Virtual Meetings For the near term, per government requirements and the Lord’s sovereignty, we will be conducting meeting virtually, supporting both audio and video. Check your email for meeting notices and add them to your online calendars. We wil also post the URL and phone numbers in the GroupMe on the day of meeting. We are using a service called Zoom. For best results, download the app; if you join from a browser besides Chrome then for the audio portion you should dial using your phone. Update your app when prompted. No registration/login is required unless you wish to start your own small group meetings with a free account. Free accounts are limited to 40 minutes if more than 2 participants and do not have the dial-in option; alternatively for personal use you can use Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts/Meet, WhatsApp, or whatever you find convenient.
Technical:Click the meeting link from your phone, tablet, or laptop (with a camera/mic). We recommend starting it early to ensure you work out any technical problems before you dial in. If your internet is slow (<2.6Mbps or not LTE or 5G on your phone) we recommend turning off your camera, but there is benefit to seeing the saints. If using a battery powered device, plug it in or be sure it has enough charge.
If you don’t have a camera or don’t have fast enough internet connection, the easiest method is to connect from your phone line by dialing the number and entering the code provided. Of course you will not see any video. The following commands can be entered using your phone’s dial pad while in a Zoom meeting:
- *6 – Toggle mute/unmute
- *9 – Raise hand
We have no practical limit on the number of attendees, but there may still be a spiritual benefit to gathering with other saints in your house if you are able. If you do share one camera and screen for video, we recommend using a telephone for audio so that you can place it closer to all participants. If you are more than two feet from your phone/microphone/laptop, you may have to speak loudly or else some of your words may be missed.
If using a phone or tablet for video, recommend propping it up on a table rather than holding it. Holding it can cause unnecessary movement in the video.
You will experience better audio if you use headphones, but of course that only works if you are alone. If you can share Bluetooth headphones, those can work fine too. Ensure those are charged also.
Muting your line:You will join the meeting muted in order to avoid unintended noise on the call. Click the microphone icon to unmute or hit *6 on your phone when you wish to speak. Should you have a noisy environment (ex. dog, baby) we recommend keeping your microphone muted except when you are speaking with the saints. If using a cell phone, keep it muted when you are not speaking; especially if you have the phone to your head, otherwise, it will pick up coughs, breathing, etc. Again, *6 will mute/unmute your line.
During singing, we will mute everyone except the music so that saints can hear just that. Due to Zoom changes we can no longer unmute all, so you will need to unmute yourself,