WELCOME TO CHURCH OF THE COVENANT
: We are delighted to welcome you to our community of faith! Due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus,
we are suspending in-person worship at this point on 3/15 and 3/22, but are grateful for the technology that allows the majority of us to gather together online.
All potlucks, church meetings, and scheduled events linked to the building are currently suspended through 3/22. All meetings are moving to conference calls. The announcements that follow in this news letter are the best we know at this point, keeping
in mind things are shifting rapidly in these days, as more and more events are shifting as we all do our part to love our neighbor as ourselves and practice “social distancing” to help “flatten the curve” of this virus’s spread. And in faith and through God’s
ceaseless, amazing grace – we also practice “spiritual nearing” to each other and the Sweet Holy Spirit.
LIVE-STREAMING DIRECTIONS: Following the guidance of our Southern New England Conference of the UCC, we have decided for now to suspend in-person worship today and next Sunday, March 22 - and bring them both “online” at the same
time of 10:30am. Similar to what we did this past Wednesday for our Lenten Evening Prayer Service, we will live-stream on facebook (anyone, with or without a FB account, can follow by going to this link today at 10:30am:
https://www.facebook.com/COTCBOS).
To join in fully, consider these options as you might be able:
1. Printing this bulletin out in advance so you have it while live-streaming
2. Pulling this bulletin up on a second device/ phone/ screen
3. Pulling both this bulletin up and your facebook link up, and switch between them as directed/ needed. The liturgy, songs and scripture are the important times to have this bulletin visible if possible.
And if none of these options work for you, no worries – following along the live-stream will also work fine!
Sunday, March 15 at 10:30 AM ~ Third Sunday in Lent: WATER, Tom Reid preaching / Community Potluck and Whole Church Book Discussion on Climate Church, Climate World
UPCOMING SERVICES (WORSHIP / AFTER WORSHIP)
Note, due to COVID-19 spread, we are in a state of flux, and we ask your patience as specific themes and plans are unfolding. At this point, in-person worship is suspended 3/15 and 3/22, and is shifting to being online via live-streaming.
Sunday, March 15 at 10:30 AM ~ Third Sunday in Lent: WATER, Tom Reid preaching / Community Potluck and Whole Church Book Discussion on
Climate Church, Climate World
Sunday, March 22 at 10:30 AM
~ Fourth Sunday in Lent: MUD, Celebration of the Word Service with Nica Companions / CYCE & Deacons Meetings (conference calls)
Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 PM
~ Mid-Week Lenten Service
online only
Sunday, March 29 at 10:30 AM
~ Fifth Sunday in Lent: FIRE, Rev. Rob Mark preaching / Worship & Music Meeting
Sunday, April 5, at 10:30 AM
~ All Ages Palm to Passion Sunday: Holy Week: TREE / Adult Ed Serpentino’s Restoration Process of our Stained Glass Windows / 2pm Climate Justice From a 5-Fingered Perspective: Protecting a Good & Sacred Earth with special guest Earl Tulley of the Diné (Navajo) Nation.
ONLINE GIVING
: During these days of altered worship where we may not be face-to-face and passing the offering plate, please keep in mind there are easy ways to give online. During these challenging times, we are extra grateful for tangible signs of generosity:
- Download free app: GIVEPLUS+ https://giveplushelp.vancopayments.com/
Then, type in our zip code 02116 to find Church of the Covenant,
then follow this link
, and you can set up regular payments or make then once at a time
WHOLE CHURCH READ: CLIMATE CHURCH, CLIMATE WORLD
: Our Climate Jubilee Team is kicking off our year with a “Whole Church Read.” The book we chose for that read is
Climate Church, Climate World
. The author is Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, who is a denominational leader, activist, and public theologian. He was the leader of the Massachusetts Conference UCC for 12 years and, beginning in 2018, he intensified his work as the UCC’s national spokesperson on climate change. He has even preached at Covenant. His book gives suggestions about how people of faith and their congregations can find ways to engage in this global challenge. We will hold our second of two discussions today at noon via zoom:
Meeting ID: 771 237 827
One tap mobile: +16468769923,,771237827# US (New York)
Dial by your location: +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
SUNDAY 10am: CHILDREN’S CIRCLE TIME
via zoom with Rev. Adam:
Meeting ID: 334 644 701
One tap mobile:
+16468769923,,334644701# US (New York)
Dial by your location: +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
NO BIBLE STUDY ON MARCH 15: Stay tuned for possible Zoom meeting.
MARCH POTLUCK POSTPONED
: As we limit access to Bates Hall, we have postponed our monthly potluck, and hope to have our next one on April 19.
THE ELEMENTS OF LENT: The 40-day season of Lent is once again upon us as a church, and we are excited about this year's theme.
Click here for more information, including details about special contemplative mid-week services.
PARISH ADMINISTRATOR:
Please note that Hillary Gabbidon in on leave through March 18, so we appreciate your extra patience on administrative requests. Please be in touch with Rev. Rob with administrative concerns during these weeks. Special thanks to church volunteers who are helping to provide coverage during this time.
