Still Invested…

Dear First Parish in Cambridge Family,

In response to the updated UUA recommendations, we are now suspending in-person worship services effective immediately.  There will be no in-person worship service from this weekend (March 15) until further notice.  We will be working to have an alternative virtual worship experience/ space in short order as well as providing access to Religious Education materials.  Our hope is to create a centralized “portal” for information and ways to stay connected through this period of time no matter how long it lasts.  For the moment, please continue to check the First Parish in Cambridge website frequently for updates and for more information about how we will be creating opportunities to connect.  The staff is working with a small “COVID-19 Response Team” that is comprised of Governing Board members, medical and social service professionals and Ministry Team Leaders who are available to help us act quickly while also sharing some of the best insight from a wide base of the congregation.  Together with all of this great input, we will make the most of this difficult situation.

Our immediate goals are to:

• Monitor local and national developments around COVID-19, remain abreast of UUA guidelines and recommendations and create accessible ways for the congregation to receive accurate and timely information.
• Cultivate a variety of ways for people to connect with each other outside of church bearing in mind the CDC recommendations around proximity and group size.
• Provide virtual space for worship and reflection with a variety of spoken word and music highlights.
• Be a resource to help the community manage anxiety and isolation that may result from the current situation through pastoral connections.
• Provide engaging resources for ongoing religious education for all ages.
• Be supportive of our community partners and work to make sure that the vulnerable populations we support have options to continue to be supported and seen during this crisis.

In December, I asked the Ministry Teams and other leaders in the congregation to explore the ways in which we are in relationship with each other and what that means.  The current situation is our opportunity to exercise these relationships and live our values by “answering the call of love.”  Our actions moving through this time will test the fabric of how we are connected to each other.  I want to assure you that I believe we are up to this test and I encourage us all to lean into the ways in which we can demonstrate our sense of beloved community inside and outside of the church.

We will get through this.  As the situation continues to evolve, we will measure our responses and work to remain informed.  More importantly, we will show up for each other and demonstrate the beautiful ways in which we are invested in each other’s health, safety and care.

Peace,

Rev. Adam Lawrence Dyer

adyer@firstparishcambridge.org