The UUSS Board of Trustees, in consultation with Dr. Kim Kilby, has been evaluating whether it is time to make changes to our policies around masking in worship. Schenectady County is now back in the “green” meaning that community risk level is deemed low by COVID Act Now. The country as a whole has moved towards treating COVID as endemic. We know many of us still need to be masked in public spaces. We want UUSS to be a place that is welcoming for all. This is an incredibly difficult decision and no answer is right for everyone. We have however come to the conclusion that it is time to move to a policy of Masks Welcome and Encouraged during worship rather than required. The new policy will go into effect this Sunday, March 5th.

We will continue to make masks available to anyone who wants one, and we strongly encourage anyone who is experiencing symptoms of illness to stay home and join worship via zoom until you are feeling better. We will also continue to have coffee service in the Dining Room, when volunteers are available for it. We will continue the policy of requiring masks be worn during choir rehearsals, due to the higher risk of transmission posed by singing in enclosed spaces. And although we hope this won’t be the case, we recognize that we may need to return to a policy of masks being required during worship if we go back into the medium or high risk zones on COVID Act Now. The Board encourages everyone to continue to have compassion and care for each other as best as we can throughout this journey.

With love,

Bridget Almas, on behalf of the UUSS Board of Trustees