On intercessory prayer using the chat facility. I think the chat facility could be used, either before the start of the service or in a silent interval during the service, to collect matters for prayer and also the identities of any Shipmate willing to pray. During the intercessory time, there would need to be a prayer facilitator to explain the format, make use of the material provided by Shipmates as well as material of their own, and to introduce an open time. Folks who were prepared to pray should unmute their mikes when ready, mute them after praying. A bit of co-ordination by the facilitator might be necessary and there would need to be silent space as well.
Something like that looks as though it would work. What do you think? Not sure about time length - maybe allow 10-15 minutes?
Would it be sinful if in a subsequent service we ALL played clergy dress up?!
Sacrilegious, maybe, but not sinful. You could point your camera at a painting, or photo, or statue, or figurine, of your favorite (or perhaps least favorite) saint.
I had created an account, so was an existing Zoom user. Eutychus was saying one way round it was to access it as a guest, rather than as an existing, logged-in user. I was saying I was able to change my display name (which I had initially set to be my real name), on my existing Zoom account, before entering the chat. I was using the Zoom app on my iPad. I will check later to see if it's possible on my laptop browser (which is Safari).
I think you can phone in, @Doublethink, and this might be important if somebody wants to be extra sure about not inadvertently outing themselves. I'll ask backstage if this option is available for us.
I had both camera and microphone disabled at first, because that's how we do it at work (with Google Meet) if we are attending a meeting. You could in theory only watch and not speak out loud or show your face, but you can type things to say in the chat box. This is how it often how it works at work. You don't need camera or microphone to be able to access a meeting and you can contribute by typing. You need audio to hear though. Someone might say something to you out loud, and you could answer a typed answer.
Sorry for three posts in a row, but I am now on my laptop, and I thought I would explain how to change your screen name before entering the meeting. You need to go to the Zoom website first, before you click on the link to the Zoom meeting. Then you click on 'my account' on the top right hand corner. Then you see your profile. There is a menu on the left, and your profile info on the right. At the top of your profile info, is your profile pic, with an option to change or delete underneath it. To the right of that is your screen name, in big font. To the right of this, at the far right of the page, is 'edit'. You click on that and can change your screen name. It has a box for 'first name' and another box for 'last name'. If, like me, your screen name is just one word, you can put that in the first name box, and just press the space key in the second box. Hope that helps.
Also, another thing it says at the top of the page, as this was being discussed earlier, is:
Important Notice: Due to increased demand, dial-in by phone audio conferencing capabilities may be temporarily removed from your free Basic account. During this time, we strongly recommend using our computer audio capabilities.
When I accessed audio, I think I did click dial in by phone, because it gave me two options and that was the top one. Next time I will do the bottom one.
Here you go:
Sermon notes, 4/3/20 – Church of Fools
NT Reading: John 12:12-16
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: "Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem is one of those rare events on which all four of the canonical gospels agree. Although most of those acclaiming him on what we know as Palm Sunday certainly saw him as the Messiah who would lead the people of Israel to throw off the harsh Roman yoke, Jesus gave them abundant signs that this was not to be a conventional triumph in traditional Roman or Middle Eastern style.
For one thing, his actions are filled with nods to propecy. He rode into the capital not on a warhorse, but on a donkey, with a donkey’s colt, as prescribed by the prophet Zechariah. He came through the Temple Mount’s northern gate, from which Ezekiel expects the Messiah to enter. He is giving notice of just who he is, a king who is not of this world.
Jesus has been drawing unwelcome attention from the Temple authorities just before this, with the very public raising of Lazarus. Caiaphas, the high priest, says, “It is more to your interest that one man should die for the people, than the whole nation should be destroyed.” In fact, earlier in this chapter of John, the authorities plan to take out Lazarus as well as Jesus, since the resurrected man is getting the Galilean troublemaker so much great publicity.
Once in Jerusalem, Jesus continues to annoy the authorities with hard-to-ignore acts like driving the money-changers from the Temple. He is endangering the Temple authorities’ fragile truce with the Romans. But he will not go on to lead a violent uprising, as they fear. He will not meet the warlike expectations of the crowds of the poor who hail him, nor of the authorities who fear him.
Jesus has set his face toward Golgotha. We know what comes next: In a few days, the crowds will be calling for his crucifixion; the disciples will fall away or go into hiding.
