Following guidance from the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ (SNEUCC) we ceased in-person worship on March 8.
WHY?
- To protect the health of our congregation
- In person worship is one of the riskiest activities because speaking, singing, and praying propel the air-borne particles that carry the virus
- Many members of our church are among the most vulnerable to COVID 19
Worship Continued Without Interruption
- Shifted to broadcast worship
- To date, we have celebrated 37 Sunday worship services of “sacred distancing”
- Worked continuously to improve the worship experience
Pandemic Task Force
- Formed over the summer with representatives from church boards and committees
- Followed the Phasing Forward document of the SNEUCC and monitored local public health conditions
- Nothing can guarantee safety, so the pastor and Church Council have engaged in constant risk assessment with guidance from the Pandemic Task Force
SNEUCC Phasing Forward Document
- Five phases based on local public health conditions
- Base Phase: building completely closed, no in-person activities
- Phases I-III: gradual increase of in-person activities, assuming widespread community testing, tracing and consistently shrinking cases of COVID
- Phase IV: widespread availability of an effective vaccine and resumption of all in-person activities
Why Does it Matter?
- We seek to protect the health of our church family
- We seek to protect the health of the wider community
- We seek not to place additional burdens on medical care providers
- “I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly” John 10:10b
The Church Never Closed
- Sunday Worship Broadcast Seen by Over 140 Households Each Week
- Sunday School Meetings on Zoom and Videos on YouTube
- Added Friday Worship Preview and Devotional
- Weekly Saturday Community Breakfast Continued and Added Summer Service
- Monthly Food Collection Drives for Seven Months
- Easter Flower Deliveries
- Phone Calls to Every Church Household by Called to Care
- Congregational Meeting in May
- Drive through Chocolate Tour in June
- Formation of Broadcast Team to Improve Worship
- Prayer Box Distribution to 200 Households for Rally Day
- Outdoor In-person Youth Group this Fall
- Resumption of Saturday Evening Meal Program this Fall
- Women’s Ministry Weekly Check-In and Prayer
- Prayer Shawl Knitters Meets Monthly or Bi-Weekly
- Women’s Ministry Weekly Check-In and Prayer
- Men’s Group Met for 8 Weeks
- “Central Reads” Book Group Meets Monthly
- Monthly Trivia Night
- Free Little Library Installed Outside on Corner of Pleasant and Titcomb Street
- Resumption of Chancel Flower Deliveries
- Installation of Professional Broadcast Equipment
- Congregational Meeting and Town Hall in November
- Virtual Christmas Fair and Wreath Sale in December
- Midweek Worship for Advent
- Social Hall Painted
- Jill and Amantha Have Cleaned and Repaired Many Areas of the Building; Jack Has Wound the Clock Weekly
- Basement Cleaned and Bulkhead Rebuilt
- Met all State and City Building Inspections
- Increased Communication from the Church
- Council and All Committee Meetings Continue Every Month