Every Sunday at 10am, we get together for Sunday service to celebrate in community – always on Zoom, and when conditions permit, also in person. Visitors are always welcome! Please read the following information carefully as it contains a lot of information about how this works.
Sunday services are currently IN PERSON and ONLINE.
For those participating via Zoom:
Join us in our Zoom room with this link for the Sunday Service:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83517833977
Meeting ID: 835 1783 3977
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,83517833977# US (New York)
+13017158592,,83517833977# US (Washington DC)
This link is also sent in the Saturday eblast that contains the Order of Service. The experience on Zoom has stayed largely the same. Coffee hour continues in breakout rooms and you can continue to use the chat to greet each other as you enter the service and participate in the interactive portions of the service.
For those intending to attend in person:
Our guidance for in-person attendance changes as conditions require, most recently on Sept. 14, 2022. Here is the guidance from Safe Congregation Response Team, endorsed by the Board of Trustees:
Revised Guidance on Covid
(Approved by USR Board of Trustees, Sept. 14, 2022)
The Safe Congregation Response Team (SCRT) seeks to protect all members of our community, while providing for a safe return to the social benefits of in-person gathering as the pandemic becomes endemic.
As Rev. Sarah Lenzi wrote recently, Our guiding principles throughout the pandemic have been:
- to prioritize the health and safety of our membership
- to continue to be as open as is safely possible
- to provide opportunities for community building online and in person.
We continue being led by guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the State of New Jersey, and Bergen County Health Department. As that guidance has changed, we believe it is appropriate for us to modify our own practices (again).
We know that getting vaccinated is not just an individual decision; it’s a matter of public health—it helps to protect others who may be more vulnerable. The science is clear about how each of us can mitigate the spread of the virus, and its consequent mutations: get vaccinated, socially distance, mask indoors, wash your hands, get tested, and isolate if you’re sick. As a community, USR will continue to support those behaviors, and do our part to provide hand sanitizer, have extra masks when needed (or required), pay attention to ventilation, and keep our facilities clean and safe.
At the same time, in recognition of the changing landscape of the pandemic and of the regnant policies in both houses of worship and other public spaces,, we recommend the following new COVID policy:
Revised Policy:
- Getting vaccinated (whether young or old) and staying up to date with boosters is highly recommended, but will no longer be required.
- Masks are recommended, but not required, except when community infection rates are high.
- Eating and drinking will be allowed, except when community infection rates are high.
- Singing and capacity limits are removed from our policy, because singing is unrestricted and capacity limits (other than fire codes) have been removed from official guidance.
- Hand hygiene guidance is unchanged.
We understand that these changes will present challenges for some, because each of us is different—with varying health issues, social needs and risk tolerance. We rejoice that virtually all of our active congregation is already vaxxed and boosted; we’re able to do our part! For those who are unable or uncomfortable participating in person, we are committed to continue offering a quality hybrid service on Zoom.
We also will continue to monitor the situation and adjust and adapt our policies as needed to assure maximum safety for all.
Please contact Rev. Sarah or any member of the SCRT with questions or concerns.
–SCRT: Rev. Sarah Lenzi, Minister; Jeanne Nametz, DRE; Jack Lohr, President of the Board;
Ben Grossman and Dan Summer, Lay Leaders
–Board of Trustees: Rev. Sarah Lenzi, minister; Jack Lohr, president; Mary Mogerley, vice president; Kirsten Huze, secretary; Chris Dunnagan, treasurer; Don Campolo, Craig Hertenstein, Hetty Hirshman, trustees
(Click here for a message from Rev. Sarah regarding Covid.)
Here are some notes about what to expect:
- We are using one entrance for Anderson – the front doors. The entrance into Fellowship is closed, and the side door will be reserved only for dropping children to RE.
- We are not printing Orders of Service; if you would like a physical one, please print out the pdf that is sent in the Saturday eblast
- We have resumed passing the plate for our offering. Your donations are gratefully received, and can be made also through virtual options or by mailing a check to the Society
- When conditions permit, we will hold coffee hour, and we encourage you to bring your own mug
By now we are getting used to these changes, and know they have many benefits, the most obvious being that they help keep our community safer. But some of these changes also help to align us with our values – not using up paper on printing Orders of Service, for example, to better align with our Green Statement of Conscience.
We look forward with joy to seeing you on Sunday morning – in-person with those of you able and ready, and virtually with those of you who choose to remain online. Remember, there is no right way to participate, there is only our love for and commitment to our shared community.
