Dear ones of UU Schenectady~

So much has been changing rather quickly in the last week…decisions, diagnoses, closures, decisions, news, decisions, new ways of connecting, levels of worry, and more decisions. We are reminded by our colleague, Rev. Cecelia Kingman, who serves in Edmonds, WA, that we all need to slow down; that we don’t have to figure everything out right now; that all the meetings don’t need to happen.  We can’t pretend that church, that community, is going to be able to sustain doing “all the things” that we usually do.

This is going to be a long-haul crisis. The CDC has said that there will be no gatherings of over 50 people for two months. We are going to need to pace ourselves and learn more sustainable strategies to be in this together, to take care of our bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits. Wise UUSS member Mati Hackett, reminds us to breathe… to take a long deep breath, if we can.

This past Sunday, we offered our first completely on-line worship service. It was fabulous to see so many faces and names joining in from three countries, three states, and many cities! We learned a lot on this first venture, and we’ll keep learning together in the weeks to come. We’ll get to continue our work to dismantle the characteristics of white supremacy culture knowing that we are seeking connection, not perfection. (perfectionism being one of those characteristics…..)

Take a break from the news and social media. Go outside for a bit if you can or sit near an open window for a few minutes. Remember dear ones, be gentle with yourself and one another, and with all the things we do not yet know.  We do know this: We love you. We care about you. And, we are going to keep living our UU values, because this interdependent world is in need.

In faith~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy