Cloud Quaker how-to

First, download Zoom; it takes about five minutes. You have to have a computer with good connection; phones will work, but won't work well. Zoom is a program that will stream both the main movie (whoever is on center) and little movies for all the participants, so, it needs bandwidth and a decent connection; though you might think this rules many people out, in fact, most people can do it if they are conscious and careful. I myself have to be careful to be in the living room and have my computer charger plugged in, but if all is in order, it's really no problem.

When you open up zoom (zoom.us), join a meeting, and join 269-126-704; if a password is required, try Quaker. In the 7am meeting, I may be a minute or two late but will be there at 7 am or sooner. In the 7 pm (Mtn time) meeting I have lots of help and lots of us will be on there early.

I don't want to make a lot of prohibitions - no trump, no proselytizing, etc., until I have to. Let's just say it's a Quaker worship group and treat it like that. Ministering each other will be our first priority.

The right Quaker meeting is hard to find. A person is lucky if the one in their town is the right one for them; I've been lucky that way, once. Most people struggle to find the right connections and have a religious community in their lives that suits them. If you think about it, moving the quest online is good that way: it ensures that, if there are people out there who are right for us, there is a possibility of finding them, and having a community with them. I am interested in trying.

Quaker meetings and worship groups have always had a lot of visitors. When you publicly call yourself a Quaker you have to expect that. Visitors range from genuinely curious seekers to students writing papers for their Religion class, to people who think that if we are open-minded and spiritual by nature, they can push their religion on us. My point is, we can maintain our integrity, just by being honest and welcoming to visitors, and reminding them that it is, in fact, a worship group. There's no reason we can't just answer their questions, if they're curious.

I have less patience with Green Party proselytizers, as it seems there are plenty of other places to do politics. But, same, I think if we listen to people, we'll hear all kinds of things, and then, we ourselves can decide when to honor our main commitments.

I look forward to meeting everyone. I feel the best way to form a community is to jump right in there, and be there for people. It doesn't happen overnight. If this is the place you want to be, on a regular basis, you'll know it. Otherwise, I have no problem meeting you, and knowing you're out there still looking. The right place will come along, for everyone.

Cloud Quaker Worship Group

Hello and welcome to Cloud Quakers. We are a group that meets online once a week; actually there are two meetings, 7 am mountain time, and 7 pm mountain time. This would be 8 & 8 in Chicago, 9 & 9 in New York, 6 & 6 in California. I am hoping to find times that everyone can join us, though I know this is somewhat Americo-centric; I'm not sure which, if either, would be useful to our international friends.

My purpose is simple. My life was changed because Quakers were there when I needed them. Sometimes what a person needs is love, a listening ear, and a spiritual approach to dealing with life's issues. For many people good Quakers are hard to find; I know they are for me here (I live in a tiny mountain community in the clouds; it's in the southern Rockies of New Mexico; it's a nice town, but it's mostly a tourist town and simply doesn't have many Quakers). I believe that online tools, namely zoom, make it easier to form a Quaker community and that we should just get on it and do it.

Zoom is like Skype. Some people may never get past the simple process of downloading onto one's computer (as one does with Skype) and running it, but for most it's no big deal. Also, of course, one must master talking to the little green dot (into the camera) and manipulating it to the best effect. I think, basically, that it's possible and reasonable to have a quaker meeting with five to twelve people happily. If we get more than that, regularly, we'll have spinoff meetings. I may advertise that here or I may use the Facebook site exclusively.

I will use this site to ruminate about the issues that come up in the process of organizing and having an online meeting. That will do two things. One, it will make a public record of what I'm thinking, and where I stand about issues here. Second, it will invite others to comment as it's all public. Third, it will help me sort things out myself.

At this point it all sounds like "me me me." Actually it's a community thing. I do it for the community; I just don't have one yet. I fully intend to have the community make these decisions, and have as close as I can to consensus on each one.

If people are moved to join the community and help with the $15/mo. zoom fee, they are more than welcome. For now I am more than willing to cover it. It is our only issue. That, and how to communicate; at first I was into an e-mail announcement system. Now, I think Facebook is better. Facebook is like the phonebook; most people are on it, and those who refuse, go out of their way to get what they need without it. That is in contrast to e-mail; everyone has e-mail too; but sometimes they only look at their e-mail when they're in a business mood, and then, they tend to set aside things that are not business, and sometimes go days without looking at it.

But the reason I chose against e-mail, really, was security. You can set up sophisticated blocking systems so that people receive e-mails without knowing who else has received the same e-mail, but in general, one's e-mail address goes from place to place in a system like this and eventually the wrong people get it. No thanks on that. I'd rather have Facebook, which has a kind of built-in privacy.

Here's to a new Quaker worship group! See you on Sunday!