In lieu of my regular video announcements, this is an update about where we are at, and where we are going as a congregation during this time of global pandemic and social distancing. Here’s a text version for those who prefer:

Dear UU Nashua Friends, 

We are entering our eighth week of moving our community online to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In that time we have shared seven online worship services, photos of how we are spending our days, phone calls and texts, and many opportunities to connect by Zoom. We have been reminded over and over again of the truth of the words we say each week: the mystery is that we are connected, even when we feel apart. 

As we move into the second phase of New Hampshire’s Stay at Home order, I wanted to share with you all where we are at in planning for the rest of our church year, this summer and the next church year. I know that there is hunger for us to be together in person, and I also know that this pandemic is far from over. My top priority in thinking about when to begin gathering in person again is your health and safety. This means that we may end up moving more slowly in reopening our building than some other sectors of our state. 

Right now, we have planned online worship services through the end of the church year (June 14) and I am training our summer worship leaders on how to lead worship online. Our staff and leadership are also beginning to plan for what it would look like for us to be online for all or much of the next church year. Our Sunday morning services will likely be one of the last things that we are able to safely resume. It may be that we can gather in smaller groups before that. We will be paying attention to CDC and WHO guidelines, and considering the particular needs of our congregation as we make any recommendations about gathering. 

I know it feels hard to imagine what another several months or a year of social distancing might be like, especially for our church community, where relationships are so central to what we are all about. However, over the last several weeks I think we have proven that being in relationship can happen in all kinds of ways – it is not dependent on being able to gather in person. Our congregation is much more than the physical space we inhabit. And when we are given the challenge of creating community online, we can come up with all kinds of innovative ways to connect, even when we have to be physically apart. 

Over the next month, as we really dive into planning for next year, we’d love your help in imagining together what the next several months might look like:

• Sadie is holding a brainstorming session on May 17, after the service, about Faith Formation planning for next year. She would love to have anyone who is interested attend, whether or not you have been a part of Faith Formation in the past. 
• I will be holding a more general brainstorming session on May 31, also after the service, to generate ideas about the community you hope we can create together next year. Again, everyone is welcome. 

We will share the details of both of these calls as the dates get nearer. 

Our Annual Meeting is also coming up in just over a month. The Annual Meeting  will be held on Zoom at noon on June 7. I hope you will plan to join us as we reflect on this year and look ahead to next year. As usual, we will be electing leadership and passing a budget for next year. If you want to have a deeper conversation about the budget, I will be presenting the budget and answering questions at our “Budget & Brownies” night, May 26 at 7pm, also on Zoom. I’ll bring the budget, but unfortunately this year you’ll have to provide your own brownies!

Check out our newsletter for more programs and ways to connect over the next several weeks. We also have some really great worship coming up, so I hope you’ll continue logging on for Sunday mornings. Seeing your faces pop up on my screen is always a highlight of my week. 

If you have any questions or ideas, I am always available by email (though right now my email volume is higher than usual, so please be patient). I am also available from 11am-12pm each Monday on Zoom for an open office hour. You can drop in and chat about whatever is on your mind. 

In these times, I am more grateful than ever to serve a congregation as caring, thoughtful, creative and committed as you are. I am also especially grateful for our stellar staff team, who astound me every day with their flexibility and compassion. We will get through this, eventually, and in the meantime, I know that it is easier because we have each other. 

Love & blessings,

Rev. Allison