The person best suited to look out for your interests is you. The more you depend on yourself, the more positive control you have over every aspect of your life. Take personal responsibility for who you are, what you do, and how you live. You are the only person who knows what is best for you.

– Les Brown

Harsh words or a lost focus? I think the latter.

Throughout the ups and downs and twists and turns of this pandemic, UUCP leadership has taken its roles and responsibilities for the safety and wellbeing of our congregants very seriously. The needs of our Mem-bers and Friends during this time have been the central factor driving the Governing Board and Ministry Teams.

We have relied on guidance from the UUA and local public health authorities. We have been true to our values of protecting the most vulnerable among us and leaving no one behind. And we have recognized that physical protection can cause loneliness and despair.

We have kept moving forward, adjusting to the demands of an ever-changing landscape. Most recently, the Board has approved vaccination mandates for invited speakers, employees, and contractors/vendors.

What is different now from the first time we recongregated is the increased transmission risk of the Delta variant, and the passage of time. The data have shown that full vaccination immunity diminishes over time and the question of what constitutes full vaccination arises with the advent of the third booster. This is something that the CDC has announced that it will tackle soon. If you are eligible, get that third booster when it is available to you!

We’ve all been responsible to one another, but the piece that has been lost in all of this, in my opinion, is the personal responsibility that we have to ourselves. COVID is becoming endemic and will be with us for a long time in one form or another. There can never be a one-size-fits-all Recongregation policy. While try-ing to meet the most needs, it is not possible to meet every need. But you have been given tools (information and data) and participation options (in-person, live stream, YouTube Channel, Zoom meet-ings) to make the most informed decisions for yourself, and you have been empowered to speak up for yourself in preserving the physical space, or other accommodations, that you may need.

You are the only person who knows what is best for you.

Faithfully,

Arnie Ondis

Governing Board President