Navigating the Year Ahead
UU Society of Geneva
NAVIGATING THE YEAR AHEAD
December 2020
Navigating the Year Ahead
Board Statement on UUSG’s COVID-19 Reopening Strategy
Re-visiting the June 2020 Board Statement
In June, Brian Doyle and the 2019-2020 Board of Directors thoughtfully composed a document detailing the principles that guide UUSG in making decisions on the reopening of our church. At that time, we were looking ahead to the coming year, beginning our journey with Rev. Scot Hull while making decisions on our worship and ministry practices.
Today, we find ourselves at the beginning of December, nearly five months since the first COVID-19 strategy. In many ways, we remain in the same space – a virtual space, but we are also learning to make our “zoom environment” the best it can be (even opening new opportunities). Even though we can see each other, it really stinks not being together and for some, not being together is taking its toll. But, now is the time to refocus on the positive, lean on each other and keep your eyes on our community.
If we are completely honest, it is difficult to determine when we will be back together in person. But, we are continually giving this much thought (and a lot of it!); we have created a Re-opening Task Force and will continue to review the State guidelines and develop plans to implement once the time is right to re-gather. The same guidelines that were laid out in June still apply and we will continue to use these principles to guide our decisions:
1. The inherent worth and well-being of our members and friends comes first—always.
2. We trust science and reason and we will adhere to a public-health approach to safely reopen the church, as informed by the State’s “Restore Illinois” Plan.
o Kane County has recently moved to Tier 2, responding to an increasing percentage in the COVID-positivity rate.
o This plan prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people.
3. We will plan for the worst and hope for the best.
o We do not know for sure when it will be safe to fully re-open. When the time comes, we expect UUSG’s re-opening to be gradual, creating an ongoing need for virtual ministry.
o Therefore, the Board is preparing and budgeting for longer-term virtual-only operations, possibly through the end of the coming fiscal year (June 2021), but the exact date is still unknown.
o We'll continue to reassess our readiness to re-open throughout the year and adjust our plans as new information becomes available.
4. We will continue to utilize Rev. Scot’s expertise and knowledge to reimagine how we gather for services and as a community.
o Since Rev Scot’s arrival, our worship service online participation has been a HUGE positive; we are averaging 120 participants each week (and many of these have more than one person watching!). With our online presence, we are able to connect with many, who may have otherwise not been able to attend in-person services.
o Different strategies are being both implemented and imagined. As an example, our online breakout rooms to “pass the peace” is a more personal approach to making connections with each other and additional strategies are currently in the works.
o We will continue to invest our energy and resources to respond and adapt to the emerging needs of our community.
With all of this in mind, keep the words of Joe Biden’s grandparents in your mind. Whether you are blue or red, maybe you have heard Joe tell the story, but just in case you haven’t…when Joe would leave his grandparents’ house, his grandfather would yell “Joe, keep the faith!” And his grandmother would add, “No, Joe, spread the faith!” OUR job is to spread the faith, spread the positive sentiment that we, as a community, will get through this. Reconnect with members and friends, be intentional about communicating with each other; make it a point to renew the bonds of friendship.
As always, all of your suggestions and insights are most welcome! And, although our building is closed, the Church remains open. We are the church of the open mind, the helping hand and the loving heart. Spread the faith!
Sincerely,
Molly MacKay Zacker, Board President
Nancy Christensen, First Vice President
Jenny Montgomery, Second Vice President
Larry Escanola, Treasurer
Pat Ward, Secretary
Don Clements, Director
Kathy Cornell, Director
Craig Moore, Director
Gail Tattersfield, Director
Rev. Scot Hull (ex officio)
h/t Brian Doyle