Inclusion!

It’s about making all people feel welcome.

From those of us attending remotely:

 Thank you for looking directly at the camera from time to time; for us, it’s eye
contact.
 We appreciate your waves; we find ourselves waving back!
 Thank you for remembering to always face the microphone while speaking.
 We are grateful when someone at a microphone repeats something shared off-
mic. (Especially if it made people laugh!)
 Thank you for accepting delays in the service because of tech issues, or a need
to repeat something.
 We feel heard when our words in the chat are shared, whether our joys and
concerns or other engagement.

In the 1950s, the original Romper Room television show featured a Magic Mirror. Through it, our local host seemed to peer into our living rooms as they called out the names of children they could “see” watching in “television land.” I remember the feeling when I heard my name.

You, whether presenters or attendees, make the effort each week to include us, so that we can experience being “seen.” It would be less complicated to leave us “on the outside looking in.” Our church is choosing to center love.

This experience is possible because of the church’s investment in technology, and the time and talent of our great Audio Visual Ministry Team! Thank you, Mykah, Howard, Nao, Dale, Caroline, Rod, and Misha, and each of you who served in the past. Thank you, also, everyone who has served as an online greeter.

We could use more online volunteers. Lou, Karen, and I would love you to join us! The requirements for online greeters are that you view the service remotely (once a month would be great), watch the chat, welcome people who sign in, and share (cut and paste) links. If you have a laptop, you may greet online from the church grounds.

Interested in volunteering, or in a conversation about improving online inclusion at UUCT? Contact egreeters@uutallahassee.org