How does an online video discussion work?  Skype?

Hi chemgal

We'll have to wait for Birthstone re the  Dec.  video discussion? All I know about are these webinars if its the same thing. My puter is a bit challenged...lol..so I don't know. I have a thread on R and F about Aaron and the webinar. Maybe United  Futures is different than the Edge?  I sure can't keep up with the UC....:)

Thanks for the info, Birthstone.

No problem - webinars that I"ve done are pretty straight forward.  They  have their glitches, and I always hope that presenters are concise and well-organized.  

When I heard the theme for this discussion, I just knew they needed to hear from WC.  Of course online community can be community!!  But I think there are many who haven't understood how personal it can be and how engaging.  

Anyway, - there will be 3 of the discussions.  One this week in December and 2 in January/Feb?  

This follows the comprehensive review that the UCC has been doing, because it is high-time we got some sense of our future.  

Thanks Birthstone! Yes, I think this will be a great opportunity to share with others how WonderCafe has been a meaningful online community...and even a faith community for some. In many ways, we've been doing what they are talking about for years.

I hear too many people say, if it isn't face to face, it isn' meaningful, but that totally ignores at least 10 years of internet dating, chats, facebook's success etc etc.  

I think of the pastoral care around here and it is as important to me as face to face.  

* SIGHS *

This reinventing of the wheel is driving me just a little crazy.

It's not really reinventing as much as a new wave of people getting involved in this for the first time, and it could be important for them to hear from those of us who have already experienced online faith community. I'm happy to see it happening.

Out of curiosity, why did this wave of people not get involved in our community - Wondercafe.ca.It does seem like reinventing the wheel instead of making radial or all weather tires.

I'm not sure. That's a good question to ask at the United Future discussion forum. I'd like to hear myself.

yes.  agreed.

Maybe crazyheart and Paradox, they are recognizing that WC needs some structural changes and if we're going to do that, we'd better do it right.  

Still, it is worth the hour to get online there and participate.  

I've figured out that the church is exactly like a wheel -  you dont' need to reinvent it if some people are willing to have the discussions with new folks.  There will always be new people to the table, as others leave.  Imagine our Religion & Faith section if we'd finished chatting in the first year and ignored all the new people with familiar questions.  Same as a church meeting -  if the old guard (yikes WC is the old guard???) can't welcome the newbies, things die.

So this wheel has turned and United Futures is the new push that can use our wisdom.

How?  I looked at the link, and there's not much information.

I've watched things on Google Hangouts before and they have given instructions ahead of time about how to be in live-time contact for people not actually participating in the video chat.  It's useful to know if a certain account is needed beforehand.

I would be surprised if everyone who wants to participate via video can.

Birthstone, I don't expect you to have these answers, but maybe Aaron does?

How to Participate

This online community is a space to connect with others across the church.

Tune in to a livestreamed discussion forum.

Continue the conversation afterwards… debate, listen, be challenged and inspired, as people submit ideas and chat about each topic.

Consider gathering a group together in your community

You might consider hosting a group to listen together to the livestream discussion. Host a gathering at your church or in your home. Listen together and continue the conversation afterwards as a group.

I don't consider watching a discussion to be participating.  Where do I go to submit ideas and chat?  Where do I debate, etc.?

There's more info now, that wasn't there last night.  It's still not listed under the participate section though.  Maybe someone is already listening?  :)

The three panelists (bios below) aren't the usual suspects. They'll be raising big ideas and asking you to share your thoughts and questions through live chat.

Well, you have to put in a request to be invited. I figured that out. 

As for the site (United Future) itself, I went on and registered but I don't see any place to log in to it again.  

United Future is also the name of a politcal party in New Zealand. If you Google it, this comes up first. 

chemgal

I'm no authority but I have participated on chats before. I'll post an example of a past chat with Richard Bott webinar.

I wonder if you can see the screen properly? There's a video on the right of Richard Bott speaking and a chat message board on the left where participants may ask/post  questions and post their opinions. The participants are not on video.

