We are all aware of the return of in-person gatherings in our community. Public schools are open for in-person learning. Our neighbors and some of us have sat shoulder to shoulder in cultural events and concerts. The rate of Covid infections here, and in the rest of the country, has been dropping for more than a month.
First Unitarian has taken a conversative approach to safety. Other churches have been offering limited versions of in-person worship for some time.
Our Public Health Team (Ronnie Emden, Jenny McNichol, Chris Tanner and Bill Yasnoff) has advised that, for vaccinated individuals, the risk of contracting or spreading the Covid virus is now low-enough for First Unitarian to gradually return to in-person worship.
Still, safety requires that our re-gathering have limits. Here is what Sunday morning, Nov. 7, will look like:
The Limits and Logistics:
ADVANCED REGISTRATION and PROOF OF VACCINATION will be required, using an on-line registration system. Reservations will be checked before you enter the building.
ATTENDANCE WILL BE LIMITED TO APPROXIMATELY 200. We expect that number to increase over time as the rate of infections in the greater Portland area decreases.
MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED in the sanctuary and all meeting spaces, per Oregon regulations for indoor public gatherings.
DISTANCING will be determined by individual levels of comfort. Family and friendship groups can sit close to one another. Ushers will not monitor distance between individuals or groups.
SINGING (MASKED) will be allowed for congregants (and choirs). Choirs will return, in person, only as they are comfortable. Choral music will include both in-person and recorded.
CHILDREN UNDER 12, who cannot yet be vaccinated, will not be able to attend in-person worship. On-line Family Worship will continue as will live-streaming of sanctuary worship. We tentatively plan for the resumption of in-person worship and classes for vaccinated young members of our community after the first of the New Year.
Young, vaccinated congregants will be able to attend YRUU and OWL classes in person now. These small gatherings are within the permissible size limits for safety.
A small number of seats will be reserved for VISITORS who can show proof of vaccination, but have not registered. Visitors (and congregants) who cannot demonstrate full vaccination will be asked to attend, at home, via live stream.
THERE WILL BE NO SOCIAL HOUR. Social Hour will remain online only (Click here to receive a link.)
Other gatherings, meetings, classes, etc. will be discouraged until we are confident and comfortable gathering with these limits.
The Safety Analysis:
This re-opening plan has been shaped by the careful analysis of safety conducted by our Public Health Team.
Their approach first estimates the likelihood that there would be one person carrying the virus, even symptom free, in gatherings of various sizes. This is a risk analysis based on probability of the virus being present, rather than the effectiveness of mitigation measures, like masking.
The Public Health Team also considers the number of open ICU beds to ensure that medical care is available for any persons who do contract the virus.
Vaccination provides our greatest assurance of safety, and it is the most important determinant of the likelihood of the virus being present. Proof of vaccination will therefore be required to attend services in person.
The likelihood (probability) of the virus being present clearly goes up as the size of the gathering increases. For that reason, we will initially be limiting the number of vaccinated people who can gather. Conservatively projecting current trends, we should be able to gather over 200 vaccinated individuals, safely, by Nov. 7.
We cannot insure a risk-free return to the sanctuary, but we have adopted an extremely conservative standard of acceptable risk for the First Unitarian community. So …
On Nov. 7, I will be waiting to greet you as we gather once again in person, rededicating ourselves and our Sanctuary by our presence.
In faith,
Rev. Bill