New River Unitarian Fellowship

COVID-19 NRUUF Response Statement and Emergency Plan 3/12/20

Dear friends,

Due to the serious nature of the current local health threats, and the vulnerability of most of our members and regular attendees, we have decided to SUSPEND ALL in-person meetings at the Fellowship, as of March 15th and for the foreseeable future, until the imminent danger has passed.

Instead, we will offer the opportunity to join together online! 

While we are sad that it’s currently too risky and stressful to meet in person right now, we hope that this new journey will add a level of richness to our regular services, and continue as an option for those who cannot make it to in-person meetings and services in the ongoing future. The online meetings have been going well so far! We hope that everyone takes the opportunity to join us!

We hope that you are patient with us as we learn to do things a little differently and use these exciting new tools. We wish all of you continued health and safety in these stressful times, and we hope that you continue to engage in our meetings in this way to help maintain our sense of community and support for each other.

For access to our weekly online meetings, please join our Weekly Mailing List!!

The New River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located in Beckley, West Virginia, takes the current pandemic known as Covid-19 very seriously. Although our area is still considered to be low-risk, we believe that we have a responsibility to ourselves, and to all of our congregation, members, friends and family to be as proactive as is reasonably possible in an attempt to help protect all of us and slow the risk of exposure.

The primary aim of these actions is not to eliminate the risk of exposure, but to try to help reduce the number of severe cases at any given time in an effort to help preserve the limited medical resources we currently have for those who critically need them. Given that, we are remaining vigilant and engaged, and will keep the congregation informed while offering support as we enter these difficult times.

There are actions for the NRUUF Leadership as well as actions for the Congregation. Please help us reduce the impact of this situation by cooperating with these measures to your fullest ability. Participants who refuse to cooperate with current preventive measures may be removed from the Fellowship for our safety and theirs. Be aware that this plan is a work in progress and may change at any time.

We currently consider that there are three levels of response, depending on the current situation.

Level-0 is defined as: Little to no risk of infection. No active known cases within our geographic region that are not contained.

Level-1 is defined as: Low to medium risk of infection. There may be a low number of known, or suspected active uncontained cases in our geographic region. A State of Emergency may, or may not be declared. Level-1 may be upgraded to Level-2 for the following additional reasons: no access to proper cleaning/sanitation supplies; Leadership unavailable due to illness or other issues; other situations that are deemed serious enough to put the congregation as serious risk of infection.

Level-2 is defined as: High risk of infection. Known uncontained active cases are widespread in our geographic region. Voluntary or involuntary quarantine is being enforced in our geographic region.

Due to the fact that the majority of our membership and regular attendees are in a high-risk group, at the time of this statement, we have decided to voluntarily and preemptively move to Level-2

**We will keep everyone updated when we are able to downgrade our Response Level**

Response Plan:

Level-0: Little or no unusual measures are needed. Meetings can be held as usual. Standard sanitation protocols, as always, should be in place such as regular hand washing, not sharing eating utensils, etc. 

Level-1: Increased sanitation and proactive prevention measures are in place. Treat EVERY PERSON as if they are already infectious and take actions to reduce exposure. These include the following

1. Stay updated, at least daily, with the local, state and national health departments so we are able to respond to new recommendations and concerns.
   • Leadership Action: Create a statement and response plan to help mitigate the active threat level.
   • Leadership Action: Provide regular weekly (minimum) updates to the congregation so they are assured there is awareness and ongoing assessment of the situation, risks and recommendations.
   • Congregation Action: Be aware of your local geographic region pandemic updates and status. Carefully read the updates sent out by the NRUUF. Alert the NRUUF Leadership if you become aware of any important situation, we may not be aware of that could impact our Fellowship. Use the CONTACT INFORMATION listed at the bottom of this document for that purpose.
2. We have developed an emergency communication plan for meetings, gatherings and services. Our plan includes use of a mass email to members & friends of NRUUF along with an emergency text system (Remind.com) used primarily for closures due to weather conditions, or unexpected emergency updates.
   • Leadership Action: Test the systems regularly to assure they are up-to-date and with all current members & friends subscribed; make sure that key people know how to activate and use the communication systems, and that written instructions are available if the primary user becomes unavailable.