The disciples didn’t understand his intentions, nor make sense of the things that he’d been telling them, until it was all over, until after the Resurrection.
Jesus always doesn’t meet our expectations, either, leaving us to wonder why. That’s especially true now, in another time of uncertainty and fear. Although scientists warned for decades of the chances of a pandemic, we were unprepared for the reality. Now, amid shortages and sacrifices, crashing economies, triage and tragedy, some of us are struggling to find God’s goodness in this.
But Jesus is still present, even when we don’t understand. His work is here for us to recognize. Perhaps in looking for him now through our fears, we can better make our way through the roller coaster of Holy Week, and find for ourselves the joy of the Resurrection.
The whole thing was great, and very helpful - it's the first service I've been part of for weeks.
People keep saying you have to click on the top right corner to change your screen name etc. The only thing up there on my tablet was the Log Out button. To change stuff I discovered I had to go to bottom central.
I have seen Zoom on several difference computers/phones and browsers. They have things in different places. Sort of like going to different churches, recognizable, but things in different places there too.
People keep saying you have to click on the top right corner to change your screen name etc. The only thing up there on my tablet was the Log Out button. To change stuff I discovered I had to go to bottom central.
If you hover the cursor in the upper right corner of the screen image of you (not the upper right corner of the whole screen), you will see a three-dot dropdown menu. One of the choices in that menu is to change your name.
Thanks for posting the text, @Rossweisse . That is also really helpful to me, even though I was there, as I don't always process things so well from hearing. I was wondering if there was a subtitles option, like Google Meet has (though it's not always accurate, but still helpful), but I couldn't find one, so it is great to have the text afterwards.
People keep saying you have to click on the top right corner to change your screen name etc. The only thing up there on my tablet was the Log Out button. To change stuff I discovered I had to go to bottom central.
On my iPad, when I click on the Zoom app, if I want to change my screen name, I have to click on the settings link at the bottom left of the home page. That brings up a menu, and I need to click on my screen name at the top of the menu. That brings up another menu, and on that menu, I need to click 'display name.' That gives two boxes for a first and second name. I need to type in the name I want, and then press 'save', which is at the top right of that menu. Then my display name is saved for when I enter a meeting.
I was wondering if there was a subtitles option, like Google Meet has (though it's not always accurate, but still helpful), but I couldn't find one, so it is great to have the text afterwards.
I imagine that if you're working from a text, or notes, you could post it as "chat" for those for whom that would be helpful?
The free version of Zoom does work for iPhone, some of our church life group were using them. We were restricted to 40 minutes because none of us was on the paid version. As far as I know one of our group has been unable to infect the rest of us over the interwebs.
The security issues with Zoom, as far as I can see, is all down to the entry code being published on the open web. Our group distributed via Whats App*, Are we publishing in a private place?
---
*The lack of apostrophe gets me every time. GRR.
If the host who sets up the meeting has a paid account - it lasts for as long as needed.
As far as I understand it, the security issue is that Zoom encrypts via a shared password key which will be on a server probably in China. Thus, there could be spying on. Governments have stopped using it because spying. Spying on church seems a non-issue to me.
As far as I understand it, the security issue is that Zoom encrypts via a shared password key which will be on a server probably in China. Thus, there could be spying on. Governments have stopped using it because spying. Spying on church seems a non-issue to me.
Yes, hopefully churches will not be taking part in nefarious anti-government activities. Then again what better cover?
Taking part in last week's service did make me feel like an early Christian, having to meet with others in secret. Did anyone else have the same feeling?
I thought I saw your RL identity bobbing up and down, MaryLouise. On another Zoom event I was a part of, one of our friends connected purely by audio and that helped to get round his bandwidth problems.
It may not be bandwidth, with Zoom it could that the computer / laptop processor isn't powerful enough. Zoom on Windows requires an Intel 5 processor or above, 2.5GB. The laptop I'm using has an AMD chip with only 2GB, so Zoom ain't going to work.
Thinking this through -- Barnabus62, could you see me visually at my desk or just my name and chat message for the bidding prayer? I could only see my real name (I'm comfortable with that) and a framed black space. This is new for me, I don't use Skype, so am unsure what options I might try. I couldn't seem to unmute but could see and hear everyone else.
You can change your name beforehand with the website too. You need to go to the main page of the website though, before clicking on the link to the chat room.
