Now that the Presbytery of the James has settled into hybrid meetings for stated meetings, there are some logistical changes that need to be brought to everyone’s attention. Hybrid meetings are meetings that are conducted with attendees participating both in person and virtually via Zoom.
Registration
Registration for presbytery meetings will continue, with the registration deadline normally the day before the meeting. During registration, each person will select in person or Zoom as their planned attendance choice. This helps meeting leaders plan for the number of people physically attending. It also provides a high level of security for people using Zoom to access the meeting.
Hosting the Presbytery
With many people attending via Zoom, the need for an adequate and secure internet connectivity and available audio-visual equipment is immense. Because of this new logistical need, future hybrid meetings can be held only at churches or locales where such connections and equipment are already present.
At the same time, people who attend in person still need to be greeted, registered, provided with coffee and water, and assisted in other ways (parking, building layout, etc.). With only a few churches able to provide the physical site, we hope that we can make sure the site church is not always expected to provide all of the volunteers as well.
Responding to this new way of running our meetings, the Mission Council has determined that it may be necessary to split the past role of host church into two parts – location and people – depending on the invitations received from churches to host a meeting. This will be determined on a meeting-by-meeting basis.
Physical Site
For future stated meetings, the physical site of the meeting will be a church or other locale that has robust internet connectivity in place, as well as adequate space to accommodate the number of people who will attend the meeting in person.
Volunteers
If the church or locale cannot provide enough volunteers to assist meeting leaders, the Mission Council will seek out churches that can provide volunteers to physically attend the meeting to help with registration, greeting, etc., responsibilities.
With this split of responsibilities, we hope that our equipped churches will invite the presbytery to its facility as a meeting site, and other churches will respond positively to the request for volunteers.
Called meetings may be held in person only, via Zoom only, or hybrid, depending on the nature of the business to be conducted.
Please contact Kenna Payne, moderator of the Mission Council, with any questions.