the net the ship
	Alongside our regular, public discussion forums, Ship of Fools also hosts private boards which are owned and run by individual shipmates. Each forum can only be seen and posted to when you are accepted as a member of that particular board. All the boards are listed below. Please note that joining them is at the discretion of the board owners, so talk nicely to them. Only shipmates (members of the public boards with 50+ posts) can apply to join the private boards. Want to set up and run your own private board? Click here to find out how. Babel to Pentecost This is a board for having conversations with shipmates in non-English languages, getting help at any stage of learning a language, and (if you like) engaging in a certain amount of linguistics geekery. You can start a thread about any language you like, and you can also start threads in languages other than English, so long as hosting is available in that language. To apply for membership of this board, or to ask what langauges are hosted, contact Hart. Fair Havens This board is for discussing the impact of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered (or LGBT-curious) on our spiritual lives and our relationships with God, the church, our families, our partners, etc., in a safe and respectful environment. It's also a place for support, encouragement and some fun and humor! Members who join the board agree to treat each other with respect and consideration, recognising that we may all be at different places on our journey. Apply to join this board: contact EpiscoWhat. Freedom and Song Looking for somewhere to discuss the juxtaposition between faith and bdsm in a friendly environment? This is the place. Freedom and Song is open to those who are either curious about bdsm or are active bdsm-ers, and who wish to discuss the issues in an open and non-judgmental way. As one board member comments: "Blest be the tie that binds..." Apply to join this board: contact chive. Hot and Shaky A meeting place for Aussies, Kiwis and admirers of Terra Australis and the Shaky Isles; especially people who are spiritually struggling or feeling isolated in their home communities, who may like to share their spiritual journeys and be encouraged and supported by their companions on the way. Apply to join this board: contact Jimmy B. Mysteries Mysteries is the Ship's first and only board dedicated to the Unexplained. If you've been wanting to discuss the paranormal, ghosts, Tarot, Wicca, or esoteric traditions, this is the place to do so. Members are welcome to raise any topic they think fits the general theme of the board, and to ask any questions they like, while respecting views that are very different or opposed to their own. Apply to join this board: contact Ariel. Star of the Sea Here you can discuss anything related to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches: spirituality, liturgy, theology, ecclesial law, church life, resources, opinions, news and personal issues. Discussions are similar to those in Purgatory, but with a more conversational style of posting. The board follows the rule: "in essentials, unity, in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity." If you are a catechumen or are faithful in the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox traditions, you are welcome to join as regular member. If you are not, but feel sympathetic, please consider being sponsored by one of our regular members. Apply to join this board: contact IngoB, Orthodork or seasick. This Isn't Holland This is the place on the Ship where parents, grandparents, friends and teachers of special needs kids hang out. It's where we talk about our world, the world of specialists, treatment plans, education plans, stares from strangers, people who just don't get it, and people who do. "Special kids need special people to care for them," says one board member. "It's not always easy being that special. This board is a good place to go to find other people to share the struggle." Another member adds: "As an auntie, I found this board a great resource." Apply to join this board: contact josephine. Via Media This board is dedicated to the proposition that discussion of specifically Anglican issues – by Anglicans, for Anglicans, and ranging from theology to tat, from surplices to sexuality, from bishops to bell ringing – does not necessarily have to be inflicted on the rest of the Ship. We hold spirited but considerate discussions of subjects such as the latest from Lambeth, and ECUSA's General Convention. Anglicans are an intensely diverse group of Christians, but we have basic principles in common. This is a place where we can explore them together. Sympathetic fellow-travelers are, of course, welcome to join us. Apply to join: contact Rossweisse. Waving, Not Drowning Here's a safe space for everyone with any kind of mental health difficulty, from depression to personality disorder, and all stations in between. It's a place for mutual support, not unwanted advice; a place where if you feel you are drowning, you can wave and others will swim alongside. It could be a lifesaver. Comments one board member: "This board is something very special and important. For many of us, what we experience and feel makes us seem like nutcases to most of the people we meet. And yet here there is likely to be someone else who has experienced something akin, or at least can empathise." Apply to join this board: contact Esmeralda. Writers' Bloc This is the berth for those who are serious about writing. Whether for business or pleasure, we desire to refine our gift. All genres are welcome and open for discussion. The Ten Commandments, copyright rules and dedication to support and inspire each other apply in this fellowship. Whether you compose sonnets like the bards, ink poisonous mysteries, tackle technicalities, joust humorous jabs, devote dabblings to inspirational insights or other auctorial pursuits, we are a community compelled to pick up the pen. Apply to join this board: contact Lady A.
	Top | Bulletin boards | SOF home © Ship of Fools 2007