Re-Opening for Outdoor Services on 10/3/21

Re-Opening for Outdoor Services on 10/3/21

Good News

We are re-opening for outdoor services in-person on Sunday, October 3rd!
The San Diego County transmission risk has been going down, and we are now at a High (down from Very High) risk of transmission with both cases and hospitalizations on the decline according to the COVID Act Now data. Public health officials continue to warn that we must be flexible and ready to shift from in-person to virtual if conditions change. We know that being in person is a very important aspect of our fellowship, and we are ready to re-open safely in our amphitheater, with a few conditions required because of the Delta variant.

The Board of Directors has drafted an Infectious Disease Protocol Policy & Procedure and while that goes through the review process, we are confident that the conditions we are putting in place will ensure the safest possible way to come back together.

Please read the following conditions for re-opening in-person services outdoors:

  1. Everyone 12 years or older who comes on-site must show proof of full vaccination for COVID-19 — This includes two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Proof can include a picture of the State of California’s Digital COVID-19 vaccine record website QR code, a vaccination card or a photo of same.

  2. Masks are required for everyone over 2 years of age. Masks must be made of paper or cloth and cover your nose and mouth and fit snugly on your face. No face-gators or bandanas. Please bring your own mask.

  3. Please maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet between members of different households. We will not be implementing a specific system for social distancing – rather we will rely on the judgment of each of you to be safe.

  4. For now, no food or beverage will be served for coffee hour. We encourage you to stay and socialize after service with masks and social distancing protocols in mind. You may bring your own beverages.

  5. Singing is still considered risky behavior. For outdoor singing, all singers must wear well-fitted masks and stay at least 6 feet apart (10 – 12 feet is a safer distance for singing per UUA and documented research).

  6. Religious Education Classes will also be held outdoors with masks. Parents please note that children must be registered prior to attending an RE program and snacks will not be allowed at this time.

The intent is for services to be outdoors as much as possible, so please dress accordingly. In the case of rain or inclement weather, only those involved in the service will be in Founder’s Hall. For everyone else, services would be virtual, and the congregation will be notified by email and/or text at least one hour before the start of service with a link to join the service from the comfort of home.

Decisions about operating during an infectious disease pandemic are not made lightly. They are grounded in our deep UU values and are core to who we are as a faith tradition:

  • Our abiding care and concern for the most vulnerable, inside and outside our congregation.

  • Accessibility and inclusion for all of our members and friends to participate in our congregation, regardless of health status, health vulnerability, or ability.

  • Recognition that we are part of an interdependent web and, as such, our risk-taking and our protective actions affect far more than just ourselves. Our congregational decisions can impact other congregations and the wider community.

  • Ethical treatment and expectations for our leaders and staff, minimizing the risks to their own health and well-being.

  • Our affirmation that good science, coupled with our UU values, must be the basis upon which we make decisions about in-person gathering.

  • Commitment to our mission, community, and theology more than ever, mindful of the spiritual demands of this transition.

  • Our deep hope that we as a country, and as a world, will not return to “normal” when the pandemic is over. We seek to live into “a new normal” of more justice, more love, more equity, more sustainability, and more peace.


  • In Fellowship,

    Your 2021-2022 Board of Directors:
    Liora Kian-Gutierrez (President)
    Brenda Post (Vice President)
    Scott Elliott
    Louise Garrett
    Angie Knappenberger
    Sarah Miller