Hello and Happy Spring,
As we conclude weeks of our Stewardship/Pledge Drive, I want to thank the folks who responded to the survey and made their pledge for BBUUC’s next fiscal year 2021-22. If you have not, it is not too late! The Pledge form can still be found HERE.
Our Annual Meeting is just around the corner and creating a workable budget that members can agree upon is an essential portion of our May meeting agenda.
I can hardly believe it has been a year since we began Virtual Worship Services. Our BBUUC calendar is filled with Zoom meetings and opportunities to stay connected to the community through Fellowship hour, RE Journey Circles, workshops and social action events. Finally, after all the waiting, it’s time to think/plan for what our future will be like.
In the most current message from the UUA president, the Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, writes:
“Although there is good news on the horizon, we are not yet able to gather in person. We are in a critical phase of the pandemic where we need to reduce the spread of the virus to combat new variants while vaccine distribution continues.
Now is the time to start planning for how to guide your community as the pandemic subsides.
Navigating this “in-between time” will be even more challenging than dealing with the early days of the pandemic. Those who are vaccinated may wish to start gathering in person sooner. Each person and family will have different levels of risk and risk tolerance. As leaders, we have to navigate complex decisions taking into account care for the whole of our communities—within and beyond our congregations. Our priority continues to be abiding care for the most vulnerable, within and beyond our congregations.
At the UUA, we do not expect to be able to issue an “all-clear” on our guidance for gathering. There are too many factors that will vary across congregations. However, we will be a partner to you in understanding the factors to consider, the core values to guide decision making, how to plan for multi-platform ministry, sharing best practices from other congregations and working with our public health advisors on sound recommendations.”
BBUUC is using many UUA sources of information to help guide our decision-making process for reopening, including A Guidebook to Multiplatform Ministries.
The Board has set a target date of September’s Water Sharing Service for a reopening of BBUUC, but will proceed with all caution if the pandemic conditions deteriorate rather than improve.
Yours in faith,
Kris Kines
BBUUC President