Dear University Mennonite Church community,

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

After conversation with our elders, we have decided to cancel Sunday worship services and other church-wide events, including our first Lenten dinner, through March 29, following local recommendations to reduce contact, protecting all segments of our community. We will continue to discern best practices and will communicate updates and changes as we all live into the uncertainty of this new way of being church together.

Please know this: University Mennonite Church, as a community, remains open and vibrant!  While we’re reducing use of our building as shared space, our community is caring and alive.  We are not bound by brick and mortar walls.

We are developing ways to connect and worship together in Spirit, thinking creatively about how to remain connected online.  I am away through Sunday afternoon, but will be in touch Sunday evening regarding some new ways of being community together.

Our church building will remain open for use by regularly scheduled groups and committees. Please discern within each group if gatherings and meetings will continue.

For groups who continue to use our building, please follow preventative actions as recommended by the CDC:

  1. Stay home if you are sick or have come into contact with anyone who has a known COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms. Be aware and abide by current recommendations regarding recent travel and self-quarantine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
  2. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available. Both soap and hand sanitizer will be available in our building.
  3. Cover coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow.
  4. Limit close contact with other people; maintain a distance of 6 feet if able.

We are also requesting additional sanitation procedures by each group after using the building:

  1. Wipe tables, chairs, counters, and other surfaces used with provided cleaning products, found in the fellowship hall.
  2. Wipe any light switch, door knob, hand railing, cabinet handle, faucet handle, or other surface that may have been touched.
  3. Remember to wipe these surfaces in the bathrooms, including the toilet flush handles and stall handles and locks.
  4. Place used cleaning cloths in labeled bin in the kitchen.
  5. Wash hands thoroughly after completing the cleaning procedures.

May we not lose sight of God’s promise to always be with us!
Peace to you all,
Kate