Oct. 21, 2020.
Dear members and friends of Cedar Lane, Fairfax and River Road UU congregations,
We are writing to let you know of our congregations’ joint efforts to share our gifts, meet our common challenges and practice our faith more holistically. We are aware that challenges to the systems, structure and sustainability of religion in America have been present long before the onset of COVID-19. This raises the question of how we can explore new and creative ways of furthering the work of our individual congregations, while also sharing our significant gifts to meet our common challenges.Conversations among our three congregations led to the creation of a thought group to further explore ideas to jointly pursue specific opportunities. This group has met periodically with our senior ministers since early summer, and now seeks to expand this conversation. In the coming days, we will be asked to participate in The Storytelling Project – an opportunity to share who we are, our passions, challenges and hopes for the future. Story gathering will take place through targeted interviews as well as opportunities for congregants to submit responses to the open-ended questions online. These stories will lead to themes to be shared among us and that can inform our future. We feel confident that from these wider conversations new paths will emerge, new ways to be in community and new ways to sustain each other as we seek to build a future beyond our imaginings.
In community,
Tod Chernikoff, President, Board of Trustees, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
Mark Magee, President, Board of Directors, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Martin Dieu, Chair, Board of Trustees, River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation
*Potomac Partnership Group: Craig Bennett, Susan Bennett, Carolyn Brown, Holly Dempsey, Eric Dull, Regina Dull, Loretta Garcia, Vonna Heaton, Petrina Hollingsworth, Nathan Hultman, Mary Means, David Michael, Rob Nooter, Gina Wells, Bailey Whiteman and Karen Wolf