The President’s Message — September 2021

The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”    ~ Kakuzo Okakura

Readjustment to our surroundings has certainly been a major theme to our lives at the UUFP. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept us on our toes as we continue to try to figure out how to come together safely as a fellowship for services on Sundays.

It seems that everyone who has attended our outdoor services this summer has thoroughly enjoyed them. It is important to note however, that there were constant “readjustments” going on as we learned how to conduct these efficiently and effectively. Therefore, I would like to recognize these various efforts with an “Adaptability Award.

The first Adaptability Award goes to Rick and Cassia Duske for experimenting and learning the best way to live stream, record and achieve good sound quality during an outdoor service. This has truly been a “learn-as-you-go-experience.” The next Adaptability Award goes out to the many different volunteers who showed up early and stayed a little later on a Sunday to put up and then take down our tents. A special thank you goes out to the person who suggested leaving the tent tops on and then collapsing the tents would simplify the process. This saved multiple steps and many minutes. Another Adaptability Award goes out to Lisa Jokiel. The risk of holding anything outdoors is the uncertainty of the weather. Lisa’s Sunday Service was switched from outdoors to Zoom due to rain and she conducted it beautifully. The next Adaptability Award goes to the Kitchen Committee. In order for our kitchen to be certified by the Department of Health, we had to modify how we hand wash our dishes. Well, actually, it is how we rinse our dishes. We now have a final step of rinsing the clean dishes in a diluted bleach solution. The final Adaptability Award goes out to those who have attended our outdoor services and “adapted” to all the things that this type of service brings.

I would like to ask that the members and friends of the UUFP continue to keep that adaptability spirit alive as we head into the fall months. It has previously been announced that we will return for indoor services on September 12. As I write this in late August, that is still the plan. However, the unfortunate reality is that cases of COVID-19 are on the increase. The Board of Directors, along with the Worship Committee, may need to reassess our plans. The good news is that even if we delay having services indoors, we will still meet in person, just outdoors. So, the UUFP will continue to “adapt to our surroundings.” Again.

In gratitude, Linda K.

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