Planning for and Addressing Pandemics in Your Community

When outbreaks of life-threatening disease are spreading, and the possibility of pandemic is near, we can often feel helpless. But as communities of faith, we have a significant role to play in the prevention of pandemics and the response to pandemics when they occur.

Adapt How We Do "Church"

From emergency operations planning to adapting worship on Sunday mornings, we can slow the spread of disease by finding ways to gather with or without the physical presence of workers and parishioners in our building. 

With technology and creativity, we can continue gathering virtually even when in-person gatherings are ill-advised. It is our strong UUA recommendation (3/12/20) to not gather in groups larger than 25, and we advise everyone to heed local health departments' recommendations that may set an even smaller gathering limit.

See UUA resources and guidance for:

• Emergency operations plans for pandemics
• Adapting Sunday morning
• Using UUA-copyrighted materials in virtual worship
• Adapting meetings and small group gatherings
• Connecting with children, youth, and families
• Find all #COVID-19 tagged resources on UUA.org

Additionally, the UUA's Leadership Resource Library has multiple guides, frameworks, and collections of crowd-sourced wisdom on how congregations can approach ministry in a time of pandemic.

Bolster our Networks of Caring

In a time of increased fear and isolation, our lay pastoral care teams and caring networks play an even more essential role in keeping our communities connected and calm. A pandemic presents an opportunity to build up your cadre of trained lay pastoral caregivers, and to strengthen your network of meal and ride providers. 

See UUA resources and guidance for:

• Pastoral care and support networks during pandemics

Address Fiscal and Employment Challenges

With hourly workers having fewer hours, annual pledge kick-off services canceled, and income uncertain, congregations have entered a financially-uncertain time during which we are all challenged to live our values despite very real financial fear. How can we be good employers? How can we foster financial generosity? What technical skills do we need to do an offering online on a Sunday morning?

See resources and guidance for: 

• Congregations as employers during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Collecting the offering electronically
• Facing financial stewardship challenges (including pledge drives that have been disrupted)

A time of pandemic is indeed a time that reminds us of the Interconnected Web of All Existence. Whatever we can do to nurture the health of the web in such a critical time is a true way to live out our Principles.