Dear Fellow UUFoM Members & Friends,

We are writing to provide an update on the board’s thinking regarding the re-opening of the building.  We, like all of you, are very much looking forward to being able to resume in-person activities.  We miss getting together with you all very much.  We are enthusiastic that we are now able to get together outside on the fellowship grounds, and that vaccinations are providing a pathway for in-person gatherings in people’s homes.  We are monitoring the situation, looking towards the fastest timeline on which we can reasonably and safely resume in-person activities, with reasonably and safely being key words.  We have always sought to protect our most vulnerable community members (including unvaccinated adults and children), and provide broad access to our events for people in a wide variety of situations, and we will continue to maintain that standard as we work towards re-opening.

We are keeping our eyes to the science and we are extremely grateful to the COVID-19 task force members who work diligently with Rev. Eric to identify scientifically grounded metrics that need to be met for 30 days before we can safely re-open the building.  These members are also keenly aware of the emotional weight this holds for each of us, and are helping us find a path that is both scientifically safe and emotionally kind.  Many of us are now vaccinated and it may feel like the pandemic is ending.   The reality is that the metrics are improving, but we’re not there yet.  We can see a time in the near future –in the fall- when we hope to re-open the building and resume in-person gatherings there.  

Rev. Eric has outlined some of the safety and technical challenges that make re-opening before fall unfeasible.  We will not restate that which he has explained.  Instead we want to convey two important ideas:  The first is that we are so grateful for your continued commitment to UUFoM.  There can be no doubt that our community has held together with amazing strength through this pandemic, and it is the decision of each of us – each of you – to stick together that makes it so.   You have our love and gratitude.  

The second is that we must ask for your continued patience as we move forward.  We really are looking to open up on the fastest safe, reasonable timeline, but constraints set limits on how fast we can do that.  That may lead to each of us feeling some frustration or disappointment at times in the process.  We definitely feel it too.   Unitarian Universalism requires that we not turn away from the truth and one relevant truth is this: In some ways opening up is going to be more challenging than closing down was.  When we closed down we had do it quickly and our expectations were that things could get really bad.  It is quite possible that our worst expectations have been avoided, and we may feel a level of relief.  Now as we re-open, we cannot do it instantly, and our expectations may be that things should return to normal immediately.  We want a fast transition to a better future!  Reality may not match our expectations as quickly as we’d like and we may feel anxiety or disappointment.  That is natural, but our faith asks that we accept that challenge and work through it together with resilience as a community.  Though it will take time and work, we are confident that the better future is coming.   Together, we will bring it.

Yours in Faith,
Your UUFoM Board of Directors.

Beth Sperry
Sasha King
Tim Wagner
Shannon Sonoras
Marsha McDonald
Chris Nakamura