From Tony Filipovitch, Board President Notes:

Keeping Calm and Carrying on

In a TPT interview recently, the reporter asked Mike Osterholm, the UofM Infectious Disease specialist, when he thought things would return to normal. He replied, “Never. We will come to a ‘new normal,’ like we did after 9/11.” So, we are all learning new ways to carry on, and some of those lessons will carry indefinitely into the future.

And so are we doing among ourselves at UUFM. We are figuring out how to gather together at Sunday Service (and even hold a “coffee hour”—well, “coffee minutes”—after) online using “Zoom.” (If you tried using Zoom and it didn’t work, let me know— tonyfil@hickorytech.net –we have people who volunteered to help out with computer tech issues.) Macey is reading stories and getting lessons to our children, using Facebook and Zoom. Since we don’t run into each other downstairs after Service, the Board and the Pastoral Care Team have initiated phone/e-mail check-ins of all our members and friends, just to ask how things are going and whether you need anything. (If we missed you, let me know and we’ll fix it.)

And, for the duration, we will be holding our Board meetings via Zoom. It will still be at our regular time—first Thursday of the month at 6PM. If you wish to “zoom in,” send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a Zoom invitation. All are invited!

Right now, many of us are reporting that things are going okay—making adjustments, but no particular difficulties. As this crisis deepens, that may change. Please, let us help each other—let us help you—so we all get through this, together, as well as or even better than we expect. As your needs change, reach out to us (through me, through Rev. Rita, through your Board/Pastoral Care contact, through whomever….) We want to be there for you (so you can be there for us).