If I am registered I presume I'm able to type in the chat message board, introduce myself etc. unless there's a problem or malfunction  in the webinar format or with my puter? Since its a past webinar I didn't try.

I assume on Dec. 5th. the webinar will be active and available, not before that date. I'm sure Aaron will drop by if what I'm saying isn't correct. I'm trying to help....:(

Hello to Richard Bott...He presents well and has a warm personality

https://edgeucc.adobeconnect.com/_a1012244660/p86luep8p2l/?launcher=fals...

Paradox, at the bottom of this page, there is an rSVP

(it is in an unusual location, in my opinion, from a layout standpoint)

http://www.unitedfuture.ca/forum1

chemgal

I'm not sure that link I posted works. Its the first one in my webinar post way  up  above.

Try this...it works on my email.

Stardust, my issue was that it wasn't explained.  Being invited to an online video discussion to me should mean that I get to actually participate in the video discussion.

I didn't expect that to be the case, but nothing else was being explained.  I've seen panels being done where people can participate in real time via twitter.  That means someone needs to have a twitter account, and the hashtag was listed well in advance of the live video.  The united future site has now mentioned the live chat (although not on the how to participate page), which I assume will be available on the same window as the video.

I still have questions, like whether or not my RSVP name comes up with that.  Is it possible to participate anonymously?  I'll probably re-RSVP under my WC FB name just in case, but it would be nice to be informed ahead of time.

Do you mean to be a panelist?

Sorry chemgal, but I am confused about this whole thing now. 

There was a place to request an invitation last week but now there is the RSVP button. It still doesn't explain exactly how you would go about participating. 

That is confusing.  Hopefully there will be more info on the 4th or a few hours before it starts on the 5th.

It appears that:

You can participate in United Future.

You can rsvp to specific events.

I would presume it is similair to a webex with a chat rolling by, we shall see.

Well, you can participate by registering to get email updates, but it doesn't seem to go any further than that. Not yet. 

And yes, you can rsvp to one event so far. Which hasn't been described clearly. 

No clue what this means, Pinga. You are speaking a different language. 

chemgal

I'll leave you guys to "go figure"....but here's the little I know....

Did you or can you get Richard Bott's webinar to see how it works?  Firefox says I need an add-in but I can see and hear it  fine.

On the UC  webinars I've seen it looks like people are using their own names ( Nancy,Jean etc.) or are posting using the word...."guest" picked up by the puter.  I don't see user names like on the WC. They post their names along with  posting on the message board I believe..?  I'm  not sure if the  names  show up automatically? I forget.

You are right. Somebody should have given better instructions since people are invited to the table. You could email Aaron about using your own real name and ask  if it will be shown on the chat.

If I don't register on Dec. 5  I'll read and enjoy it after the fact. Maybe I'll see somebody from the WC.

Yes Stardust, it was just very slow to load!  Thanks!

Hear! Hear! 

Yes, I believe that is right Pinga. When you signed up on the first splash page, it was to stay connected and receive updates from United Future. If you want to participate in the online discussion event, you should RSVP for that event specifically. I think it's not being assumed that everyone who wants to receive updates for United Future (which is the digital expression of the Comprehensive Review) will also want to participate in this live event. (I will pass on that some folks found this two-step process confusing.)

I'm not the lead for this, but I believe NationBuilder has been selected as the platform to host the discussion event. It's similar to others folks may have used, with a video window and a livestreaming comment area off to the side (or perhaps the bottom).

Also, I'm not sure myself what the log in process will be. I am sure that when you go to unitedfuture.ca/live at the time of the event it will be apparent how you sign in to comment. If not, ask here and I will try to help.

Thanks for sharing what you know Aaron!

Thanks for jumping in Aaron, because I don't know all that stuff, and want it to work well!  This is helpful stuff to run by the folks who are makign it happen.

Here is a mouthful about what's coming:  I think our WC crowd has a lot to teach about it.

Where two or three are gathered… online?

