ZOOM BREAKOUT ROOMS

[Vido]

How do you feel about them? A sister in my congregation finds them quite intimidating...I silently agreed with that, despite myself:

In terms of the arrangement, I can give you 100 scriptural reasons why this arrangement is necessary, all of them summed up in Hebrews 10:24,25: 

But that personally does little to stop me from hiding from breakout rooms: my group overseer just calls me weird; he knows me, we are friends, but something inside me tells me I ought to be better than that-:...

 

Are you also a breakout room weirdo!

 

Side note: Please don't be angry with my overseer, he means absolutely well😀

 

 

[EccentricM]

No issue personally. It can be odd or awkward for people perhaps to be placed in a certain room at random with people you don't know too well or don't have much in common with. But the way we have ours set up is that you can choose which room to go in now and change at will, as opposed to being placed in a random one.

 

But other than that, no issue, it's no different to me than walking about in the KH to different groups of people.

 

The advantage of the rooms is so that people are not talking over one another, as over a hundred people speaking at once on zoom nobody can be understood and nobody can converse, that's pretty much the main reason, practicality.

Edited July 22, 2021 by EccentricM

[pnutts]

We have option of which breakout room we want. Subject to change at anytime. 😎

[AH173]

12 minutes ago, pnutts said:

We have option of which breakout room we want. Subject to change at anytime. 😎

When I was went to a random breakout room after the meeting a sister offered me a really good suggestion. 

 

If she invited ones to the zoom meeting and they attend it and are randomly assigned to a breakout room without the guest being there. I suggested that when that comes up please contact the host of meeting and ask to be put in same rooms as the invited guest is. Mentioned it to my cobe and said he has no problem with it. And it worked out well the next time I seen the sister and her guest at the zoom meeting. 

 

Please invite friends to offer suggestions (to your cobe or avs crew) if it will build one another up. 

[Good-O]

I love the breakout rooms.  I may have already spent the morning with some in zoom service but we always have plenty to talk about.  It's nice to get to know your brothers/sisters in this manner since we are not at the KH.  Many times, esp in service, I just listen.  There is much to learn about the personality of others - some are new to the cong, having just moved into the territory, and it's amazing what you learn about that family/individual.  And, many times you do get an opportunity to speak to the visiting speaker.  Our COs last visit was so nice.  He spent like an entire morning with your breakout room and learned much about the publishers that he had not known from the past 3 yrs he had been with us.  We have a great turnout for zoom service and most of the week we start about 0700 in service even though the assigned time is 0930.  Some of us are early birds and then if you need to leave early you can but you have spent some time in service that day and had great association as well.  After the meeting we usually don't stay very long but do have time to say hello and discuss a point we learned at the meeting or encourage others due to their comments.  Not all participate in the breakout rooms after the meeting but when they do it's nice to say hi to them even if they hurriedly have to leave.  Ours is a 'fun group/congregation' as before the meeting we are all on zoom at least 30 min before mtg starts and we all talk at same time -yes, we do have to repeat what we said,  but we get to greet others esp if they can't stay after meeting.   Our group looks forward to the breakout rooms.  Many just listen in, say hello, or wave before they go but they know they are loved and missed.  Actually we commented this past week that we get to spend more time with one another now that we didn't get to do at the KH.  We love it and hope that we can keep zoom even if we do get to go back to KH.  Our publishers are old and sick, and most of us live a long way from the KH,  but with zoom they get the spiritual food and wonderful association.  Those with no internet listen and participate via telephone/KHConf.  So, ya'll give it a chance -  just listen in, say hello or wave before you have to sign out.   

[Lee49]

I think you could develop a real inferiority complex if certain ones show up in your room and then leave after seeing whose there, especially if only a few showed up. I guess we all have our certain ones that we feel more comfortable with. What has helped me was trying to join several service groups during the week and staying on, at least for an hour, many show up then leave after 20 minutes or so. Also, leaving the video on helps one to see who they are talking to. Seems that the sisters always far out number the brothers in service, understanding that most brothers are having to work during the week days. What is really hard in the service group is when no one is talking ( busy writing or a few phone witnessing ) and most stay on mute! After around an hour I've had it, so "see you all later" I then flash a video in my background ( because I have a green screen ) of one of my favorite animals that I have to attend to, gives everyone a laugh.

