Little Zion Hesed is an online fellowship group that uses work group tools to connect (e.g. Slack, Zoom, Marco Polo). This environment has helped the members get to know each other in ways that you don’t always get the opportunity to in person. The group consists of people from all over the USA.
We believe that Zion is something that is coming but must first have worthy residents; and that is incumbent upon each individual. A city of peace is the natural emergent result of having people that are pure in heart. Therefore, we tend to focus on what we individually feel we need to and lean on the group as a type of extended family.
We have no leadership or hierarchy. We socialize using internet-based programs, as a way to get to know each other, become friends, and to generally knit our hearts together.
We have several areas within the online platform with ongoing conversation and deep gospel discussion, which run continuously. Ideas that challenge our understanding and new perspectives are welcome. Politics however is off-limits. We have a separate area for tithing discussion and business, so it doesn’t get lost within the day’s conversation. We have another for prayer requests, and one we use for sacrament, which we also do via online video chat every Sunday at 9:30 am.
We have also had times when many of us have been able to personally get together, including a Sunday where the people in Northern California met in the San Fransisco Golden Gate Park for a picnic lunch together. We love to be with each other and hope to have more personal get-togethers in the future.
We have a rather diverse group of people in means as well as beliefs. Tithing funds are dispersed by the givers to the receivers via an online spreadsheet that tracks needs. We seek to operate by patience, kindness, longsuffering, and love-unfeigned as set out in D&C 121.
We would love to develop more local connections in Northern California.