As we enter into 2021, I'm focusing on gratitude. Gratitude for you, such a deeply loving congregation; a collaborative and creative staff; dedicated leaders who give so much time and talent to make UCC a vibrant presence even through the pandemic. After all of our special Advent and Christmas services and activities, I'm especially grateful for the extra work put in by Rev. Chelsea McCutchin, Morgan Kramer, Dr. Melanie Randall, the choral scholars, Amy Low, the Community Ministry, the elders, and Ron Martin. It was a meaningful, grace-filled season, and each of you blessed us with your gifts. Thank you.

Speaking of the difficult year: although there are vaccines that are being administered (hallelujah!), we are not yet done with this period of staying at home to protect our loved ones and strangers. UCC has chosen the prudent, loving, and faithful approach of worshipping online and connecting via Zoom, phone calls, and mailed notes to reduce COVID-19 transmission. We will continue this way of being church until it is safe enough for us to gradually gather again. As we are currently in the most restrictive city-county stage, we do not expect to be back in person very soon, but it is still helpful to have a set of guidelines, a roadmap, so that we are ready and prepared as the world becomes safer and safer.

Toward the end of September 2020, I convened a COVID-19 Task Group to come up with a set of guidelines for us to follow as we continue to live through the pandemic and eventually emerge from it. Members of that group are: Craig Bell, Dr. Bill Howland, Zach Kilborn, Ron Martin, Rev. Chelsea McCutchin, Suzanne Quenette, and myself. After a series of meetings, e-mails, and prayerful work (aided in part by the plan that Round Rock Christian Church generously shared with other Capital Cluster pastors), the Task Group presented the guidelines at the December 1 board meeting.

Click here to see the guidelines. You'll notice a few things:

There are no dates associated with various phases. Our phases are based upon the data-driven Austin-Travis County Risk-Based Guidelines. By being data-driven rather than date-driven, we will follow best practices determined by the scientific community and public health professionals.
Lots of flexibility and fluidity. We will move between phases as called for by the scientific data. The guidelines are subject to change as needed, too. The guidelines are not exhaustive for every possible scenario, so there is room for creativity as we envision safe ways to gather together in the future.
It's conservative and cautious. Moving into safe phases, we will purposefully lag at least two weeks behind any stage changes Austin-Travis County make, and even in Phase 2, we will have many precautions in place to help protect the most vulnerable, which is of utmost concern.

UCC, I am so proud of you for how well you love and for how you've kept on being salt and light during this incredibly challenging period. As members of the Body of Christ, we are doing our best to live like Jesus. We grieve with the families of all who have lost a loved one to this virulent disease (over 332,000 in the United States alone as I write this). We comfort the lonely. We look for ways to lift up those in need and share what we have. We give thanks for the ways God guides and loves us, and are confident that Jesus meant it when he said "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Love and peace to you,

Megan