• • Congregation Action: Please make sure you are registered for the various online communication systems we have in place. The links are at the bottom of this document under “resources”. If you have any questions, or need help, please use the EMERGENCY CONTACT information at the bottom of this document to reach us.

3. Provide Comfort and Support to those who are in crisis during this situation.
   • Leadership Action: Encourage congregation to keep in contact with us, and each other via methods such as email, text, phone as is practical.
   • Leadership Action: Identify members and friends who may be vulnerable and may need assistance (elderly who live alone, those with physical limitations, low-income, etc.) contact those determined potentially vulnerable; assess their needs, support systems, and determine what level of care they will need. Check up on at-risk congregation, family and friends regularly. Try to maintain remote contact with those who are known to be sick at least daily if the following is true: It is practical, they are receptive and able to communicate.
   • Leadership Action: Find out what is needed and wanted by those who are sick and/or isolated. If possible, prepare reasonable care packages of small items that are needed/wanted for comfort, safety, etc.
   • Congregation Action: Be proactive in alerting the NRUUF Leadership if you, or someone you know, is sick and/or choosing to self-isolate for other reasons.
   • Congregation Action: Be proactive in making needs known to the NRUUF Leadership. We may not be willing, or able to fill the need, but it is better for others to be aware that the need exists.
   • Congregational Action: Be aware that any support items sent from the Fellowship (or others) may, potentially be infected with contagions and treat them as such.
   • Congregational Action: Continue to support your Fellowship financially during this difficult time as you are able. If you choose to attend meetings online, we will provide a link you can use to make your offering online. The link will also be at the bottom of this document under resources.
4. Identify strategies to reduce the risk of infection via shared food/beverage containers.
   • Leadership Action: Remove common points of infection (ie: shared beverage containers such as coffee pot, coffee cups, silverware); cancel shared food events such as potlucks and picnics. Sealed, store-bought pre-packaged snacks will still be available at the Fellowship when possible.
   • Congregation Action: If you wish to have a beverage, or food other than the pre-packaged snacks while at the Fellowship, please bring your own (preferably reusable) container(s) and eating utensils and take them home with you when you leave.
   • Congregational Action: Please do not use our sink to wash your containers and/or utensils. Instead, bring a sealable bag to place them into and wash them when you get home. Alternately, you may place disposable items in one of our trash receptacles.
5. Sunday services and meetings may be canceled, relocated or held online (with teleconference option – internet is not required to participate) depending on the degree of concern and advice of the local or state health departments.
   • Leadership Action: Keep the congregation informed of any changes in schedule or meeting location.
   • Leadership Action: Provide a way for people to participate in Fellowship activities remotely, from home or other location using Zoom online meetings.
   • Leadership Action: Provide training for anyone who requests it so they feel confident in their ability to participate in remote meetings.
   • Congregation Action: At all times, people with signs of even mild illness will be encouraged to stay at home until all symptoms have resolved for at least 48hrs.
   • Congregation Action: Participate in online / teleconference meetings if you belong to a high-risk group, such as over age 60, immune compromised, or other underlying health issues which make you more vulnerable to infection.
   • Congregation Action: Use one of the Emergency Contact methods at the bottom of this document to contact us if you need help participating in remote meetings, or if you have questions about them.
6. Increase space or limit contact between attendees at in-person events and reduce points of potential contamination in meeting spaces.
   • Leadership Action: Arrange seating to allow for more space between participants
   • Leadership Action: Hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, tissues and surface cleaners will be available (while supplies last); Bathrooms will have soap, paper towels and hand washing instructions.
   • Leadership Action: Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects before and after each in-person meeting: tables, handrails, doorknobs, light switches, sink handles, toilet handle, paper towel dispensers, and common surfaces will be cleaned with designated cleaners. Wipes or spray bottles with cleaner (clearly marked and with child safety protection in mind) will be available in main spaces.
   • Leadership Action: Inform anyone who uses the building space outside of meeting hours of these policies. Encourage them to postpone meetings if it is practical to do so. All building users will be advised to clean before and after use of any space.
   • Congregational Action: Please be mindful that sanitation supplies are in high demand and short supply at this time. We ask that you do not use more than you need. Do NOT take sanitation supplies from the Fellowship for personal use outside the Fellowship.
   • Congregation Action: Maintain a distance of at least 6’ between yourself and others outside of your household
   • Congregational Action: Wash your hands for at least 30 seconds with liquid hand soap under hot running water after arriving at the Fellowship, coming into contact with high exposure surfaces and prior to leaving the Fellowship. If you choose to use gloves, please still take precautions to prevent the spread of possible infection from the surface of the gloves. Use ONLY disposable paper towels to dry your hands after washing them.
   • Congregational Action: Immediately inform the Leadership and excuse yourself (if possible) if you begin to experience symptoms of illness while at a Fellowship event; cough or sneeze into your elbow, if it is NOT illness related.
   • Congregational Action: DO NOT engage in personal contact with other people outside of your immediate household. DO NOT hug, shake hands, etc.
7. Prevention measures will be posted and will be enforced as practical.
8. Committee and team meetings will provide the option of Zoom