Can an online community provide the connection and support to nurture and deepen our faith? Is being in the same physical space necessary for worship?
Join in at: www.unitedfuture.ca/live
Time: Thursday December 5, 2013 at 12:30pm - 1pm (Eastern Time)

Panelists

Chris Drew

Chris Drew (@chrisjamesdrew) is a community organizer and urban planning consultant living in Ontario. With over 3,400 Twitter followers and 27,000 tweets, Chris understands the power of digital tools to connect and mobilize people. Chris is active in his community through his volunteer work with the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association, the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games, and Cycle Toronto. Chris is a member of St. Paul’s United Church in Brampton, Ontario, and has continued his faith journey through volunteering with Wesley Mimico United Church and by attending faith gatherings in his Toronto community. Chris graduated with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Ryerson University and while at Ryerson was part of a team that successfully pedestrianized Gould Street.

Lauren Hodgson

Lauren is one of the church’s “under-30” ministers. She serves St. Matthew’s United Church in Toronto and is a member of the Comprehensive Review Task Group. Lauren has held leadership positions at several national United Church events, including Worship Matters, Rendez-vous and the Go Project. She has extensive experience in youth ministry and has worked with the Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children, a United Church global partner. Lauren is currently part of a young adults house church community, where she is constantly surprised by the space she finds in this group for creative connection and meaningful worship. Lauren believes that we're being called, as a church, to explore new, creative ways of being together and living out community; she hopes that this first discussion forum will spark all sorts of conversation about community and church. Come check it out! 

Rafael Vallejo

Rafael Vallejo serves as Minister and Teaching Elder at Queen St. East Presbyterian Church east of Toronto’s downtown core. He is a Filipino-Hispanic mestizo with a warm heart for the urban poor, especially migrants and refugees. Currently he is researching theologies of “Mission and Migration” together with a group of Latin American scholars from Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Mexico. For just over a year now, he also curates an online-community on Facebook called “CASA” (from the Spanish word for “home”) with over 800 members. 

Some of the questions Rafael will bring into this conversation is how social media might change the way we think about “what it means to be human”. How it might change the way we talk about the practice of God, church, ministry, sacraments, liturgy, prayer that we used when we were in the “brick-and-mortar” church; how we might use “post-human” categories when we think about community, and how to de-construct the idea that we have to be “united” in order to be “church”.

Thanks Aaron. I was wondering if I was missing something.

Chemgal - it is supposed to allow you to participate and discussion, not just listen.  I don''t know exactly how the format works and I'm not on the team to make it happen but if I get the answer before Aaron does, I'll share!

And yes, they really are there, responding.   It is growing as we speak.  I'm helping with the team that gets the word out.

 1 - Technical questions:  welcome & helpful

2 - Online community wisdom & wonderings -  needed!! & future-shaping!!

Bring it on!

Interesting tidbit re NationBuilder being the provider.  Curious if being looked at as an M&S provider and what the possibilities are there for forums, etc.

Also, I have been meaning to note and may have, but worth saying again.  Aaron has been to many of us  the face of the United Church of Canada officialdom to this forum...

That is both a burden and a blessing.  Aaron's role in wondercafe has shifted, if I remember correctly, based on a post he did a while back.

I appreciate Aaron's willingness to continue to be a conduit into that officialdom through his reading of these posts and folks frustration.  I also appreciate that sometimes he may be put between a rock and a hardplace.

I hope that we can continue to build on that conduit, rather than let Aaron bear the brunt of the frustration being felt by this community.

Thanks Pinga. I really appreciate it. (See the post I just made in the "WC Funding" thread.) As I said in my note announcing the decision to close WonderCafe, I really value this community, but I also understand why the decision to close it has been made. I was part of that decision, and though I didn't like it, I do see the reasons why and know what the challenges to keeping WonderCafe going would be in the current context of General Council funding are.

Here's more info.  from the Webinair site I'm on  if it applies...?... or some of it.

You type in your responses on the message board  the same as on a forum except keep them short and sweet..lol.

