The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to many of our favorite activities in 2020. Potlucks, our Big Meeting, Pint Night, our Toastmasters club… All had to either end or move to Zoom and, as we all know, it’s impossible to do a potluck on Zoom!

The Arkansas Society of Freethinkers consists of scientifically-minded people, so when the virus started spreading in the U.S. we took the advice of the epidemiologists and cancelled our in-person events where social distancing was impossible. This was the responsible thing to do, and we are glad to say we did not contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

Despite the setbacks, we accomplished several things in 2020 on our path toward building community and giving a voice to Arkansas’ nonbelievers.

The Big Meeting

In 2019 we reviewed the most successful freethought groups in the U.S. All had a variety of events and activities appealing to specific interests, but they also all featured a large meeting where the whole group came together. This “big meeting” was a place to maintain and cultivate friendships, share information, learn about new topics, introduce prospective members to the organization, and of course to have fun.

ASF had done something like this in the past with our meetings at the library, but the strategic survey underlined the importance of bringing everyone together. In late 2019 we began our new “Big Meeting” series at the Unitarian Universalists’ facility on Reservoir Road in Little Rock. We brought in excellent speakers and had lots of fun in December, January, February… and then had to cancel for the rest of 2020. 😥

The good news is we know the Big Meeting will be a success when we are able to do it again. After the pandemic, resuming our Big Meeting is a top priority. Contact us if you’d like to volunteer to help!

Website Improvements

Having our social calendars almost cleared out freed up time to make some improvements to this website. Our calendar of events is now available on the front page, and we even set up a forum for those who want to escape from Facebook and Twitter. The forum could be a great place to discuss your experiences leaving religion, stories of how people discriminated against you, or virtually anything else. Obviously, the site still needs work, so we are looking for volunteers!

Pint Night Goes Online

Prior to the pandemic, we had a weekly meeting at a local bar that we called “Pint Night”. This was originally on Monday nights due to the drink specials in the River Market. We moved Pint Night to Zoom, and then made it a Friday night event. The funny thing is most of us don’t even imbibe in a pint – we’re just glad to get to see each other and talk!

Want to put Pint Night and other ASF events on your calendar? See our post about How to Keep Up With ASF Events.

Learning the Value of Real-World Connection

More than anything the pandemic taught us the value of meeting up with friends in the real world. Sure, Facebook and Zoom and all the other internet services were essential during this time, but even before the screen fatigue set in we knew that this was a lesser experience. There is no online substitute to having real friends who meet up and do things. Here’s a bold prediction: When the pandemic ends, people will put down their screens and seek out real-world experiences.

Ten (or is it Eleven?) Commandments Lawsuit

ASF’s volunteer legal team continues to do the work that comes before a trial or settlement, handling depositions, motions, and so forth. Our legal challenge to the unconstitutional placement of an undeniably religious monument on the state capitol has faced many delays, but we remain steadfast with help from members like you!

Get Ready for a Post-Pandemic ASF!

Vaccines are being distributed to millions of people in the U.S, and some estimate the pandemic could be over within months. Today’s headlines of logistical challenges will eventually fade into history, as mass vaccination leads to herd immunity. We are optimistic about the science of public health because we know the history of how vaccination campaigns eradicated disease in the past. Science works, and the solution to the pandemic is already being implemented. The future looks a lot brighter than it did six months ago.

When it is safe to do so, the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers will resume our in-person meetups and expand our activities. If you are tired of sitting at home and staring at a screen, we invite you to join us. Leadership in ASF is as simple as volunteering to host a potluck, helping organize a Big Meeting, or inviting your fellow freethinkers to join you in a bike ride, book club, hike, campout, or whatever!

You can get involved right now! First, join ASF. Then add ASF events to your Google, Apple, or Outlook calendar. Attend one of our online events and then ask about how you can help build the freethought community in Arkansas.