 

[Loopy]

36 minutes ago, Lee49 said:

I think you could develop a real inferiority complex if certain ones show up in your room and then leave after seeing whose there, especially if only a few showed up. I guess we all have our certain ones that we feel more comfortable with. What has helped me was trying to join several service groups during the week and staying on, at least for an hour, many show up then leave after 20 minutes or so. Also, leaving the video on helps one to see who they are talking to. Seems that the sisters always far out number the brothers in service, understanding that most brothers are having to work during the week days. What is really hard in the service group is when no one is talking ( busy writing or a few phone witnessing ) and most stay on mute! After around an hour I've had it, so "see you all later" I then flash a video in my background ( because I have a green screen ) of one of my favorite animals that I have to attend to, gives everyone a laugh.

 

Yes, I find that most of the ones on video during service are always muted. There’s one sister that will pipe up later and say my goodness it’s too quiet. 😁😁😁 She likes it when we take a break and visit. I’ve been online numerous times and no one ever unmutes. 😢 So BR. Lawrence I completely understand how you feel. But also for me, just “seeing” the friends there helps me feel like I’m not alone. But I do love the times we get laughing and joking around. 😁😁😁😁

[pnutts]

Lately we can see who is in which breakout room Before joining. Like I mentioned above. Subject to change anytime.🤑

[Qapla]

Our Congregation does not use breakout rooms. We tried it and it wasn't all that popular. We all just stay on in the main room have a "free-for-all" chat and it has been working just fine for us.

 

[Dages]

What are breakout rooms?

Are these the small rooms opened after a meeting so we can chat in small groups?

Edited July 22, 2021 by Dages

[Lee49]

Just now, Dages said:

What are breakout rooms?

Where you go to "break dance " hahaha, kidding , after the meeting is over there are several meeting rooms that you can go in to, kind of like a chat room only on Zoom where the friends can have a casual meeting with different ones to talk and encourage one another, like talking after a regular meeting at the KH.

[Hinata]

40 minutes ago, Qapla said:

Our Congregation does not use breakout rooms. We tried it and it wasn't all that popular. We all just stay on in the main room have a "free-for-all" chat and it has been working just fine for us.

 

 

We also do not use breakout rooms for before and after meeting. I am actually surprised by the concept of it reading on this forum. Having everyone in the main room all at once works well for us since we know everyone each other well. (A congregation of around 70-80 publishers.)

 

However we do use them for field ministry. After each field ministry meeting, publishers are assigned to each room in groups of 6-7 so they can do the ministry within that particular room and have a more clear chat with each other.

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Hinata

[Dages]

We do randomized Small rooms for 15 minutes twice. Groups of 3 or 4 connected account. That's nice.

[RNGuzman]

We don't have breakout rooms either even though a few people have requested them. In our congregation, they are only used for the second school assignments during the midweek meeting and an occasional private meeting.  Sometimes a small group stays online on after a midweek meeting and we end up talking for a while. Last night we were on for an hour after the meeting was over. On Sunday we had a "visiting" speaker from Venezuela. It was nice to hear encouraging experiences of how the brothers are doing there, depending on Jehovah and each other. 

[Mike]

so … are we told NOT to have the breakout rooms on convention Sundays? Or is that up to local congregations to determine?


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[jayrtom]

8 hours ago, Mike said:

so … are we told NOT to have the breakout rooms on convention Sundays? Or is that up to local congregations to determine?


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No, that was an option that was put for consideration of the BOE's

 

In general, according to the instructions on using video conferencing systems for meetings, under the topic "association", we are encouraged to use the breakout rooms

 

How is it that everyone can choose the room he/she wants? I thought only host/co-host could do that? Is it a new update?

 

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by jayrtom

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, jayrtom said:

How is it that everyone can choose the room he/she wants? I thought only host/co-host could do that? Is it a new update?

That is an option in Zoom. We did that during the meetings for service with the CO, it worked out well so we have done it a few times after the meetings. 

[jayrtom]

4 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

That is an option in Zoom. We did that during the meetings for service with the CO, it worked out well so we have done it a few times after the meetings. 

Is this available on the organization account?

[Tortuga]

3 minutes ago, jayrtom said:

Is this available on the organization account?

We use the organization account. I'll try to get some screen captures from my PC and PM them to you later. 

