Dear Friends: Despite wanting so very much to
physically worship together, the Executive Committee of the Church Council has
postponed the date when we will gather back together in the sanctuary. We are now hoping to be in the sanctuary for
Advent, which starts on November 29th. How joyful it would be to enter the church
with the Christmas decorations up and our building looking so good! Naturally, the Executive Committee (EC) will
meet in early November to look at what the scientists, doctors and the Vermont
Department of Health say and then re-evaluate the situation at that time. Despite our strong desire to be together,
our primary consideration is the health and welfare of our members and friends
and the control of this deadly disease.
As all of you in your daily lives know, we are adapting and changing our
plans as the future unfolds and we will do the best we can in making decisions
in the best interests of First Church.
We are also
cautiously opening up our church space to various groups within our church and
community as long as everyone present follows safe practices by wearing masks
and keeping proper distances. Last week
we had a funeral service with 37 people attending: all wearing masks, all
following safe distancing protocols and with the fellowship time outside. The Food Pantry continues to distribute food
but does so while all their clients stay in their cars. Creative Discoveries Early Care and Education
Center is meeting in their space and not venturing into our part of the
building. The scouts have been meeting
but mainly outside except for a few very small groups. We also had a wonderful Nearly New Sale,
Thrift Store Porch Sale, and Church Tour day on August 22, but these events
were outside, and tours were tightly controlled. The EC just approved one other group and one
personal event to take place in our midst.
Slowly, our facility is opening up to small groups – with safety for our
members and visitors forefront in our intentions.
Perhaps the
biggest addition to our building use is the Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces
Program that the Essex Junction Recreation and Parks Department, in partnership
with the school system, is providing for families in the Essex community. This
valuable program will provide childcare for families who need care for their
children on days that they are not in school.
Summit Street students will be using our third-floor rooms, gym,
restrooms and outside green space for this well-received and appreciated
program. EJRP will clean the space each
day and the number of kids will be limited to how many can safely meet. For the church to participate in such a
program and meet the community’s needs is a great opportunity and it’s a
wonderful testament for our church to be thought of as a possible site. All of us will need to adjust what we do to
make this vital initiative work but we can do it!
Unfortunately, many of our groups are larger
than can safely meet right now, and many of the ways we interact with each
other are conducive to the spread of the disease: we talk, eat, hug, sing, and
meet in small rooms for hours. But the
staff and lay leaders are looking for ways to draw people together. Josh and Laurie have been taking the youth groups
on hikes, Josh and I have provided pastoral walks and visits in chairs under
trees, Laurie and CE will be having on site Faith Formation once a month
outside, Carol and the choir are looking at parking lot choir rehearsals,
hospitality is thinking about having coffee and cocoa outside on Sunday
mornings for those who attend ‘drive-in’ church services in the parking lot,
and Josh sits and has lunch with a small group of folks on Mondays. In many
ways we are busier and providing more support to our community than we were
pre-COVID! We are all working to keep
the church vibrant, active and our people connected to each other.
If you have
questions, concerns, ideas, or insights, please pass them along to one of our
staff members or lay leaders. If you are
feeling particularly isolated, let us know so that we can use the church’s many
resources to support you. Together, our
church has been strengthened through this time of stress and together we will
remain an ever growing and vibrant member of the Essex community. Thank you all for shouldering the weight of
change and continuing to make First Church a great community in which to
belong.
We, as your
Executive Committee, will do our best to continue to keep you informed.
Christ’s
blessings be with you all,
The Executive
Committee of the Church Council:
Maureen Evans, Cathy
Shearer, Christine Sinkewicz, Ann Gray, Alison Wermer
Josh Simon [ex
officio] & Mark Mendes [ex officio]
