MODERATOR'S MESSAGE: MOMENTS, MUSINGS, MUMBLINGS

Greetings to all!

Building opening, in-person worship, and a special Congregational meeting – all in 400 words.

Lately, FCUCC has felt a little like the proverbial swan: silently and moving along the water with seemingly no effort, while below the surface, its feet are paddling furiously! We have kept upright and afloat, and lots of folks have pitched in to do extra duty to keep us on track! The Worship Team has put together our Sunday morning time and the Personnel Committee is moving on filling the vacancies in our staff. My gratitude to one and all!

Although we are not quite ready to worship together, the Council met on Tuesday and voted to open the building to general use beginning Monday the 21 (or as soon after that as staffing can be arranged.) This means full occupancy. Masks will be encouraged, but not required, and will be available at the doors.  The ArtReach Gallery will be open five days a week. From 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The offices will also open as staffing allows.

And – we are looking to worship together on Palm Sunday – with palms! – and on Easter – with lilies! (That’s April 10 and 17.) Resurrection, indeed!  A Maundy Thursday service is tentatively scheduled to be a Zoom service. More on all this will be coming soon. An earlier in-person service feels pre-mature at this point, not just for COVID concerns, but because we have a lot to line up with music, tech, and other aspects of worship. Of course, even as worship moves to in-person, we will continue to provide the best service we can for those folks who join us from home.

MARCH 27th – After worship. In lieu of the regular “coffee hour,” we will have a Congregational Meeting.This will be YOUR time to ask questions and voice your hopes and intentions for the future of FCUCC. This will not be a time of proposals, motions, seconds, and votes. It will not be a time of budget discussions.  It will be a time when you can meet with a Council member, get answers to some of your questions, and pass along your ideas and hopes. Please plan to attend and bring your open minds and hearts. The ideas and feeling of the congregation will hep guide us in the months to come.

Of course, COVID has thrown us curve balls before. So we will continue to monitor the situation and return to restrictions if and when they are warranted. So “flexibility” will remain an important watch word.

We are moving forward together – just like the swan – with hearts and minds which are open.

Peace,
Phil Owen, Moderator