What a wonderful thing that we are starting to be able to gather together in person again, in worship and for other events. Still with restrictions of course, and still with the awareness that the challenges of the pandemic are far from over. As joyful as this is, it is clear that life at UUCF is not what it was, or what we hope it could be.
Like many of you, I have deeply missed the opportunities for face-to-face connection and the deepening of relationships that being together allows. Whether it was in-person committee meetings, small group spiritual exploration, worshiping in each other’s presence or simply talking by the playground while the kids were playing after RE, this kind of engagement with each other and the community as a whole has been hard to come by in the past 2 years.
This is understandable, of course, as UUCF has prioritized the safety of everyone in the congregation. Since the spring of 2020, we have been doing religious community in ways we never imagined, often with incredible creativity and the willingness to take risks and try new things. But it’s been hard. And sometimes sad and lonely. I miss you all.
In some ways, this time has been particularly difficult for families with children. Juggling home and work life with children in school, especially in the first year of the pandemic, was well nigh impossible. And at UUCF, even with the valiant and in many ways successful efforts to give the children and youth opportunities to stay connected to each other and to keep learning and exploring, families with children have struggled to stay engaged. Some of that has had to do with scheduling, some with rules about vaccination and gathering, some just an inevitable part of this difficult time.
Though we hope things will look different in the coming congregational year, we can’t wait that long. And so, as we head into spring, and with dropping infection numbers in the area, we are starting some new Sunday morning programming aimed particularly at helping families with children and other adults renew their connections with each other and to UUCF.
Starting this coming Sun., Mar. 6, and for every Sunday when Religious Exploration classes are in session through May 22, we will have two gatherings for connection and conversation, designed particularly for parents whose children and youth are in RE, though definitely open to anyone who wants to join.
At 8:50 a.m., on the patio outside the Library (or in the Library if weather is bad), I will facilitate a conversation, with time for checking in with each other followed by reflecting together on a few questions focused on the worship theme of the month.
At 11:15 a.m. (or whenever the worship service ends), Paula Prettyman will facilitate a gathering on the lawn in front of the Program Building for those waiting for their children and youth to come out of their RE classes, and for anyone else who would like to be a part of the conversation. There will be time to reflect on the worship service, the theme of the month and to invite the children who join the group to share something of their RE experiences.
In addition to these two groups, twice a month, on the second and fourth Sundays beginning Mar. 13, 9:50-10:15 a.m., everyone is invited to the Amphitheater to join together for Music & Munchkins, a time to sing favorite UU hymns and other music and to share munchkin donuts.
All groups are open to everyone and you can come once, every Sunday they happen or anything in between.
We know these gatherings won’t solve all the challenges of this time or meet everyone’s spiritual and personal needs, but we hope they will help rebuild some of what has been lost over the last 2 years. I know I am looking forward to the chance to talk with some of you and reflect together on the themes of Renewing Faith (March), Awakening (April) and Nurturing Beauty (May).
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