Level-2: Emergency Preparation: If an emergency response to the pandemic is declared by the local, state or national health department, the following actions should happen:

1. Stay updated, at least daily, with the local, state and national health departments so we are able to respond to new recommendations and concerns.
   • Leadership Action: Create a statement and response plan to help mitigate the active threat level, or adapt the current plan if needed.
   • Leadership Action: Provide regular weekly (minimum) updates to the congregation so they are assured there is awareness and ongoing assessment of the situation, risks and recommendations.
   • Congregation Action: Be aware of your local geographic region pandemic updates and status. Carefully read the updates sent out by the NRUUF. Alert the NRUUF Leadership if you become aware of any important situation, we may not be aware of that could impact our Fellowship. Use the CONTACT INFORMATION listed at the bottom of this document for that purpose.
2. We have developed an emergency communication plan for meetings, gatherings and services. Our plan includes use of a mass email to members & friends of NRUUF, along with an emergency text system (Remind.com) used primarily for closures due to weather conditions, or unexpected emergency updates.
   • Leadership Action: Test the systems regularly to assure they are up-to-date and with all current members & friends subscribed; make sure that key people know how to activate and use the communication systems, and that written instructions are available if the primary user becomes unavailable.
   • Congregation Action: Please make sure you are registered for the various online communication systems we have in place. The links are at the bottom of this document under “resources”. If you have any questions, or need help, please use the EMERGENCY CONTACT information at the bottom of this document to reach us.
3. Provide Comfort and Support to those who are in crisis during this situation. Determine financial risks to members & friends: People who are quarantined, sent home from work or school, etc. may face significant burden to their fiscal stability
   • Leadership Action: Encourage congregation to keep in contact with us, and each other via methods such as email, text, phone as is practical.
   • Leadership Action: Identify members and friends who may be vulnerable and may need assistance (elderly who live alone, those with physical limitations, low-income, etc.) contact those determined potentially vulnerable; assess their needs, support systems, and determine what level of care they will need. Check up on at-risk congregation, family and friends regularly. Try to maintain remote contact with those who are known to be sick at least daily if the following is true: It is practical, they are receptive and able to communicate.
   • Leadership Action: Find out what is needed and wanted by those who are sick and/or isolated. If possible, prepare reasonable care packages of small items that are needed/wanted for comfort, safety, etc.
   • Congregation Action: Be proactive in alerting the NRUUF Leadership if you, or someone you know, is sick and/or choosing to self-isolate for other reasons.
   • Congregation Action: Be proactive in making needs known to the NRUUF Leadership. We may not be willing, or able to fill the need, but it is better for others to be aware that the need exists.
   • Congregational Action: Be aware that any support items sent from the Fellowship (or others) may, potentially be infected with contagions and treat them as such.
4. Identify strategies to reduce the risk of infection via shared spaces and in-person meetings
   • Leadership Action: CANCEL all non-emergency in-person meetings and ensure proper notification is distributed through email, text and phone if needed. Ask regular attendees to acknowledge they have received the notification.
   • Leadership Action: Put signs on the front and rear Fellowship doors with information regarding the current closure, how to get more information and Emergency Contact information.
   • Leadership Action: Put the thermostat on “hold” setting at 55 degrees.
   • Leadership Action: Designate a trusted party to go to the Fellowship in person and check on everything at least weekly. This person should also check the front porch mailbox and, if possible, process any mail using disposable gloves.
   • Leadership Action: Ensure that mail from the PO box is still being collected. If possible, process the incoming mail using disposable gloves.
5. Continuity of Community is an important part of the NRUUF. We must try to maintain remote weekly meetings for as long as possible. We wish to provide spiritual support for the community as much as possible, and find ways to keep the community connected.
   • Leadership Action: Develop worship service adapted for Zoom
   • Leadership Action: Provide a way for people to participate in Fellowship activities remotely, from home or other location using Zoom online meetings.
   • Leadership Action: Provide REMOTE training for anyone who requests it, if possible so they feel confident in their ability to participate in remote meetings.
   • Leadership Action: Encourage engagement in online meetings and services and provide weekly updates to services, events and special information as normal.
   • Congregation Action: Stay connected through online meetings and services such as NRUUF Zoom meetings and/or Church of the Larger Fellowship Services (information at bottom of this document).
   • Congregation Action: Use one of the Emergency Contact methods at the bottom of this document to contact us if you need help participating in remote meetings, or if you have questions about them.
6. Committee and team meetings will be held on the regular schedule via Zoom as possible and practical

