Dear Ones,
In these last weeks, our congregation’s staff and leadership have been meeting and responding to the ever-changing landscape, making adjustments and plans to keep you and our community both safe and connected. Our newly reconstituted Risk Management Team has been conferring with our leadership to review the latest, best information available and consider a timeline of changes our fellowship would make. Then, on Thursday afternoon, we received a letter from our UUA president, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, who strongly recommended we limit our gatherings.
Our leadership agrees that UUFD must follow recommendations to suspend in-person meetings of more than 25 persons, beginning this Sunday, March 15.
In doing so, UUFD is doing our part to minimize the number of interactions that give COVID-19 opportunities to spread. If no one from our congregation gets sick and COVID-19 goes away, you may wonder what all the fuss was about. Yet public health experts, including our own member, Dr. Jarrad Maiers, remind us that
if this fizzles out because of our efforts, then we’ve done it right.
We know that pandemics rely on close social contact, and we can “flatten the curve” when we reduce our social interactions.
We are working on ways to be connected to each other for worship. This Sunday, we’ll post on the website, late Sunday morning, our abbreviated worship service.
Faith Formation programming will continue online, likely via Zoom. Families will receive information via our
Director of Faith Formation
in the usual email communication.
We will cancel our Celebration Feast for March 21. We are working on a fun, creative way to invite you to participate in a “drive by drop off” of your pledge cards at the church.
At this point, essential meetings may continue to meet in Bowman Hall. We are recommending that our affinity groups explore other ways of meeting, or postpone meetings. Our staff may be working from home creating less activity in the church offices.
Caring Connections
Please let us know if you have decided or are ordered to self-quarantine and whether you might need any food or other supplies while staying home. Also let us know if you are ill, have tested positive, and/or have been hospitalized. You may reach out to Susan Koonce from our
Caring Team
, or to me.
If your name is not on our list of Caring Team helpers and would like to be, please reach out to
Susan
or me and we’ll add your name.
As always, please let us know how we may be of assistance, and what questions you may have.
Flattening the curve is important, because COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus that adversely affects people living with compromised immune systems, those older than 60 whose immune systems are generally more vulnerable, and people living with chronic health conditions, especially lung conditions. There may also be underlying conditions that have yet to be identified. We also know that younger folks may get sick but are also carriers, so social interactions can compromise otherwise healthy people. This means that we should all consider practicing “social distancing” to prevent the spread.
Because of the lack of testing, we don’t know how many people are actually infected, and because of how this spreads and incubation periods, the number is likely to be much higher than is being officially reported. Social distancing is not about not trusting individuals - it’s about a community mindset. It’s making sure we are taking care of all of us.
We are such a beloved community; I know how strong our caring is here. We are all in this together-let’s take care of one another with kindness, love, and comfort.
We are always in the love. I love you.
Rev. Katie
The Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
