President’s Letter — October 2007

Dear Members and Friends

Sometimes it is the small actions that mean the most.

We welcome visitors, friends and members to our religious home because we are proud of who and what we are. And we want to share this with others. We are not a club, but a faith explained by seven principles. We believe that this faith, with people of like values, will help make this a better world, and a “safe place” for people searching for meaning and direction in their lives. Last year 17 new people, “signed the book”. Over 20 visitors have come to check us out in just the first three weeks of this year. Fabulous numbers! We welcome the visitors, and if they carry a blue mug, we particularly seek them out. We ask about them and share of ourselves and this beloved community.

Among our visitors and our members, and often the most needing what we have to offer, are young parents with young children. This is wonderful. Many families come to us for our RE program and the important values communicated through it. However, as more young families visit and join us we have more challenges. Good challenges. Challenges which need our attention.

For example, sometimes parents will bring a young child into the sanctuary, declining our offer of child care because the child is clinging desperately to Mom or Dad. And that child is!noisy. That noise makes it hard for many to follow the sermon, or can be jarring in a sacred moment. Few complain about a happy baby’s cooing. Screeching is clearly beyond any reasonable accommodation. Still, some of the hard and angry looks and comments seem out of place in the welcoming Fellowship that I have come to love. So, what to do? Well, there ought to be a rule that tells Mommy and/or Daddy its time to take junior outside. At least that is what a number of people have told me.

Some parents will easily and naturally step out when a young one does more than whimper!and do so without a rule or a policy. Some parents may be oblivious to the disruption caused by their young one. Other parents may desperately NEED what our service provides and are torn between attending to their velcro child or taking care of themselves.

So, what to do? I have listened to more than a dozen members, and each has the right answer. Unfortunately, and typical to UU’s, they all recommend different plans. So, here is my proposal. None of it is my original thought. If you see something familiar, take the credit.

1) For an immediately quieter option think about attending the 9 am service as few small children are brought to that service. There are plenty of seats, consider a schedule change if you can.

2) All parents are encouraged by the greeters to use our child care service.
(We have one very capable teenager providing child care. Six children, including 3 babies are currently in child care at the 11 am service. Likely need to augment coverage.)

3) In the sanctuary a child cooing is fine, a child screeching is not fine.

4) A kind offer by another member to entertain the child outside may be a welcome relief for an exhausted parent.

5) Repeated interruptions will be reviewed with the family. In the meantime we may need to dig deep for some charitable consideration.

6) When a serious and persistent issue presents itself, we will find a way to do the right thing. I promise that.

All I ask is for each of us to consider the first five of our seven principles: The inherent worth and dignity of every person; Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregation!. I am sure we will figure out the right course. And it may emerge as a policy.
The light is on, the door is open.
Please come in; we have much warmth to share.

Eddy Fried
President of the Board of Trustees