United Church on the Green
No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
https://files.constantcontact.com/241f3de9001/ba402dc1-1bee-436a-b19f-724f3bfdb828.png?a=1134646315556
An Update on Regathering Plans
at United Church on the Green
new email header
Dear Members and Friends of United Church on the Green:
 
With the recent announcements from the CDC and the Governor, you may be wondering what this easing of restrictions might mean for our long-awaited return to in-person gatherings at United. While we know that many are eager to return to worship in our beloved Meeting House, it is important to remember a few things.

  • Our faith calls us to prioritize the needs and wellbeing of those who are most vulnerable. In this case, that means those who have not yet been able to be vaccinated: those who are too young or who live with a young child, those who are immunosuppressed or otherwise medically vulnerable, those who have not been able to gain access due to personal circumstances or societal inequity. We know that some of our siblings in faith in this congregation are in this category, and we will not leave them behind.
  • Our faith also calls us to practice radical hospitality and extravagant welcome.  This means that we will not say that only those who are vaccinated may attend worship. We have to assume that there are some unvaccinated persons in our midst, and so we must follow the appropriate protocols to keep everyone safe, not only those who are vaccinated.
  • The pandemic is not over.  Though there is hopeful progress, not enough people have yet been vaccinated to reach herd immunity, and the rate of new cases remains high in our region. In New Haven County, 42% of residents are now fully vaccinated. The goal for safe gathering would be 70-85%. Likewise, the rate of new infections per 100,000 people for New Haven is now 18. The goal for safe gathering would be below 5, or better, below 1 case per 100,000.
  • Preparations are underway. Our Regathering Task Force, our Building Committee, and our UCG Board, along with church staff, have been engaged in the work of planning and decision-making about some modifications to our physical space to help us regather safely and faithfully when the time comes. This work is ongoing and will require some time to complete. (Come to the Annual Meeting on June 13 to learn more!)
  • There is hope! As science continues to show that gathering outdoors is really quite safe at this time, we are planning for some outdoor, in-person get-togethers for the spring and summer season. Stay tuned for more on this soon!
 
Two thousand years ago, the apostle Paul wrote to the early church in Corinth, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak" (1 Cor. 8:9). He was writing to guide the choices people made about how and what they would eat when they were gathered in community -- in that case, whether it was allowable to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols, a choice that felt very different depending on whether one was of Jewish or Gentile heritage. His words are relevant for us, too, as we consider how and when we will gather. Like the Corinthians, we must pay attention to the impact our choices have on other members of the body, and especially on those who might be more vulnerable.
 
We are in dialogue with wider church colleagues and are grateful for the guidance being shared. Our Southern New England Conference, UCC, recently announced that Conference offices will remain closed and programming will remain remote through Labor Day at least. The Wisconsin Council of Churches issued a statement that offers helpful clarity and practical dos and don'ts for this confusing time. To learn more, please follow the links in this paragraph, or reach out to any of us for conversation.
 
We continue to hold our congregation, our wider community, and our global neighbors in prayer, that all might be safe and that all might be well.
 
Faithfully,
 
Al Forino, Moderator
Rev. Jocelyn B. Gardner Spencer, Senior Minister
on behalf of the UCG Regathering Task Force
Stay Connected with United
Church Offices
323 Temple Street (corner of Wall Street) New Haven CT 06511

Historic Meeting House
270 Temple Street (corner of Elm Street) New Haven, CT 06511

Office Phone
203-787-4195

Email
Visit Us on FaceBook