40 ACTS OF GENEROSITY THIS LENT:
Sign up for this simple but profound daily discipline in practicing generosity brought to you by your Generosity Generators:
https://40acts.org.uk/
Big news -- GBIO Healthcare
In-district meetings with our Mass House Reps were enthusiastic, but not enough to move Speaker DeLeo or Ways and Means Chair Michlewitz or Majority Leader Mariano to agree to a meeting with us. In an ongoing effort to get Real Healthcare Reform, we will take our concerns to them! We will be calling for an Action on short notice for an upcoming Wed. 4/1 at 11 AM at the State House.
Holly will be sending out a multiple choice questionnaire so that you can indicate the level of action you are willing to take. You can come to the State House 4/1, or make a phone call with a script that day, and share a photograph for a board of virtual attendees.
This is time sensitive as the House ran out the clock on the budget process last year and seems intent on doing that again this year.
Finally, there are a few more In District meetings coming up, Coppinger will meet with his constituents March 25 at 7 at Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, 120 Corey St. West Roxbury. Is there anybody for Rep. Linsky in Wellesley?
We still need signed letters to your Reps. See Holly at the back of church or downstairs. Here is a live link to print from the letter from a PDF so that you can sign and bring to church or scan and email it back to Holly at
hollyhumphreys@verizon.net
.
UCC SUPER SATURDAY, MARCH 14:
Our UCC Conference hosts Super Saturday events twice a year to focus on skill building, networking together, and discussing best practices for being church. Each Super Saturday offers numerous workshops, a keynote address, worship, a marketplace of vendors and ideas and an opportunity for church leaders, both clergy and lay, to network with one another. This time the keynote speaker is Rabbi Elan Babchuck, founder of the Glean Network, whose work Covenant learned about from Rev. Julie. This event runs from about 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and will be in Wilbraham, MA. Check out
sneucc.org/supersaturday for all the info! We have 5 Covenant folks already attending.
Contact
Rev. Adam
or
Barbara Darling
if you're interested.
OUR OPEN SANCTUARY MINISTRY:
is recruiting volunteers for the 2020 season! For those unfamiliar with OS, we open our sanctuary to the public on select days from mid-April to November. Last year we received 17,500 visitors. Volunteers have rated this experience highly, with the unique opportunity to share our beautiful sanctuary with visitors from around the world. 2, 2.5 or 5-hour shifts on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays or Mondays are available. We will host a training for new volunteers on the evening of March 31. For more information, contact Simone DeVito, Karen Henry, or Betsy Groves.
OPEN SANCTUARY NEEDS A NEW/GENTLY-USED IPAD
:
with an updated operating system, preferably IOS 12.4.5 or higher. If anyone is willing to donate this item, please contact Simone DeVito, Karen Henry, or Betsy Groves.
THE FOOD PANTRY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS:
The Food Pantry is in need of volunteers. Volunteers greet our clients, do some basic record-keeping and help the clients choose from the food options available that day. The time commitment is only 2 hours, 10 AM to noon, once per month. We currently have openings on the first Saturday, the second Sunday and the third Sunday of the month. If you are interested in volunteering less frequently, we also need volunteers on the fifth Saturday or fifth Sunday of the month. If you have any interest in helping out please speak to Faith Perry. Thank you!
OUR NURSERY NEEDS BABY HOLDERS!
With many new babies in our nursery in the coming months, we are looking for a few folks who can assist in the nursery every now and then to help by holding and caring for the youngest members of our church community assisting our nursery care provider, Anita Goncalves. In keeping with our child safety policy, volunteers will need to complete a criminal background check. Please let Rev. Adam know if you would like to help!
20s-30s-40s GROUP AT COVENANT:
We have an active young adult group that meets regularly to share meals, visit sites around New England, and discuss how our faith motivates and guides us to live through this unique life stage. If you'd like to join us, or be added to the e-listserv, contact one of our group leaders: Kathryn Barry, Melissa Morgan, Tom Reid, or Rev. Adam at
youngadults@cotcbos.org
.
FAREWELL CELEBRATION FOR REV. WENDY VANDER HART
: After serving for a dozen years as the Associate Conference Minister for the Metropolitan Boston Association of the UCC, former Covenanter Rev. Wendy Vander Hart is moving on to a new position as Interim Senior Minister at First United Church of Christ in Northfield, MN. From Wendy: “This is a BIG change, since I have served the entire 33 years of my ministry in the Metropolitan Boston Association!” An event to say farewell and celebrate her ministry event will take place on Sunday, March 22nd at 5:30 pm at First Congregational Church in Winchester, 21 Church Street, Winchester. Those interested can register at this web address:
https://sneucc-reg.brtapp.com/WendyEvent
CREW INTERFAITH CLIMATE SUMMIT MOVING ONLINE
: Sunday March 29, 2:00-3:30 pm, this is moving online. More info will be sent when given.
THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE COVENANT NEWS
can be read online
here
.
