Midweek Update: Indoor Worship Resumes 5/30

Dear friends in Christ,

I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying this lovely weather. I have some updates to share!

Indoor Worship Resumes Sunday 5/30

Cases have finally fallen in our town and area, and so Church Council has voted to resume indoor worship Sunday 5/30 at 10am! There will be one service on Sundays moving forward. Just like before the pandemic it will continue to be live-streamed on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/middleburycongregationalchurch.

I will send out more detailed information regarding procedure, expectations, nursery care, and Sunday School next week. We’re currently reviewing some things in light of the new CDC guidance.

Last Outdoor Worship Service: 5/23@11:30

This Sunday we’re celebrating Pentecost! At our outdoor service we’ll be confirming our confirmands who were originally set to be confirmed in 2020.

I know the state and CDC have changed a lot of guidelines this week. However, we are still keeping our requirements the same for this Sunday. As I mentioned earlier, we are looking at updates for future Sundays. But, for this week, wear a mask, bring a chair, and sign up. We will have Sunday school and nursery care.

Link to sign up is here: https://forms.gle/8EM3pEoEptCuyt6PA or you can contact the church office.

Standing, from left, Barbara H., Howard F., and the Rev. Katrina Manzi of Middlebury Congregational Church, and the Rev. Dr. Cynthia J. Carr, senior minister of First Congregational Church of Watertown, share our covenant with the Litchfield South Association at South Britain Congregational Church. Photo by the Rev. David F. Peters, Roxbury Congregational Church.

General Comments

Last night our church association representatives (Howard and Barbara) and I attended the spring meeting of the Litchfield South Association, and our church was officially received into our new association. I attached a picture of that happening. (Photo credit: Rev. Peters)

We were also given a welcome basket of snacks and goodies along with a lovely plant. Additionally, things were all taken care of ahead of time so my standing has now been transferred to our new association. (Standing is somewhat analogous to a professional license. It’s basically my approval to do ministry in the United Church of Christ.)

Also, I’ve attached some photos from outdoor worship and Sunday school this weekend. Counting this coming Sunday, in the past three Sundays we’ll have had a baptism and received five people into membership here at our church. One silver lining of the pandemic is that we’ve had a lot of things to celebrate now that we’re able to be physically together again. 

I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us as we move into our new normal.
Peace,
Katrina