Revs. Dayne Zachrison, left, and Michelle Brennan, waiting for the Virtual Mission u session to go live. Photos by Dave Stucke.

“It is amazing to see the community we were able to build virtually,” said Rev. Michelle Brennan, who served as a co-host with other broadcast team members at First United Methodist Church in Fargo, North Dakota, for Virtual Mission u 2022.

For more than a century, United Women in Faith, formerly United Methodist Women, have been gathering annually to understand better how to live out faith in the world by studying for spiritual growth and learning about contemporary issues and neighbors in different geographic areas.

Last year, the Dakotas United Women in Faith tried a virtual Mission u, utilizing Zoom. “Things went OK last year,” said Cindy Yeager, who served on the broadcast team for 2021 and 2022. “This year was great. I learned a lot, it looked great, and the participants were focused on what was happening.”

About 40 participants spent time learning and exploring “Who Can We Be Together?  A Biblical Exploration of Luke 13.” Rev. Dayne Zachrison facilitated the eight-session experience. As the primary teacher Zachrison shared content and encouraged engagement through breakout rooms, polls, emojis, and chat.

Cindy Yeager, left, and Bonnie Ostensen were ready to help with chat, breakout rooms, and phone calls.

Two United Women in Faith leaders, Cindy Yeager, a member at First UMC in Fargo, and Bonnie Ostenson, a member of St. Paul’s UMC in Jamestown, moderated the chat and assisted anyone who phoned with a technology issue.

“Please remember that help is only a phone call away or click away,” Brennan told participants. “Bonnie and Cindy are here to answer questions and respond to you in chat.”

In four, 90-minute time blocks, virtual attendees were guided through eight sessions. “What does God say about creating community? How did Jesus reach out to others? What can we learn? This is our time to build community with each other and grow in relationship with God,” Zachrison told the participants.

Session one, “Repent or Perish,” explored Luke 13:1-5. “Some people have experiences in the church that seem to ask believers to change who there are, or they will be punished, a sort of a fire and brimstone approach. They are made to feel that there is something fundamentally wrong with them,” stated Zachrison.

In sessions two through seven, participants explored the parables of the Barren Fig Tree, Jesus Heals on the Sabbath, Parable of the Mustard Seed, Parable of the Yeast, The Narrow Door, and The Fox and the Hen.

“Everyone was focused during each of the sessions. I also noticed that no one came back from breakout rooms early,” said Ostenson, who helped moderate the chat.

Participants reflected on their learning experience in session eight. “We did create community,” said one of the participants. “We needed more time in our breakout rooms. The conversation was awesome!”

Dave Stucke and Doreen Gosmire, the Dakotas Conference communication team, assisted by providing lighting, cameras, graphics, video, and administrating the features in Zoom to enhance the experience. The chapel at Fargo First UMC became an actual broadcast studio.

The efforts were appreciated. Together a virtual community was built. One participant shared, “I appreciate all those who made this Zoom Mission u possible. I could not attend the in-person activities, so this was perfect!”