During the coronavirus outbreak, some chapters have turned to technology to stay in touch.
September 2020
Efforts to contain the coronavirus have included stay-at-home orders and recommendations to practice social distancing. But that hasn’t stopped members of some FMCA chapters from seeing each other, chatting, and holding meetings.
As of mid-July, the Cardinal Virginians had held three virtual meetings using Zoom, a web-based video conferencing tool. “Our Zoom calls have been a wonderful way to stay connected with our chapter members,” said Karilyn Pittman, the chapter’s secretary and newsletter editor. “We discussed past trips and made tentative future plans.”
In April, about 29 people attended the first such Cardinal Virginians virtual meeting, which served as an introduction to Zoom. “Each participant was asked to wear a unique hat of some sort to give it a sense of purpose and entertainment,” chapter president Timm Seaman said. “Everyone was in agreement that we should hold more calls.”
And they did, in May and in July. During the May session, the 22 participants played a game in which one person started to tell a story and the next person repeated it while adding something new. Chapter business also has been incorporated into the virtual meetings. Incoming chapter president David Martin said he plans to continue to hold meetings that way.
Zoom also was the platform used for virtual meetings by members of the Coaches for Christ Southeast chapter in April and the Peach State Travelers chapter in June. “Positive comments were made about being able to see each other after a time of being separated,” said Jan Hollis, a member of both chapters. It was a good way to check on people or learn of prayer needs, she noted.
Jan said chapter members who were unfamiliar with Zoom had the option of attending a practice session 30 minutes before a meeting started. For chapters that plan to use Zoom, she recommends opting for a minimal paid account. A free service is available, but if three or more participants join in, it times out after 40 minutes.
Timm also offered suggestions for chapters that are considering virtual meetings: Set a time limit (he recommends 45 minutes); enlist a facilitator who can control the discussion; and to reduce background noise, ask participants to mute themselves when they are not speaking.
FMCA’s national bylaws include the definition of a properly called chapter meeting, which can involve communication via electronic means. Chapters whose bylaws meet that specific definition may wish to research options for virtual meetings. FMCA’s Chapter Services Department points out that in addition to Zoom, popular video chat platforms include Free Conference Calling, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, RingCentral, and Skype.
Jan encourages chapters to give virtual meetings a try. “Even though everyone won’t or can’t join in, it’s well worth the time connecting,” she said.
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