The Light of a Hundred Chalices

Dear KUUF community,

Recently some members of our KUUF family have reached out to me with news of loved ones who are ill, some gravely, with COVID-19. Most of these loved ones are in the hospital and are not allowed visitors. This means that families are separated, from one another and their community and their minister, at a time of grief and death. 

One of our members asked me what we could do as a community, to accompany those families who find themselves in this heartbreaking situation. In moments like this, Christian churches often offer "prayer chains.” With the support of our small group circle leaders, KUUF is going to begin something called a “Chalice Chain." 

When I am told of someone in our KUUF community who is sick with COVID-19 and alone in the hospital, I will contact the leaders of our small group circles and ask them to light a chalice. (A chalice can be formal, or it can simply be a candle.) They will contact the folks in their circle and ask them to do the same. We have over a hundred people in our collective circles. We will light our hundred chalices together and in this way, no one is alone. And in my prayers with the family, I can say we have lit our chalices for them, and that we are with them.

If you have not yet joined a small group circle, I invite you to take this opportunity. We want to stay connected with you. And we want to include the light of your chalice in our chain.

And if you know someone who could use the light of a hundred chalices, please call or email me. 

I am so grateful to you all, for the ways you are staying in relationship with one another, despite how difficult this can be right now. We are building new ways of being together and we are staying connected. Through online worship, small groups, Zoom gatherings and simple phone call check-ins, we remain a beloved community. Our building is a lovely building, but we are the fellowship. And we are so blessed to be in this community together.

Love,

Rev. Jessica 

Update from Rev. Jessica

Dear KUUF community,

This week the board made the difficult decision to close the KUUF building until further notice. All gatherings, of any size, are prohibited. All of our staff—including myself and Tanesha Smith, our office administrator—are working from home. During a press conference yesterday the Kitsap Health Board made it very clear that we should all essentially be sheltering in place, in our homes, until further notice. KUUF is following those guidelines and encouraging our members to do the same, as much as possible. If you are working at a job that makes this impossible, please know we support you in doing what you need to do. This is a long-haul situation and we are in it together.

And while this is a difficult time for all of us, it is especially difficult for those who are losing their income because businesses and schools have been temporarily shut down. The board and I want to make sure KUUF is doing everything we can, for one another and our larger community. 

Need help?

• If you are a member in need of financial assistance, please contact me directly at minister@kuuf.org.

• If you need groceries or medicine delivered, contact me or Tanesha and we will get you connected to a KUUF member who can help.

Want to help?

• If you are a KUUF member or friend under-60 and not immunocompromised, please consider making yourself available to deliver groceries or medicine. Email me and I will add you to our response team.

• If you are able to donate financially, please consider giving to KUUF. You can donate online via Paypal at https://paypal.me/KitsapUU and in the “Notes” section designate your donation one of the following ways:

  • KUUF Ministerial Discretionary Fund, which helps members in need. 

  • Kitsap Community Foundation, to help those in our community. 

  • General fund, in lieu of our usual Sunday offering basket

  • Charitable Giving, which goes to our monthly charitable giving recipient

And check in with me and let me know how you’re doing! Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, 12-2pm I am holding office hours on Zoom: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/265672270. And Wednesday evenings, 6-8pm, I am hosting an informal Zoom hangout:  https://uuma.zoom.us/j/170960595. 

And of course, I am available by phone or text at my cell: 206-890-2872.

Have more questions about COVID-19? 

This Thursday, March 19, at 3pm our Parish Nurse Jenn is hosting a Zoom chat. 

https://uuma.zoom.us/j/656293173

Or call in by phone: 1-669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID: 656-293-173.

I was so grateful this past Sunday to see so many of you attending our Youtube worship service and our Zoom virtual coffee hour. A lot of you are using this kind of tech for the first time! I hope you’re finding it easier than you had imagined it might be. If not, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or our media team (media@kuuf.org) with questions. We are eager to make sure you have access to your KUUF community. We will be worshipping together again this Sunday at 10:30am. Watch us at KUUF.org.

As we adjust to our new normal for the next several weeks, I invite you to stay connected with KUUF. At times like this we realize how vitally important it is to be a part of such a caring community of folks. Though we may be separated physically, we are still connected with one another. Reach out your heart in the days to come and remember that we are with you.

Blessings and gratitude to you each of you,

Rev. Jessica

Update Regarding COVID-19

Dear fellowship,

Earlier today you should have received an email from our KUUF Board explaining that we have canceled services through the entire month of March, and detailing some of the information that helped the Board come to this decision. (You can see the letter here.)

As you know, COVID-19 continues to make its way through our state and country, and the effects on our every day lives continues to increase. At a time like this, it is difficult not to be able to gather together as we usually do. So I want to encourage you to reach out. Reach out to me, reach out to one another. I am only a phone call away. (360-377-4724. x 2.)

And the good news is that, while we won’t be gathering in person, we will be gathering online. We will be gathering this coming Sunday on our Youtube page. Head over there at 11am and join in the chat. It will be a fun, laid-back gathering with a little prayer, a little music and lots of opportunity to interact.

Regarding in-person connection, for those of you in Chalice Circles, I encourage you to check in with your people. For those of you not in a Chalice Circle, the Caring Committee and I have put together “Circles of Care” in which you’ll be invited to participate. Please look for an email from me in the next few days.

Until then, remember you are an important part of this precious community. Take care of your health, reach out if you feel isolated, and know that you are not alone.

Blessings and gratitude to you,

Rev. Jessica