Dear WUU Community,
We’re pleased to announce that the WUU Sanctuary will reopen for in-person worship beginning on Sunday, Feb. 6.
Since we went to online-only worship at the beginning of this month, things have changed. We are cautiously optimistic that the Omicron surge is beginning to recede–may it be so. Complicating matters, at the start of the Omicron surge, we did not have enough volunteers who were willing to staff an in-person service given the heightened risk of virus transmission. These impediments for in-person services are now lessening, and we’re ready to go forward again!
We believe it is important to ensure that everyone has options for participation that feel safe and workable for them and their families. For now, that means that we need to limit the number of AV volunteers working in the small, enclosed space of the AV booth. Therefore, for the month of February, we plan to keep the worship technology requirements as simple as possible, continuing with most worship leaders, and AV volunteers, participating remotely via Zoom. For now, in-person participants will see worship leaders on the big screens.
But this is all very temporary. Our goal is to get back to a fully hybrid worship model as soon as possible, incorporating both in-person and Zoom-based worship leaders. We are working hard to find a way that works for everyone’s safety and risk tolerance level. The reopening team will be meeting in February to assess where we are and plan next steps.
If you prefer online worship, you are welcome to keep joining in remotely. If you’d like to come in person, you are warmly welcome to do so beginning on Feb. 6, keeping in mind the following precautions:
- In-person participants are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
- Well-fitting masks are required for everyone inside the building.
- Distancing between households is strongly encouraged.
As a reminder, the WUU campus remains open at times other than Sunday mornings. Groups may meet inside or outside at WUU with the following precautions in place:
- All in-person participants must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. This is now a requirement for all indoor gatherings at WUU, not just worship services.
- Participants must also remain masked and distanced.
- No food or drink is permitted.
- All groups must reserve meeting space in advance; contact Rachel McCabe at office@wuu.org to make your reservation.
Groups may also continue to meet outdoors by reservation. Organizers are asked to communicate to participants in advance what the safety protocols for the gathering will be.
As always, we welcome your feedback (email us at reopening@wuu.org). We look forward to seeing you on Sundays, both online and in person.
In faith and with love,
Your Reopening Task Force
Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig
Kerry Mellette
Austen Petersen
Susan Walkley
Lola Warren
Dave Wilcox
And your WUU Board
Dave Banks
Allen Cooke
BethAnne Klaver
Katrina Landon
Kerry Mellette
Jessica O’Brien
Ben Puckett
Melissa Stump
Bruce Thomas