[Cool Cat]

On 7/22/2021 at 6:55 PM, Vido said:

How do you feel about them? A sister in my congregation finds them quite intimidating...I silently agreed with that, despite myself:

In terms of the arrangement, I can give you 100 scriptural reasons why this arrangement is necessary, all of them summed up in Hebrews 10:24,25: 

But that personally does little to stop me from hiding from breakout rooms: my group overseer just calls me weird; he knows me, we are friends, but something inside me tells me I ought to be better than that-:...

 

Are you also a breakout room weirdo!

 

Side note: Please don't be angry with my overseer, he means absolutely well😀

 

 

I think you will find many brothers and sisters struggle with Zoom meetings. Whether it is a fear of camaras, being up close and personal with so many people, being afraid of technology or simply not liking the feel and various aspects of zoom.

 

That said we have Zoom breakout rooms after the meeting for about 30mins. Some people stay on for a while others not so much. Initially it's random and then we move people about as numbers start to dwindle.

 

We also have ministry days everyday and breakout rooms for the ministry. Certain days are well supported. We do get some that really don't like breakout rooms with others that really don't mind them and view them as a main way they get their association at this time. 

 

 

[BLEmom]

 I rarely visit before or after meetings. Service group is much better. What I find challenging is conversing. In our hall there are certain ones who are loud, certain ones who are always joking with each other. Other than saying hi and waving, it’s hard to get a word in edgewise even in the breakout rooms. Our hall is considered super friendly and the CO complains we are the loudest in the circuit. Lol

I want to have a real conversation. You know where you ask someone a question and then can actually hear the reply, not get interrupted by someone else joining the room and then everyone yelling hello. 
I find it all very surface hello, hope you are well and done. That’s not encouraging to me at all. It totally sets my nerves on edge. 
On the other hand, in our service group most of the time there is some real conversation going on. I feel way more at peace conversing in that situation. I think it’s because it’s the same group with no new people popping in to interrupt and then it dwindles to fewer and fewer so the conversation gets deeper. 

[Jeanie]

I do not do well with the breakout rooms.  I have tried but I am to self conscious.  I dont want to be there looking at myself while I talk to others.  It just feels so awkward to me.  But, for a few weeks the brothers were putting all of us into break out rooms before the meeting.  Now, I didn't have any choice on the matter.  Although it was odd, I actually enjoyed those a lot.  I talked to some brothers and sisters that I hadn't talked too for a year (except for the hello, hi, bye comments).  I'm not sure why I can't get into the rooms.  I really want to make a better effort to do so.  

[jwhess]

We have tried main room with background music, we have tried all in main room talking over each other, we have tried breakout rooms before and after meetings and now we use the combination.  We have a main room where every one talks before the meeting and then a quiet 3-5 minutes before the opening of the meeting.. then we have small (4-6 participant screens) breakout rooms after the meeting which generally last for 15-20 minutes max.  You can leave the breakout room and return to the main room by selecting the choice at the bottom of the screen.  We usually close Zoom about 30 minutes after the meeting.

 

Our Sunday meeting ends and we have breakout rooms for about 10 minutes or so.  then an announcement box appears on your screen telling everybody that the breakout room will close and everyone who stays on will be shifted to the Meeting for Field Service at 12 noon.

 

Since the printed announcement that the FDS asked us to read at the end of the Watchtower Study (on Convention Weeks) says to watch the convention in your home after the meeting, we did not interrupt that flow of instruction by setting up short breakout rooms.  We just adjourn to the RC in your living room. ,

 

Edited August 20, 2021 by jwhess

[Lee49]

3 hours ago, Jeanie said:

I dont want to be there looking at myself while I talk to others.

 Leave it in gallery and put a sticky pad over your window of yourself, I do that to some who leave their camera pointing up at their swirling fan !

 

[Tia]

The brothers have set up various rooms...

The hallway foyer entrance - right out side the door

The parking lot

The water fountain

The bookroom

The backroom

The stage, etc...

For me I always attended meetings early - sometimes opening up the KH. 

And I met with ones and chatted - but right after the meeting I would leave for 

home full and satisfied - I tend to do the same after meeting(s) on zoom - I am 

on 1/2 hour earlier and than I leave on the amen - I have to be quick on the button

 though because our brothers are on it! 

 

The Bethelites would tease me "oh you are late" if I was 2 minutes behind my normal 

schedule - but I do love the break out rooms - my preference is before the meeting(s) 

 

Wow...Brother John - that sounds nice!!! " We have tried main room with background music -"

soothing 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Chachanee
left out