Inside: September 11 date set for mask optional worship services!!
Who is planning for the restart of our childcare program, making sure our building is well maintained, checking in that the Worship Team, Music and RE programs have what they need, and debating how reopening of the church should progress? It’s the Executive Team, or ET for short. I’m Mary Harlos and I’m a member of the Executive Team along with Mike Moutrie as Secretary and members Mila Brinker, Steve Askins, Marj Askins, and Chelsea Musson. We’re short one member with the end of Martha Pignataro’s tenure, so please consider joining us! At a high level, the ET is responsible for implementing policy set by the Board of Trustees so that the church runs smoothly, with involvement in many of the details of running the church. In recent times, we’ve been very busy with pandemic response decisions and communications, but also building maintenance, staff considerations, and oversight of church teams and committees that don’t report directly to the BOT.
I have some exciting news to share – the Reopening Team, which includes the ET plus Erica Lavine as safety consultant, has settled on September 11 as date for our worship services to become mask optional, assuming community spread statistics remain acceptable. September 11 should provide enough time for little children between 6 months and 5 years to get vaccinated now that vaccines for that age group have been approved. It is also the date for the incoming service and Water Communion, which feels like a nice time for transition.
We are also making plans to hire childcare workers so that we can resume offering childcare during services in the fall. No date yet, but more information to come!
I thought you might be interested in a few more of our accomplishments in the past fiscal year:
- Established metrics for closing and reopening the building for Sunday services and other uses
- Coordinated several outdoor “Zoom” services in the Fall.
- Approved upgrade of internet speed and purchase of new computer and video camera to allow streaming of services.
- Approved execution of Phase 2 exterior building repair and sealing (remainder of SE and all of NW sides of building)
- Supported the search for and hiring of and RE Coordinator, Marjorie Askins
- Sponsored several meetings between the Board, ET and Revitalization Teams to support this transition to lay-led status.
- Took over naming ‘Share the Plate’ recipient each month from the Social Justice team. ET is sharing this duty with the RE youth.
The ET is always interested in hearing your viewpoint, so please contact one of us or email us at ET@uuce.org any time.
In faith,
Mary Harlos
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