July 10, 2020
Dear beloveds,
This is a time of great suffering and pain. Our hearts are full for all those grieving, especially those who have lost a loved one during this time of physical isolation. Our hearts are full for those feeling anguish during this time of uprising and revolution. We love you.
We love being together, to exchange embraces, to have face to face conversation, and to offer compassion. And as a loving community, we have a spiritual and moral mandate to also be an inclusive, caring, hospitable and justice seeking community.
That means, with what we know right now about covid-19, we are in no position to open our physical building. Part of caring for our members and the wider community is acknowledging that online church provides safety for all. Moreover, what we know of covid-19 tells us that people of color are far more vulnerable to the pandemic than whites. If we wish to be a justice seeking community with doors open to all, then we will continue to lovingly gather online.
As such, the Board of Trustees of UUCB and Rev. Joan Montagnes have agreed to follow the guidelines of the UUA regarding safe practices:
- We have come to the conclusion that for now, we will keep the building closed. We will continue to monitor the progress of the disease and our ability to keep everyone safe from possible exposure. We do not believe we can do that based on the state of the disease and its progress. There are too many unknowns about this disease, including the long-term effects of those who are asymptomatic. There are congregations and other faith traditions that have opened their sanctuaries and churches. We, however, are not confident that we would be able to successfully implement the recommended safety protocols.
- Keeping people safe is paramount. We must first do no harm. Meeting in the sanctuary, even with a reduced capacity, would require safe distancing, limited –perhaps exclusionary – access to aisles and pews. There would be no communal singing. Orders of Service would likely not be available. We might require registration in case someone should become ill and we need to contact those who might have been exposed. It would not be a church service as we know it, as we knew it.
- The list of questions that need answers can be overwhelming:
· How do we ensure that we can keep the staff safe?
· Do we have enough sinks for people to wash their hands for 20 seconds?
· How do we maintain social distancing in the washrooms?
· What about the children’s classes? How would we meet safety requirements for them and the instructors?
· How would we decide who can attend services and when?
· What do we say to someone who happens to show up?
· Where would we put sanitizers? Masks?
The possibility of groups meeting outside the building, on the church grounds, raises similarly practical concerns.
In the meantime, we are thriving online. Sarah Martin has developed outstanding programs that are engaging dozens of families. Joan’s daily lunch Zoom-ins are welcome and open to any and all. Our covenant groups are finding spiritual connections, despite the physical separation. Daniel Bassin and the musicians are providing us with soul-lifting music every Sunday.
Our Sunday services are well attended and will get better as we get more comfortable with the technology.
We want to find new ways of enhancing our church community under these circumstances. Toward that end, the Board will be hosting two online town halls to continue the discussion about continuing and strengthening our church community.
Yours in faith and love,
Joel Cohen, Tracey Kassman, Martha Malkiewicz, Lynn Mancusso, Rev. Joan Montagnes, John Petrocelli, Kathleen McGriff Powers and Doug Sherman
Dear beloveds,
This is a time of great suffering and pain. Our hearts are full for all those grieving, especially those who have lost a loved one during this time of physical isolation. Our hearts are full for those feeling anguish during this time of uprising and revolution. We love you.
We love being together, to exchange embraces, to have face to face conversation, and to offer compassion. And as a loving community, we have a spiritual and moral mandate to also be an inclusive, caring, hospitable and justice seeking community.
That means, with what we know right now about covid-19, we are in no position to open our physical building. Part of caring for our members and the wider community is acknowledging that online church provides safety for all. Moreover, what we know of covid-19 tells us that people of color are far more vulnerable to the pandemic than whites. If we wish to be a justice seeking community with doors open to all, then we will continue to lovingly gather online.
As such, the Board of Trustees of UUCB and Rev. Joan Montagnes have agreed to follow the guidelines of the UUA regarding safe practices:
- We have come to the conclusion that for now, we will keep the building closed. We will continue to monitor the progress of the disease and our ability to keep everyone safe from possible exposure. We do not believe we can do that based on the state of the disease and its progress. There are too many unknowns about this disease, including the long-term effects of those who are asymptomatic. There are congregations and other faith traditions that have opened their sanctuaries and churches. We, however, are not confident that we would be able to successfully implement the recommended safety protocols.
- Keeping people safe is paramount. We must first do no harm. Meeting in the sanctuary, even with a reduced capacity, would require safe distancing, limited –perhaps exclusionary – access to aisles and pews. There would be no communal singing. Orders of Service would likely not be available. We might require registration in case someone should become ill and we need to contact those who might have been exposed. It would not be a church service as we know it, as we knew it.
- The list of questions that need answers can be overwhelming:
· How do we ensure that we can keep the staff safe?
· Do we have enough sinks for people to wash their hands for 20 seconds?
· How do we maintain social distancing in the washrooms?
· What about the children’s classes? How would we meet safety requirements for them and the instructors?
· How would we decide who can attend services and when?
· What do we say to someone who happens to show up?
· Where would we put sanitizers? Masks?
The possibility of groups meeting outside the building, on the church grounds, raises similarly practical concerns.
In the meantime, we are thriving online. Sarah Martin has developed outstanding programs that are engaging dozens of families. Joan’s daily lunch Zoom-ins are welcome and open to any and all. Our covenant groups are finding spiritual connections, despite the physical separation. Daniel Bassin and the musicians are providing us with soul-lifting music every Sunday.
Our Sunday services are well attended and will get better as we get more comfortable with the technology.
We want to find new ways of enhancing our church community under these circumstances. Toward that end, the Board will be hosting two online town halls to continue the discussion about continuing and strengthening our church community.
Yours in faith and love,
Joel Cohen, Tracey Kassman, Martha Malkiewicz, Lynn Mancusso, Rev. Joan Montagnes, John Petrocelli, Kathleen McGriff Powers and Doug Sherman