On the Calendar
Thursday, Town Hall Council, May 28
Sunday Worship, May 31
The culmination of our Coming of Age program
Congregational Meeting, May 31
The June Advance will be out next week

I am doing a lot of “finishing up” work
I wrote my last column for the Advance
I wrote an Interim Ministry Appraisal for the UUA
And to share with the Board
I will write my Annual Report for the congregational meeting
I’m preparing documentation for Lissa.

A lot of talk about “opening up”
Gov. Newsom issued guidelines for churches that wish to open
Allows but does not obligate
UUCLB will re-open when we decide
Our Board will make this decision
Following guidelines from Public Health authorities
Listening to the input of church members
Following our principles
Which put the health and safety of our church members
Friends, and visitors, 
First.

The current recommendations
would not satisfy your need for the church experience you’re looking for
25% of capacity.
For UUCLB that’s about 45 people
Or about 1/3 of the usual number we have attend normally
Which 45 people get to come?
Do we require reservations?
What about visitors?
How does it feel when you come to church and there are 45 people?
And would you feel comfortable in Wylder Hall filled with 45 people?
That feels too crowded for me, right now.
What about sharing the bathroom?
Everyone wearing masks
Everyone must be screened for fever before entering.
which won’t protect you from the people who are infected but not symptomatic
No singing
From the choir
Or the congregation
No hugging or touching
Cannot pass the offering baskets
Hand sanitizers and deep cleaning
Imagine cleaning every chair!
Cleaning every surface
How would a socially distanced coffee hour feel to you?
No coffee – you’re wearing a mask
No snacks
Maintaining six feet distance

I hope you agree
That for all the awkwardness of Zoom worship
Zoom worship is a better experience than what we could offer in person
Right now

Let’s let the Board get the Task Force set up
Let’s let them do their job
Let’s be patient.
This is a very serious and important decision
Not to be made lightly.

Now I do want to say
That Susan Frederick-Gray, the UUA President
Recently released a statement advising that we plan to continue virtual worship
Through May 2021
We may be able to meet for worship before then
But I think she’s correct that we should plan
To have virtual worship until May 2021
And I think we should plan
That we do not hold worship until everyone can attend freely
And to me that means a vaccine.
However, church is not just worship
And it may be possible for small groups
To begin meeting in person earlier
And it may be possible for staff and volunteers
To beginning using the church office.
But remember that all of the above would still need to be in place
Masks
(Imagine a discussion group with everyone wearing masks!)
Screening
Who does that?
Cleaning
Six feet distance

And remember that many of our church members
Belong to highly vulnerable populations
We don’t want to force them to make an impossible choice
Between participating in a group they long to join
And putting their life at risk.

Finally,
And this is my message for the day
The consideration needs to be
Do we want “church” again?
Or do we want the “church we had, again”?
Because I think we already have church
The church doesn’t need to “open”
Because the church never closed.

Church means the building
And that is closed, mostly, temporarily
But church also means the people and the work we do together
Worship and fellowship and education, pastoral care, evangelism
and mission work in the community and the larger world
And we are open
All of that continues
I’m extraordinarily proud how we have found new ways
To do all of that
In these new circumstances
The church is open
The building is closed.

I understand wanting the church we had, again
I want that, too
Although when I list all the things I’m missing
I see that the list is the same as the list of things we couldn’t do anyway
I want to sing
hug
crowd around the coffee cart
I want to see your smile – not your mask
And I want to feel comfortable and at ease at church
not anxious and awkward

So let’s hold on to the vision of the church we want to have
Again
When it’s safe for us to all be together
With all of the church experience we want to have

But let’s also hold on to the church we have
Let’s honor and love the church that is open
That is doing its work
That is fulfilling its mission
That is serving the need
That is living our faith.
That has not closed.

See you tomorrow at 1pm.