It seems as if Friends are in the middle of a big shift, fast-forwarded by Covid lockdowns but part of a larger trend.
A few weeks ago at a Quaker meeting, I was given a printout for a Quakerism class being sponsored by another meeting. Nothing remarkable, except that the meeting is thousands of miles away and the workshop leader thousands of miles from the meeting. Obviously this is all happening by Zoom. I’m glad to see Friends hungry to go deeper into their faith, but the topic is one I’ve taught multiple times and could teach in-person at any nearby meeting.
I appreciate our new Zoom opportunities. I have a busy schedule and love that I have the chance to attend interesting workshops and meet Friends without leaving my house (to be honest, I’ve occasionally run errands to the grocery store or a kid drop-off while listening to a live Quaker talk).
But what happens when our primary Quaker experience is with people who aren’t local? It’s increasingly easy to be an “at large” Friend living a busy life of daily Quaker worship and far-flung workshops all on Zoom. This is great for Friends at a distance from local Quaker communities. But what becomes of our meeting communities as this trend accelerates? How do our ties to specific neighborhoods change? And what does it mean if the people in local meetings stop being asked to teach because of the easy accessibility of nationally known teachers via Zoom? Will Friends who would have been encouraged to teach at the local level be relegated to the role of consumer? Will Quaker leadership becomes even more concentrated and national — individuals with personal brands and followers?
I suspect the interest and shifts reflects needs that have been unmet by our current structures. Maybe our local meetings aren’t that nurturing or willing to go deep. Many aren’t set up well for busy parents like myself, or for those with limited transportation. In the U.S. alone millions of people are nowhere near a Friends congregation.
Recent Comments on Quaker Ranter Daily