Post-emergency action: After this situation has been resolved back to Level-0, it will be important to meet and discuss the adequacy of this plan and of the systems needed to care for the congregation:

• Discuss and note lessons learned.
• Improve plans accordingly
• Test and update our plans regularly

NRUUF EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION:
You may email the Fellowship at: NewRiverUU@gmail.com
You may CALL or TEXT a leadership member directly: Seby Bell (304)222-2337
Please do not come in person to tell us that you may be sick. Please do not have someone you have personally been in contact with come in person to tell us that you may be sick. Please do not call the Fellowship phone number for ANY emergency situation as that number is not closely monitored. You may leave non-emergency messages on the Fellowship number, which is (304) 252-4016

RESOURCES:

ONLINE OFFERING – You may make a donation to the Fellowship via the following link: https://computerchickwv.com/NRUUF/donate/
If you prefer to pay by check or money order, please send it to: NRUUF, PO Box 294, Beckley, WV 25802

Zoom Meeting Login (a meeting ID # and/or link will be provided)
     https://zoom.us/join – If you do not have internet access, or if you would prefer to join by phone, you may join the Zoom meeting by calling one of these numbers (929) 205-6099 or (669) 900-6833, then enter the meeting ID. You may register for a free Zoom account to preserve your name and settings.

There is online support for using Zoom here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-Joining-a-Meeting
If you still have concerns, please call Seby at 304-222-2337 prior to the scheduled meeting and she will try to help you.

Email Mailing List – http://eepurl.com/gDT52z – please be sure you select the “Critical / Emergency” mailing list, as well as other mailing lists you want to be part of for the Fellowship.

Emergency TEXT Alerts – Join the TEXT alert system – https://remind.com/join/nruuf

Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF): This is an ONLINE UU Worship organization and they are open to anyone, whether you are a member of not. They offer services every Sunday at 8PM Eastern Time. Use this link for more information: https://www.questformeaning.org/worship/ The CLF also archives its homilies, so worship is available 24/7 from this link: https://www.questformeaning.org/worship/worship-archives/