An Invitation to Hybrid Worship

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Updated May 7th, 2021: Hybrid Worship Registration is no longer required.

Updated March 31st, 2021: Hybrid Worship Registration is Mandatory. Please, visit this link to signup. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0a48aaad2ca2ff2-draft

Dear First Church Friends:

It is with great excitement that the Executive Committee shares with you their intent to move to a hybrid system of worship on April 11th, one where we continue streaming the service live AND welcome a limited number of folks into the sanctuary. Naturally, we will proceed with caution, and Church Council members have been invited to work through the kinks by being guinea pigs for a couple of weeks in March. But with increased vaccination and decreased infections, the Executive Committee thought it was time to finally welcome folks back into the church. However, the worship service will NOT be the same. Here are some things the hybrid service will demand……

  1. There will be no hymn singing, music, and taped anthems yes, but no singing.
  2. We will be limited to filling 12 pews with household units. Each pew can fit anywhere from a single person to a household of four folks in one of twelve pews. This means we could have anywhere from 12 to 48 people in the sanctuary for a worship service in addition to the team facilitating the service.
  3. Hybrid service with a limited number of people will begin April 11 th. Sign-ups will be through a Sign Up Genius on our webpage or by calling Doug in the church office at 802-878-5745. We hope to have this signup live on fccej.org by Easter.
  4. We must have Ushers to screen and ensure everyone moves safely from the parking lot to the pews and back. WE WILL NEED 2 EACH WEEK to safely enable services. This is a vital task to ensure that we follow mandated safety protocols and well-conceived movement plans. If you have been vaccinated and would like to serve in this role as an usher – please call the church office as soon as possible to let our administrator, Doug Ovitt, know by emailing welcome@fccej.org or call 1 (802) 878-5745.
  5. Everyone will still need to wear masks throughout the entire service and stay in their respective pews.
  6. Many parts of the service [Deacon’s Prayer, Anthems and Hymns, Scripture] will be pre-taped and shown up on the front wall of the sanctuary like we used to do for special occasions.

Despite these restrictions, we are excited to have people back in our beautiful new sanctuary, listening to our ministers preach or pray, and talking with folks after the service outside on the way to their cars. It is a first step as we move to a day when everyone is welcome to come to church and we continue live-streaming the service online.

Blessings and grace to you all as we continue to live into our new reality.


The Executive Committee
Maureen Evans
Cathy Shearer
Dan Petherbridge
Alison Wermer
Christine Sinkewicz
Josh Simon
Mark Mendes

Sunday, March 7th, 2021

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March 2021 Church Council

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Read more

Special Service: Ash Wednesday 2021

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Ash Wednesday. Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 @ 7pm via Zoom.
Zoom ID# 882 4274 4962 or use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88242744962?pwd=RU9CNW1VUHc0N1RwWGg4TTVsa1daZz09
Lent is one of the sacred times in the life of the Christian Church. It is a time to reflect on our faith and how we live it out in today’s world. It is also a time to remember some of the more difficult experiences in Christ’s life that culminated in his death. Christians have long used this time as an opportunity to delve into life issues that might be a bit deeper and more meaningful than usual. During this Covid time, we will be trying to continue this long tradition and offer some of the usual offerings with a technological twist. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a time when we place ashes on our head to remember our shared humanity; traditionally we remember our shared culpability in human sin, but we also remember that ashes ground us in the earth, a common element in all our creation and a sacred gift from God. Traditionally, the ashes come from last year’s palms that we waved to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem and each year I burn last year’s palms. However, with Covid, I invite all of you to burn your own palms [if you saved one and if my stash of last year’s palms will be available in the Church Street entryway] and place ashes on your own forehead or wrist or those of your family’s when we invite you to do so during the service. Hope to see you there.

Grab ‘N Go Chili Dinner

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Photo by Klaus Nielsen from Pexels

Friday, February 26th

The First Congregational Church of Essex Junction is hosting a Grab ‘N Go Chili Dinner! Choose between contact-less pick-up or free (local) delivery. Each meal-to-go contains a quart of homemade chili (either meat or vegetarian), 2 pieces of cornbread, and shredded cheese for a topping. Plan on 1 dinner for every 2 adults in your household.

All of this for only $10!

Reserve by Wednesday, February 24th using the SignUp Genius links below. Orders can be paid with cash or check at pick up or delivery. Proceeds benefit the church’s outreach projects.

Thank you for your support!

Donations

Drop-off Feb. 26th from 9am – noon

FCCEJ members – to donate chili and/or cornbread, click on the SignUp Genius button below.

Sign Up!

Reservations

Pick up Feb. 26th from 4 – 6:00 pm

This event is Sold Out – we hope to repeat this event next year.

For contact-less pick up, pull into the parking lot and your order will be brought to your car. Delivery is available within 15 minutes drive of the church, and will arrive between 4-5 pm.

Sunday, February 7th, 2021: Annual Meeting Sunday

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Here is the bulletin for Sunday Worship. It begins at 9:45am (preparatory phase) and then fully kicks off at 10am.
View BulletinDownload
This is also Annual Meeting Sunday! The meeting begins at 11:15am and piggy-backs off of the Fellowship Hour meeting that follows worship. Please, click this link to read the Warning, access the Zoom teleconference link, and read the Annual Report. (Annual Report is embedded at the bottom of the Warning’s page.)
WARNING FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING: Sunday, February 7th @ 11:15am via Zoom Teleconference

First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 1 Church Street, Essex Jct., VT 05452 | (802) 878-5745