March 12, 2020

Dear Members and Friends,

I write to you this week as our nation and world continue to deal with the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This is a challenging time, and you may be feeling concern or fear. That’s to be expected. This is not a situation to take lightly. Our church community has been taking measures to protect our members and friends and will continue to do so. Last week in a letter, I outlined some of those measures. (You can read the letter here.)

This is an important time for us to center our concerns on those who are most vulnerable in our community. If you need emotional, financial, or physical support right now, or know of another member who does, please let me know or contact a member of the Caring Circle. If you or anyone in your family has been exposed to the coronavirus, please let me or Board President Art Arleth know immediately.

As I told you last week, our leadership and staff are continuing to monitor the guidance of public health officials and also the Unitarian Universalist Association. We are incorporating best practices for congregations as they are made available to us. For now, we will continue to meet in person for worship, committee meetings, and programs. However, we recognize that individuals and families are at different risk levels and different comfort levels. We encourage you to do what is right for you and your family. This week, as an additional precaution for our church, the Board of Directors voted to temporarily suspend food at coffee hour and to provide only hot beverages beginning Sunday, March 15.

Meanwhile we are preparing ways to stay connected when we are no longer able to meet in person. We need each other, and there are many creative ways we can tap into to support and grow the bonds among us. This Sunday, members and friends will be able to tune in to our worship service from their computers or phones. Simple instructions for participating remotely will be sent to you in a separate email. Committees and program teams also now have the capability to meet remotely and have been trained or are being trained to do so. Please contact your committee or program leader if you have questions about how to participate in meetings remotely.

This is a time that is calling on us to live deeper into our faith and deepen our ties. Please reach out to each other and to me, and stay connected.

Yours in love and faith,

Rev. Dr. Sandra Fees