Interfaith, Technology and the Internet

How the use of technology became more than a theoretical discussion amongst members of York Interfaith.

No one could have imagined when planning our 2020 York Interfaith monthly programme, back in September last year, just how one meeting would be a subject so much at the core of our lives all these months later in May 2020. 

Penny Siddall, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Secretary of York Interfaith Group, sat alongside fellow members Sister Patricia Harriss, a Catholic nun from the Congregation of Jesus, and Sue Maskell of the Methodist faith on the planning committee to bring together the ideas and suggestions of its members into a structured and workable programme of monthly meetings for 2020.

One of the subjects suggested was to discuss how faith was impacted by social media and technology in what became titled “Faith, Technology, and the Internet”.  Daryl Watson, the UK Communication Director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agreed to come to York and host the discussion, some eight months later in our scheduled meeting of May 2020.

Sadly, our monthly meetings had to be cancelled due to the lockdown restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19.  There was hope in the beginning when these restrictions were imposed of holding our usual meetings.  However, as time moved on, it became apparent that this was not going to be possible.  After embracing technology to hold its Interfaith committee meetings via Zoom, and with a desire to reach out to our members and support them, it was decided to see if Daryl could still host our meeting in May, obviously not in person but virtually, which he happily and gladly agreed to do.   

So via the use of technology and the internet, seeing the irony of doing that with the subject being discussed, with some trepidation we held our first virtual monthly meeting on May 5^th and discussed how important and powerful a tool digital media can be, especially the use of social media, in communicating our faith beliefs to many near and far and in inspiring and uplifting others.

Many faiths participated, including Muslim, Church of England, Baha’i, Sikh, Hindu, Quaker, Buddhist, Unitarian, as well as other members of The Church of Jesus Christ.  There were 35 individuals in attendance in total – a great turnout!   Such technology also allowed us to reach beyond borders and countries and include a former member of York Interfaith and member of the Church of Jesus Christ with us in person from Grand Canaria. 

Sister Patricia said, “I thought it was fast-moving and fun, and expertly presented” and Dee Boyle our Vice-Chair commented “It was really a great session.  Daryl made it seem like a fun night out as well as an informative evening”.

What a great blessing the tools of technology and the internet were to us that night in allowing us to stay connected in the absence of our physical ability to meet.  To share laughter, friendship and learning together.  Daryl asked what the highlight of our day had been at the beginning of the meeting.  Our chair of York Interfaith, Avtar Matharu commented on closing the meeting this had been “THE” highlight of his day, having been busy with work all day looking at a computer screen and commented on how lovely it was to see so many new faces.  Technology allowed some to attend our meeting who otherwise would not have been able in the “real” world.