A First Congregational Update on Church Activity
in the Midst of the CoronaVirus Pandemic
June 17, 2020
Dear Friends:
It has been a mere three months since we first started adjusting our life together in order to keep everyone who uses our church safe. Both staff and church leaders have taken a cautious approach and have relied on the CDC, Vermont Department of Health, Governor Phil Scott’s Office as well as current scientific and local conditions. We will continue to keep the safety and welfare of all of you as our top priority and stay the cautious approach. Even though we all want to end this quarantine exile and get back to some good old fashioned face to face interactions with our friends and relatives, the science does not support the more liberal approach if we are to keep all our members safe. So as a church, we simply need to continue our course and stay connected in the ways we have developed over the last three months.
Church Council has empowered the Executive Committee to be the point group to keep up with the coronavirus situation and make determinations concerning opening dates and church use. Here are the most up to date determinations that apply to any and all groups that use our space.
- Worship and Faith Formation: A VERY TENTATIVE date of September 13th has been set as a possible re-opening date. The Executive Committee will RE-EVALUATE the situation in mid to late August to re-affirm that date or extend it. So much depends on what the coronavirus does in the fall.
- Church Groups are strongly encouraged NOT to meet in person. Zoom meetings are working well and summertime is the season when committee work slows down. If committees must meet in person, they are free to do so outside with social distancing protocols [distance, masks]. All church groups must continue to honor Vermont Health Department advice for at risk members to continue to stay home and safe [65 years or older, respiratory and immune-compromised health issues, etc].
- Specific outside groups will be allowed to begin meeting within our space starting July 6th but limited by number, space and protocols. We will limit any group to 10-15 people, require them to stay in a designated area within the church, follow all safety protocols and clean up with a bleach solution after each meeting. The groups approved to begin meeting are AA, Scouts and the Grange.
- Sanctuary Tours: Mark your calendars for August 22! We know that people want to see all the work done in the sanctuary AND the administrative wing during this pandemic. It is stunningly beautiful. We are still waiting on a few projects to wrap up but plan to open it up for small group tours on this date. Stay tuned for more details of what promises to be a celebratory event.
- Vacation Bible Camp @ home 2020 Knights of the North Castle – Quest of the King’s Armor will be a flexible and safe program for the whole family and for all ages on August 10th-14th. Our VB Camp team of volunteers have been armoring up with truth, justice, peace, faith & salvation as they continue to work to moving our normal in-person stations onto videos that families can watch and then do the activities from the safety of their own home. Families will need to register for camp (www.fccej.org look for the KONO logo) so that they receive the VBC news email with our secure link and password to the videos along with a Zoom link to meet the VBC team, Sparky the puppet and build community. We will kick off our week with a drive thru the church parking lot on Sunday afternoon from 4-5pm. At this time families will be welcomed by the VBC team and collecting their take home bags. Starting on Monday, camper knights will have fun creating their own costume and making a belt of truth, breastplate of justice, shoes of peace, shield of faith and helmet of salvation and much more. Families will have the flexibility to decide when VBC happens in their daily schedule (morning, afternoon or evening). We look forward to seeing everyone on Friday night at 7pm in the church parking lot for a safe and in-person celebration. Camper will be encouraged to ‘be strong in the Lord’ and wear their knight costumes, a mask and practice social distancing.
- Starting in July and August, Rev. Mark and Rev. Josh will be providing opportunities for drive by outside pastoral visits. Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the parking lot either drive up to talk or sit under a shade tree over by the Thrift store and converse with Rev. Josh in July or Rev. Mark in August. And if you want to walk, call either one to arrange for that type of pastoral visit.
It is good to note that despite our discomfort with the current “stay at home” order, our church continues to run smoothly and effectively. Streamed worship is attracting double the number of people who had physically attended on past Sunday mornings; meetings are conducting the business of the church smoothly; staff continue to fulfill their job descriptions [and more given what the new technology demands]; groups continue to meet and reach out into the community to fulfill Christ’s call to feed and clothe people and our members continue to financially support our efforts to live into God’s call in a new and different way. Thank all of you for the extra effort in accomplishing all of this ministry!
In closing, the Executive Committee would like to thank all of you for making this extremely anxiety ridden time easier by engaging in our electronic ministry, continuing your financial support, gracefully following our church’s coronavirus guidelines, and looking for creative ways to be the church as the future unfolds with unexpected twists and turns. Naturally, as that unfolding takes place, we will make policy adjustments to fit the new information and communicate that to you in a timely manner. Everyone should continue to learn of updates and programs available by going to our newly renovated website: www.fccej.org or you can call the church office.
God’s blessings on you all,
The Executive Committee,
Maureen Evans: President Cathy Shearer: Vice President
Christine Sinkewicz: Clerk Alison Wermer: Deacon Co-Chair
Ann Gray: Treasurer Rev. Mark Mendes: ex-officio
Rev. Josh Simon: ex-officio