( My young  neice used to join live " love chats"  and I'd sneak in using a false  age  ... my bad .... to check up on her. I didn't stay very long )

I'm just sorry I"ll be missing this inaugural discussion (working at that day & time) - sounds like some really interesting panelists!  

Anybody know if the discussion will be archieved for later viewing? 

Sorry if anyone felt like I was taking out my frustration on them personally.  AFAIK, no one here had anything to do with what my complaints are.

Birthstone, thanks for sharing this, I hadn't heard about it until this thread.  I do think it's a worthwhile discussion, which is why I am frustrated with the lack of information on the site.  It's not just personal, I'm sure there are others who might want to know what they are getting into before RSVPing.

Aaron, I don't blame you for that lack of information, and appreciate some of the gaps that you have filled in.

Chemgal - some of it is just being built, and we're building it.  Some of it is growing based on responses and questions and feedback.  So that might explain lack of info- it is more that what will come is grassroots driven more than you might expect.  

It is also making some rounds on Facebook - we need to get it on the FB WC page I guess, but it is brand new as of last Tuesday.   A long lead time doesn't necessarily equal high numbers involved.

Carolla - yes it will be available after, and there will be continuing opportunity to add comments and continue the conversation.  I would personally LOVE for you to add your 2cents!! :)

One of the things I've learned from this online community is that if I like you on the cafe, I probably like you in person.  That is 95% accurate, and Aaron is one of people who proved it to me ;)  

sounds neet :3

i do hope that at least one of the core WC addict members with good communication & computer skills attends

When looking for outside participation during a panel discussion, shouldn't one of the main things be to include how that participation can occur?  If there are kinks to work out, a post saying something like "there will be more information on Dec 4th about how to participate in the Dec 5th livestream discussion" would suffice.

The FB buttons on the actual site (like and send) don't appear to be working for me.  My computer is old though, maybe with more recent browers it's better.

Given that we just bought an increased seat license for AdobeConnect for the meeting of GCE, why would we switch platforms? I forgot. This is the church. We have no standards and spend money we don't have like water.

Indeed. There is more than 25 years of our on line community history that appears to have been completely forgotten, as well as apparent lack of connection with what our ecumenical partners are doing in building computer-mediated community.

Too bad they didn't simply call it On-line Comprehensive Review. For clarity's sake. 

And as I said upthread, United Future is also the name of a political party in New Zealand. The choice of name seems just silly to me. 

Don't personally know anything about what came before Wondercafe or what is up with the ecumenical partners. But I certainly agree that Wondercafe seems to be completely forgotten. Which is really too bad because the church invested in it significantly and there is much to be learned. 

It bothers me that we seem to be scrambling to figure out how to make our voices heard on United Future. It shouldn't be necessary. If they want to know what we think on this site, it would be so simple for them to start a thread here and ask us. 

Hi, I spoke with the folks setting up the discussion platform. Anybody can go to www.unitedfuture.ca/live and watch the panel discussion on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 12:30 pm ET. If you want to post a comment you will need to log in on the NationBuilder platform. That's how you can participate. Nothing too tricky. 

Obviously, United Future is the replacement site of WC.

Simple and easy to use, it resembles FB.  And it requires RL information: names, postal code (wow, demographics and possible targeted advertising, you think?)

And, inviting use of language, which seems to have disappeared here.  I recall WC invitations to pull up a chair.... engage in discussion and dialogue.... but I do not see that now.

However, the United Future site posts this very similar invitation:

This online community is a space to connect with others across the church.

Tune in to a livestreamed discussion forum.

Continue the conversation afterwards… debate, listen, be challenged and inspired, as people submit ideas and chat about each topic.

Consider gathering a group together in your community

You might consider hosting a group to listen together to the livestream discussion. Host a gathering at your church or in your home. Listen together and continue the conversation afterwards as a group.

So UF is the new WC. 

Money and time have been spent on creating the United Future site.  Probably the same amount of time and money that could have sustained WC.

Re-inventing the wheel.  Well done.