UUFEC COVID UPDATE

As you all know, the COVID pandemic continues to impact the world around us with unfathomable disruption to our daily lives.  Everywhere. 

I want to give you an update of what UUFEC is doing in response to this situation.

Regarding our business functions, The Board met via video conference, as previously scheduled on this past Monday.   We have decided to delay our Spring Congregational Business meeting and will continue our existing budget until such time as our congregation is able to meet again for a business meeting.  Fortunately, we have the financial means to do so.  We also decided to continue to pay all of our wonderful staff as though church were in full session; it has taken us years to develop this cadre of great people (Administration, Music director, Minister, DRE, childcare and building cleaning staff) at UUFEC and we want to support them any way we can in these difficult times.   

Many of you are aware of and have already been reached out to by our canvass chair, Jane Park or other folks helping her, like Judy Byrne Riley.  You all have been amazing.  At this point, UUFEC is well on its way to achieving its pledge goal for the coming 2020/21 budgetary year.  I even expect us to surpass that goal. Please see the pledge update in this week’s ENews about options for submitting your pledge.

Sunday Services have now changed to a virtual format, and will remain in a virtual format for the foreseeable future.  Religious Services Chair, Brian O’Connell started us off, this past Sunday with a personal reflection for these times.  Future Sunday morning sermons are planned and in the works, including an Easter message from Rev Doak.  Of course, we do not know when we will be able to resume our normal Sunday morning brick and mortar church service. 

Communications among UUFECers is being stepped-up and enhanced by our new communications chair, Steve Dixon.  He is working to put together small group Zoom call gatherings on Sunday mornings, after the video reflections.  I encourage you to reach out to him at Communicationchair@UUFEC.com to sign up and participate with these small group virtual gatherings.  You can also reach out to Steve if you’d like to host or create your own ‘small group’ UUFEC video gathering.   And, as mentioned elsewhere in this Enews, Membership chair, Jane Park, has created a UUFEC phone tree- Everyone should receive a phone call from a UUFEC member by this weekend, as part of this network.  These phone calls will continue on a “weekly-ish” basis to be sure we are staying in touch with those of us not connected by computers. 

These are the most difficult times that I have lived through in this world, perhaps that any of us have lived through.  There will be very challenging personal, medical, financial, and emotional trials and struggles for many of us.  I urge you to reach out to your UUFEC family for support.  One of the most important reasons that we join a church is for support when we are struggling.  When you are ready, please contact the Caring committee at caring@uufec.com or our minister at minister@uufec.com or your phone tree connection. By reaching out and asking for support, you are actually strengthening UUFEC and making us a more effective supporting community.  

Thank you all for your ongoing support of UUFEC.

I hope this letter finds you all in good health and resilient spirits. 

Take care,

Gil