From Reverend Florence:
Beloved members and friends of UUCUC,
I have some difficult news to share. As some of you may remember, I was diagnosed with inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis (RA) last February. This is a serious, progressive, and life-long systemic auto-immune illness. Treatment can be challenging, because although there are now a number of high-tech medications that can actually lead to remission – yay for that! – it’s hard to know which ones will work for a particular person, and it can take months for a particular medication to make a difference.
Unfortunately, although I was originally optimistic, my treatment has not gone as smoothly as I had hoped, and I have developed complications from one of the medications. It’s going to take a while to address these, and meanwhile I have severe fatigue, as well as RA symptoms. My doctors have told me I need to step back from work while this is all being addressed, and so, in consultation with your Board, I’m going to go on extended medical leave for three months, starting at the beginning of September. For the rest of this month I will be working reduced hours.
I know this is hard to hear, especially with so many other stresses and uncertainties right now. I wish it wasn’t true, but I have been thinking a lot about the Japanese expression shikataganai, which is translated as “what is, is”. We are living in a time of a lot of shikataganai, and all we can do is take care of each other, as best we can, and meet our less-than-perfect circumstances with love, courage, and willingness.
Your Board is working on solutions for covering my many responsibilities during this time, and I know that our wonderful Rev. Sally, and our great staff and lay leaders, will be able to support you well in my absence.
I will be attending our outdoor Sunday service and water celebration on the 29th, so that I can see your beautiful masked faces in person. Rev. Sally and I will be sharing the pulpit for our live streamed service on the 22nd. Meanwhile, I am still here with you, and although while I am on the extended medical leave I will need to completely let go of ministerial responsibilities, please know you will be in my heart all the way through.
Love,
Florence Caplow
From Reverend Sally:
Beloved members and friends of UUCUC,
I want you to know that I am here with you in this moment. I have been witness to the profound love UUCUC has for Rev. Florence, especially in granting the healing space she needs, which is why I am confident we will be able to come together and navigate these next months in love and integrity.
A church is so much more than its ministers, and UUCUC has some of the most caring, connected, and capable leaders and members I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. It is my absolute joy to be your associate minister, and I will continue to serve in that role, with every intention of staying with UUCUC long term.
Let me remind you that despite the turbulent times that lie ahead, there is a fundamental stability beneath the choppy waters—a stability built on your bonds and commitments to each other. Ministers come and go, members join or move away, leadership changes, buildings are built and renovated and torn down, but the church community lives on in your love and commitment to each other, and to the cause of building community, promoting justice, and finding peace.
We can do this, together.
Yours,
Rev. Sally Fritsche
From Becky Densmore, Board Chair:
The Board of Trustees is working closely with Rev. Florence and our lay leaders to develop a plan of action to address the continued smooth operations of church life. We are in complete support of her plans and want to do everything we can to support her on her health journey.
We have also reached out to the UUA and are pleased to share that Rev. Sharon Dittmar has answered our call for assistance. Please know she has been incredibly supportive and is a wealth of knowledge for us to draw upon as we navigate this uncertainty. And even though things are a bit uncertain right now, what is absolutely certain is that we will find our way through this as our church is strong, our collective commitment is even stronger.
The board’s focus over the upcoming weeks is to ensure we have mechanisms in place to support each other, keep you in the communication loop, and create opportunities to express our appreciation, concerns, and well wishes for Rev. Florence. To this end, we’ve set up a Kudoboard so that we have a way to send her greetings and expressions of support.
If you have any questions or concerns, please know that your board stands ready to be of service. Please reach out at chair@uucuc.org as we stand ready to support you. In the meantime, thank you for your incredible commitment to living out our mission and please stay tuned as more information will be shared as soon as it becomes available!
Warm regards,
Becky Densmore, Chair
2021 – 2022 UUCUC Board of Trustees