I am the chair of the Leadership Team of the Anglican Cathedral in Second Life (SL). Thanks so much for writing a post on our SL ministry! I’d be happy to try and answer some of your questions, and any others that are posted

First off, let me say that our intention is not to replace Real Life (RL) church, but to supplement it for those of us who have a church home, and to provide an accessible introduction to the Christian life for those who do not. That said, there are some who, due to geographic, physical or other challenges are not able to attend church in RL, and having access to a faith community has been a real blessing to them. And yes, we do have a very strong community here on Epiphany Island, with all the joys and challenges that entails in RL

Yes, I really do feel like I have been to church after attending a worship service in SL. The SL experience is really hard to explain to someone who has not experienced it, but you do have a very real sense of “presence” there. The services we hold are mainly taken from the Daily Office, and typically include a sermon (in text chat, voice or both) and a time of open prayer. The bible study and discussion groups are held at the same time every week, and are mostly conducted in text chat. One of the most exciting things about these gatherings is the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. The person sitting next to me in worship, or a discussion group, might very well be thousands of miles away in RL, which provides a fabulous opportunity to share perspectives from a wide variety of people!

I’d love to show you around the Cathedral sometime! I do see that this blog is for a teen group, so I should mention that access to the main SL grid is restricted to those 18 years old and above (though there IS a Teen SL Grid – http://teen.secondlife.com/). So, stop by if you can, or let me know if you have any further questions!

Blessings,
Cady Enoch (SL name)