Dear Assemblers,
 
Our Board has made the difficult decision to cancel this weekend's assembly and most of our currently scheduled events. Our priority is protecting not only our Sunday Assembly community but also the wider community. According to experts, the way to accomplish this is by social distancing.
 
At the time of this writing, it's been 8 hours since our mayor declared a citywide state of emergency and banned gatherings of over 250 people. Experts have also encouraged keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from others, avoiding touching common areas, and staying home if you are 65 or older or have a chronic medical condition. We decided there was no safe and ethically sound way to enforce these guidelines in an indoor venue. 
 
We will keep an eye on the situation, which has been changing fairly rapidly, and keep you informed about future events via Meetup, social media, and if you provide an email address, our email list. We are looking at other ways to provide connection to members of our community who need social support in this stressful time, and we will continue to post in the coming days.
 
When I first joined Sunday Assembly I was excited to end social isolation by helping to create a healthy non-religious community together with all of you. Hearing scientists and medical professionals talk about social distancing can feel like the antithesis to that goal. I've had some wise people correct that view. Instead, what we do today is a communal act of social solidarity. We are flattening the curve to give our medical staff relief, providing beds for those who need them, and lessening the burden on our institutions. 
 
We want to send a clear message that we value our vulnerable assemblers. Those of us who are low-risk will do our part to mitigate the spread of this disease. Because that's what community does. We don't need to physically assemble to do it. 
 
With love, concern, and virtual hugs,

Alexis Record
Executive Director
Sunday Assembly San Diego