When you connect (at least in my version), there's a space at the bottom left where you can turn on the video feed so you show up as a living, moving person. (That's also where the audio control is.) Though the video will not work no matter what you do (duh, LC) if you have no webcam, OR if the webcam is on the inside of your closed laptop (because you are using the connected large monitor to watch, and you usually shut the laptop to force the big monitor to engage).
if the webcam is on the inside of your closed laptop (because you are using the connected large monitor to watch
In which case, you may wish to go into your settings (on my Windows 7 PC it's right-click on the screen, choose Graphic Properties > Options > Output To > Digital Display) and select the external monitor only (i.e., turn off the laptop display completely) or else the behavior of the cursor may be difficult to control.
Comments
Something like that looks as though it would work. What do you think? Not sure about time length - maybe allow 10-15 minutes?
I think you can phone in, @Doublethink, and this might be important if somebody wants to be extra sure about not inadvertently outing themselves. I'll ask backstage if this option is available for us.
Also, another thing it says at the top of the page, as this was being discussed earlier, is:
When I accessed audio, I think I did click dial in by phone, because it gave me two options and that was the top one. Next time I will do the bottom one.
Satan might consider that an insult.
Sermon notes, 4/3/20 – Church of Fools
NT Reading: John 12:12-16
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: "Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem is one of those rare events on which all four of the canonical gospels agree. Although most of those acclaiming him on what we know as Palm Sunday certainly saw him as the Messiah who would lead the people of Israel to throw off the harsh Roman yoke, Jesus gave them abundant signs that this was not to be a conventional triumph in traditional Roman or Middle Eastern style.
For one thing, his actions are filled with nods to propecy. He rode into the capital not on a warhorse, but on a donkey, with a donkey’s colt, as prescribed by the prophet Zechariah. He came through the Temple Mount’s northern gate, from which Ezekiel expects the Messiah to enter. He is giving notice of just who he is, a king who is not of this world.
Jesus has been drawing unwelcome attention from the Temple authorities just before this, with the very public raising of Lazarus. Caiaphas, the high priest, says, “It is more to your interest that one man should die for the people, than the whole nation should be destroyed.” In fact, earlier in this chapter of John, the authorities plan to take out Lazarus as well as Jesus, since the resurrected man is getting the Galilean troublemaker so much great publicity.
Once in Jerusalem, Jesus continues to annoy the authorities with hard-to-ignore acts like driving the money-changers from the Temple. He is endangering the Temple authorities’ fragile truce with the Romans. But he will not go on to lead a violent uprising, as they fear. He will not meet the warlike expectations of the crowds of the poor who hail him, nor of the authorities who fear him.
Jesus has set his face toward Golgotha. We know what comes next: In a few days, the crowds will be calling for his crucifixion; the disciples will fall away or go into hiding.
The disciples didn’t understand his intentions, nor make sense of the things that he’d been telling them, until it was all over, until after the Resurrection.
Jesus always doesn’t meet our expectations, either, leaving us to wonder why. That’s especially true now, in another time of uncertainty and fear. Although scientists warned for decades of the chances of a pandemic, we were unprepared for the reality. Now, amid shortages and sacrifices, crashing economies, triage and tragedy, some of us are struggling to find God’s goodness in this.
But Jesus is still present, even when we don’t understand. His work is here for us to recognize. Perhaps in looking for him now through our fears, we can better make our way through the roller coaster of Holy Week, and find for ourselves the joy of the Resurrection.
People keep saying you have to click on the top right corner to change your screen name etc. The only thing up there on my tablet was the Log Out button. To change stuff I discovered I had to go to bottom central.
On my iPad, when I click on the Zoom app, if I want to change my screen name, I have to click on the settings link at the bottom left of the home page. That brings up a menu, and I need to click on my screen name at the top of the menu. That brings up another menu, and on that menu, I need to click 'display name.' That gives two boxes for a first and second name. I need to type in the name I want, and then press 'save', which is at the top right of that menu. Then my display name is saved for when I enter a meeting.
I imagine that if you're working from a text, or notes, you could post it as "chat" for those for whom that would be helpful?
If the host who sets up the meeting has a paid account - it lasts for as long as needed.
Yes, hopefully churches will not be taking part in nefarious anti-government activities. Then again what better cover?
Ah, I wondered if you were using that!
(I'm glad we had name labels. I wouldn't have recognised you without the bomb under your arm.)