship on Sunday?
Like most meetings Ipswich Meeting uses Zoom which is a bit like Skype. This means one can be online together with a group of people and talk to them if appropriate.
If you’ve never used Zoom don’t worry, it’s pretty easy. It is possible to use a landline to join Zoom. You won’t be able to see anyone of course but you will be able to hear and be heard.
First and most important if you haven’t used Zoom before – try it out well before hand. You should be able to just login at any time – you won’t find anyone else there but all the better to have a poke around and explore.
You can test your setup by going to http://zoom.us/test
Logging into Zoom
If you have a laptop or desktop, use this rather than a smart phone or a tablet. This is because on a laptop or PC you can see up 30 people at a time and so get a sense of everyone who is present. Tablets and smart phones can only show up to 9 people at a time (though you can hear everyone). They still work fine but are a bit more clunky to use.
Smart phone, iPad or tablet
If you are using a tablet or smart phone go to the App Store and download the free Zoom App. Open the App up. You will see 4 buttons. Click on the blue Join Meeting button.
Next you should see this box so enter the Meeting ID number which is 862-560-1602 and click Join
If you get a prompt about audio click on ‘Call using Internet Audio’
All being well you should then find yourself in the Zoom room.
Laptop or PC
If you are using a laptop or PC then enter www.zoom.us into your browser and then click on Join a Meeting, put in the Meeting ID which is 862-560-1602
Follow any instructions that appear – you may be prompted to download the Zoom app. If you are prompted allow the app to use your computer’s video and audio so that we can see and hear you.
Then you should arrive in the Zoom room.
Good luck!
Once we are permitted to open the Meeting House for Worship, our normal pattern of worship will be implemented – see below.
Sunday morning Meeting for Worship
Meetings for Worship start at 10.30 am and finish at 11.30 am and are followed by refreshments and a chat.
All are welcome, children especially. After a ten minutes of Meeting children are invited to the children’s room with their carer to play or read, as an hour is a long time to sit quietly!
Wednesday lunchtime Meeting for Worship
Meetings for Worship start at 1.00 pm and finish at 1.30 pm .
All are welcome.
For more information about our Meetings for Worship take a look at our Beliefs page.
You do not have to be in unity with Quakers on every issue to be a part of our Meetings.
