Higher Ground Some Assembly Required

Winchester Center Congregational Church, P.O. Box 200, Winchester Center, CT 06094

July 2020

Staff Pastor

Jackie Hall

Church Secretary Holly Martin

Church Sexton

Bill Wellnitz

Choir Director Gretchen Gowen

July

In This Issue

Worship on the green 1 Outdoor Service Policy 2&3 Missions/Green Team 4 Meeting God in Gazebo 5 Congrats & Sew Grateful 6 Thank you’s 7 Events & Happenings 8

Worship on the Green Beginning July 12!

(weather permitting)

If you are comfortable, please come, Bring your own blanket, chair, food, coffee… We will worship (physically distant) together.

If you are uncomfortable, don’t worry, We will still bring you worship online.

(See inside for details)

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WCCC Outdoor Services Policy

Hi Everyone, I hope you have been well. It has been too long since we have been together in-person! Covid-19 has stretched us and kept us separated by space but not by the Spirit. We have done what we can to “be the church” in these times and proved to ourselves that the church is not a building. We have lived by the golden rule, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 and in these times, loving our neighbor has meant staying apart. As we try to come back together to in-person worship, keeping everyone safe has been our major priority and concern as we plan our first moves forward. We are aware that even with 6 or 12-foot distancing, in an enclosed area, infected air, even just released by one person, can spread to the entire room, given enough time. For this reason, we have decided to try worship on the Green for July, August, and possibly September. Our team has come together, using CDC, State, and Denominational guidelines to establish our own guidelines for a no-contact, touch-free worship service for Winchester Center Congregational Church. Depending on the number of cases in our town, we may have to go back online only for a time. As mentioned before, your safety and the safety of your loved ones is our first priority. As we progress by adding outdoor worship in addition to our online service , and moving forward to service in the sanctuary in the future, we ask that you please follow the CDC guidelines of washing hands often for 20 seconds, social distancing 6 feet, and staying home if you are sick or in a high risk category. We will continue to record and have available worship to those not able or ready to attend in person service. Worship will be held on the Winchester Center Green (weather permitting) beginning July 12, 2020 until further notice. For questionable weather, check our Facebook page or call the church directly at (860) 379-8900. Pastor Jackie Hall, Deacons, and volunteers will be there to assist in making you comfortable with the new guidelines. To be as touch-free as possible, we are advocating a “Bring Your Own” policy. We ask that you please bring your own chair, water, hand sanitizer, snacks and Bible. (Please let us know if you do not have a Bible. We will furnish you with a Bible to take home) Communion will also have to be "Bring Your Own".

● Masks will be required. A limited number of masks will be available if you need one. Pastor Jackie Hall may remove her mask for worship if distanced more than 12 feet from parishioners.

● Families may sit together distanced a minimum of 8 feet from other families or parishioners. Distance and spacing guidelines will be provided.

● Children must sit with parent or guardian at all times. There will be no Sunday School but a children's message for all children of God will continue to be a part of the service. (children will remain seated with family)

● Bulletins will be provided via email prior to the worship service. A limited number of bulletins will be available in a basket for those with no internet access.

● There will be no singing due to the spread of droplets. Music will be provided by organist Gretchen Gowen, and/or solo musicians.

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● Offerings should be inserted in the collection box or mailed to WCCC, PO Box 200, Winchester Center, Ct 06094

● The bathrooms will not be open to the public (CDC requires cleaning between each use) so we ask that you use your home facilities prior to coming to the church.

● Please do not enter the church building unless absolutely necessary.

When worship is completed, stay and enjoy a socially-distant, “bring your own” coffee hour on the Green.

By attending worship on the Green, you are agreeing to these guidelines and to notifying us in the event that you contract the Covid-19 virus.

The Church is not the building. It is the people who come together to be the body of Christ.

In Christ’s Service, Chris Battista Mary Ann Berlinski Amy Gifford-Knapp Gretchen Gowen Jennifer Lovetere Dave Maloy Jonas Maloy Holly Martin Gayle Micca Pam Wright Rev. Jackie Hall, Pastor For more safety information here is a link - https://www.sneucc.org/phasingforward June 17, 2020

 

 

News from the Secretary July is here and that means we have met the half year mark so be on 

the lookout for your half year pledge statement. If you have any 

questions feel free to contact me at the office. Even though we are 

not physically meeting the church still needs your pledges to operate 

and balance our budget as well as we can. Thank you, Holly Martin 

 

 

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MISSIONS

We will continue to collect items for the Salvation Army please bring to church on Friday’s by noon.

Items needed are:Personal care products such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste, etc…

They also could use laundry detergent, softener and dish soap. Thank you for being so generous for the past two months.

GREEN TEAM Did you know that recycling is Mandatory in CT, It’s the Law

Law: Pursuant to CT General Statutes sec.22a-220(f), wwa-229, 22a-2241b. Failure to recycle may be subject to fines and

potential civil enforcement action. The five R’s principles:

● Refuse to buy it if you don’t need it. (Don’t take the freebee if your not going to use it)

● Reduce what you buy to purchase in quantity to limit excess packaging

● Reuse instead of purchasing single use items, such as water bottles and metal straws

● Repurpose something old making a new item ● Recycle bottles, cans, cardboard and newspapers

 

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Meeting God in the Gazebo  

Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. Why not Bible reading? We’ll take a look at the headlines and see what the Bible might have to say.

Fridays @ 11:00am. – bring a bag lunch. COVID-19 protocols will be in place.

July 10 – Lamentations Protest July 17 – Esther Racism July 24 – Song of Songs Human Sexuality July 31 – Ruth Immigration August 7 – Ecclesiastes Fear of Death

Come to one…come to them all. Can’t wait to see you there! 

If raining, we’ll meet physically distant inside  

 

 

I will be using The Forgotten Books of the Bible by Robert Williamson, Jr. as a 

reference. No need to buy it unless you want to. 

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CONGRATULATIONS

To 2020 graduating senior Samantha Miller Best of Luck in your future endeavors.

SEW GRATEFUL Sew Grateful has been busy this past year and has made some

beautiful quilts for next year's Quilt show all while social distancing.

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● To the team members who put together the guidelines to reopen our church.

● Holly for cleaning out the fridge and taking out the trash. ● Pam Wright for making and providing masks to those who need them and

for our church. ● To everyone who has brought items to the church for the Salvation Army

Food Bank and personal care items for the Gathering place. ● Todd and Isaiah for planting flowers in the urns out front ● Al Royer for mowing the lawn and weed wacking ● Gary for weed wacking ● Everyone for your patience as we transition to our outside services

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Winchester Center Cong Church P.O. Box 200 Winchester Center, CT 06094 Phone: 860-379-8900

WWW.winchestercentercongchurch.org Sunday Worship 10:00a.m. Church School 10:00a.m. cancelled for now Office Hours Secretary: Tuesday 11:00 a.m -4:00 & Thursday 12:00 - 5p.m.

Calendar of Events & Happenings - July 2020 July 5 Online Facebook live worship service 10:00 a.m. July 10 God in the Gazebo 11:00 a.m. July 12 Outdoor worship on the green. 10:00 a.m. July 17 God in the Gazebo 11:00 a.m. July 19 Outdoor worship on the green 10:00 a.m. July 24 God in the Gazebo 11:00 a.m. July 26 Outdoor worship on the green 10:00 a.m. July 31 God in the Gazebo 11:00 a.m. Aug. 2 Outdoor worship on the green 10:00 a.m. Aug. 7 God in the Gazebo 11:00 a.m.

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