Sunday, May 23, 2021 Bulletin and Crier

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all doing well on this fabulous day.  I really wish I were outside though but I love being here in the office too. 

Virtual worship continues every week, live (and recorded) from our sanctuary!

Here are the Bulletin and Crier for following along on Sunday’s virtual service:

This week feels like an ending and a beginning.  We end our quarantine, that is, being delegated to being outside for in person services.  I do admit that I will miss them.  There is something about sitting in a camp chair enjoying the fresh air and nature that is very uplifting in addition to Katrina’s words and Dave’s and Donna’s music.

Returning inside marks a new beginning for us, almost a homecoming.  The church is being spruced up and soon things will be back to normal.  Or, at least a new kind of normal.  Nothing will be the same as it was before the shutdown.  But we will adjust because that’s what we do.  Changes are a part of life.  We don’t like them but they are necessary to exist. 

Below are a few pictures of how the renovations are coming in the kitchen (I hope they come through ok).  It will be a little while before it is fully done but we have the best doing it.  With Bob W and Bill M doing the work we are assured it will last just as long or longer than the last renovation in there.  Everything they have done in the building looks fabulous.  They are true artists.

Good things are coming! Have a fabulous weekend.  Take care and stay safe.

Jeanine 

PS:  Don’t forget to register for the service on Sunday.  It’s confirmation this Sunday.  Since I like to be as accurate as possible when I do the pre-registered list I will again come in Saturday evening to print the list but be advised if you register on Sunday you will not show up on the on-line registration list at all, ever!

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