Pastor Maureen Thoughts on Reopening, published June 2020
Not Yet Reflection by Rev. Gordon Rankin NHCUCC Conference Minister
As you all know, our in-person worship and church events have been suspended, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. In order to stay connected, we want to provide you with additional ways to stay connected during this period.
We are currently recording the services early and uploading them for viewing, to avoid the delays and technical issues we have experienced with Facebook Live. There are 3 ways to watch our worship service recordings.
- Visit our Sermons Page which will have the recording and the bulletin available in one place.
- Visit our CCA Facebook page, and view the Weekly Bulletin as you follow along. If Facebook prompts you to register or enter account info, click on "Skip."
- Visit our CCA YouTube Channel and view the Weekly Bulletin as you follow along.
Other helpful information:
- We are here for you - if you need help, or know someone who might, please reach out to our Congregational Care team.
- Please remember you can submit a prayer request using our Prayer Request Form
- Join us for Virtual Fellowship Hour via ZOOM after the service every Sunday at 10:45am. For the link, please visit our Members section.
- If you can't watch the service at the 'normal' time, the recorded video and weekly bulletin will be available on our Sermons Page
- Check in frequently to our Pastors Video Message Page for in-person video updates!
- Peruse other videos on our newYou Tube page. Here you will find many of our church videos, grouped by categories, such as Worship, Music, etc.
- Visit our Facebook Page often for updates, information, and positive reinforcement.
- You can now submit your Joys & Concerns online if you wish via our new Prayer Request page. This page can be found using the link provided, and is also on our Home page and under the Reach Out menu.
- If you would like to receive the weekly Joys & Concerns email, please contact Andrea (673-3231 ext 10).
- "ZOOM" Kids check-in hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 2pm-4pm. Contact Pastor Kate for more information.
- If you would like to continue your offerings or pledges online, please use our Online Giving You can of course also mail in a check to Andrea.
**If your ministry team would like to meet virtually, reach out to Andrea and she will set up a Zoom meeting for your team. Zoom is a tool that allows people to meet through a simple, easy-to-use web-based video conferencing app.
National UCC Church Leadership Article on Churches Returning to Worship
Please read Pastor Maureen’s letter here: COVID 19 WORSHIP SUSPENSION
Thursday, March 12th, 2020
Hello CCA members and friends!
In light of the concerns about the Novel Coronavirus-19 and its presence in New Hampshire, we wanted to make you aware of some of the precautions we’retaking to enable us to safely worship and gather together. It's not necessary or wise to panic, but some common sense thinking can help us all stay healthy through this time.
FIRST, if you don't feel well, please stay home. From worship, from meetings, from any gatherings. Not feeling well is a sign your body needs rest and we would rather miss you than have you push yourself to be present. And remember, even if you’re not feeling all that bad it’s better to be safe than to put others at risk.
SECOND, if your immune system is compromised and you feel the need to stay away from gatherings, please know that we understand. Again, we would rather miss you for several weeks while you're staying safe than have you put yourself at risk. Please reach out to our Pastors or our Congregational Care Team if needed!
THIRD, wash your hands. A lot. Twenty seconds is about the time it takes to say The Lord's Prayer, sing a verse of "Amazing Grace.” Sneeze into your elbow, not your hands, and do your best to refrain from touching your face, as this is the way that most colds, flu, and other viruses are passed along.
FOURTH, we’ve begun to practice some alternative ways to interact with one another when we are together. Rather than hugs and handshakes, no one will be offended if you choose to greet others or “Pass the Peace” with a bow, a friendly wave, or by flashing a ‘peace sign’ instead. Our pastors love greeting you all after worship, and we know how important touch is to many us, but this the best way to keep the most vulnerable among us safe.
FIFTH, there are other precautions that we’re taking when we gather for worship: During the Offering, our ushers will hold onto the plate so we’re not passing it amongst us. If we celebrate Communion in April, we’ll do it in a way that minimizes contact. We'll be leaving tissue boxes in the pews, and when there's hand sanitizer available we'll stock up in various places in the church. We’ll also be wiping down common surfaces on a regular basis: door knobs, railings, pews, etc.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, make a plan for the "what if": https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/index.html God willing, none of us will need it, but as someone wise once said, “It's better to have a plan and not need it than to need a plan but not have one.” We’re hoping all of these precautions we’re taking will be temporary!
Over the next few weeks, we'll be thinking through additional responses just in case we're asked to suspend gatherings or otherwise need to change the way we do things temporarily. In the meantime, use your best judgment about your health and safety and that of the community.
And, as the graphic above reminds us: KEEP CALM AND WASH YOUR HANDS!
Peace,
