Creating community, championing justice and growing with God.


ANNOUNCEMENTS
July 2, 2020


PRAYER LIST

Our prayer list is here to help. Please pray for: Joan Strout, Debbie Hayden, Ginnie Toner, Edna Cushing, Bob Stewart, Fran Paris, Debbie Heater, Randy Libby, Phil Haskell, Anne Bencks, Bob McEvoy, Phil Lucas, the family and friends of Dennis Freeman, and the family and friends of Dennis Gervais.



WOODFORDS MOURNS
Dennis Freeman

Woodfords mourns the passing of Dennis Freeman, father of Maret Freeman. Dennis died on June 7 in Iowa. We hold Maret and her family in our hearts and prayers during this difficult time.



WOODFORDS MOURNS
Dennis Gervais

Woodfords mourns the death of Dennis Gervais, loving husband of Betsy and father of Emily, Andrew and Abigail Kate. We pray that Betsy, the children and all their family and friends find peace and comfort during this difficult time.
WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT FEEDS YOUR SPIRIT

Due to Rev. Alyssa being on furlough between July 4 and 11, there will be no Zoom worship this week. Instead, Rev. Alyssa and the Growing with God ministry team encourage you to participate in worship at another church. Some links to potential worship opportunities are listed below, but feel free to attend church wherever you would like.
We would love to learn more about how our siblings in faith are nurturing their souls during these days of COVID-19. If you participate in another faith community’s worship activities, please take a few moments during or after the service to jot down a few notes in response to the following questions:

  1. What kind of worship did you participate in? Was it a Zoom session? A live-streamed worship service that was happening as you watched? A pre-recorded service that you watched at your own convenience?
  2. What elements or aspects of the worship service helped you feel especially close to the Holy?
  3. What elements or aspects of the worship service helped you feel connected to the community?

You can send your notes and feedback to worship@woodfordschurch.org.

As Rev. Alyssa and the Growing with God ministry team design future worship and spiritual growth opportunities at Woodfords, they will be gathering your insights about what feeds your spirit. You’ll have opportunities to offer additional feedback in the future. We look forward to further conversation.

Worship Opportunities at Other Churches

(This list came in large part from the website of the Maine Conference, UCC.)

Live Streamed (i.e., online worship is happening live, as you watch)

Zoom Meetings

Pre-Recorded (i.e., a pre-recorded worship service that you watch online on your own schedule – kind of like Woodfords’ intergenerational worship services)
REV. SCOTT DEBLOCK SUBBING FOR REV. ALYSSA
July 4 through July 10

Scott DeBlock – the interim minister at State Street Church here in Portland – has kindly agreed to provide emergency pastoral coverage for Woodfords during the week Rev. Alyssa is out on furlough (July 4-10). We are thankful to him for his willingness to minister to the Woodfords community in this way.
 
Scott has agreed to be on call July 4 through July 10. If someone from Woodfords has a pastoral emergency while I am away, Scott’s contact information is as follows:
 
Thank you Scott!



CHURCH STAFF SCHEDULES IN JULY

As you may know, the church staff will be on furlough in July:
  • Rev. Alyssa: July 4 – 10 (please see article above about pastoral support during Rev. Alyssa’s absence)
  • Paul Schnell: July 4 – 10 on furlough and July 11 – 17 on vacation
  • Teri Coviello: July 6-17 (please send announcements to Maureen Topa at mtopa@woodfordschurch.org)
  • Louise Shaw: July 20 – 31
A MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES BY REV. TAMARA TORRES MCGOVERN
Reflection in the Water 

A couple of weeks ago, on the longest (and possibly hottest) day of the year, my family and I took a day trip to Songo Pond. My child has never shown much interest in water (the once-a-week bath is aspirational at best). We have joked that she takes after my partner who likes water about as much as the average housecat. I, on the other hand, have always suspected I might be part mermaid. When on land I often feel oversized and clumsy. But in the water I grow sleek and confident like a seal, each curve bolstering my buoyancy as it glistens in the sun.
I have felt this way for as long as I can recall. My favorite childhood memories ripple with the taste and feel of the various bodies of water I swam in: the sharp smell of the over-chlorinated pools where our swim team practiced, the salty taste of my lips after a swim in the Mediterranean Sea, the cool relief of floating in sweet West Virginia pond water after a sweaty hike, the pebbled bottom of the Vermont lake where we tried to perfect crooked handstands while our mothers swapped stories the dock. Each of these memories evokes a feeling of absolute peace verging on the sacred. Even in my atheist younger years, the idea of Holy Water made perfect sense to me. 
 
So, you can imagine my thrill when this year something changed for my child. From the moment our feet touched the water she seemed curious and unafraid. And once she got the hang of her water wings, she was unstoppable. "Mami, go! I am swimming by myself!" she declared over and over again as she kicked her little feet and blinked the water from her toddler eyelashes. After six hours we finally had to drag her back to shore, promising we would return again soon. 
 
On the ride home, as the sun finally began to tilt toward the horizon, I sent up a prayer of gratitude. I gave thanks for this longest day of this very strange year when a child and her mother felt God's embrace in the healing of water. 
 
Questions for Reflection:
  • What is a summer memory that brings you joy? If it is one you share with others, how would it feel to reach out and reminisce together?
  • Where do you find peace? What does it look, sound, smell and taste like? How might you find time to connect with that peace in the coming days?
  • During these longest days of the year, what parts of YOUR life feel bathed in light? What remains in the shadows?
JOIN WOODFORDS CHURCH & SHAMBHALA FOR A 4-WEEK INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

Have you always been interested in meditation but didn’t know where to start? Maybe you felt a little uncomfortable stepping into a meditation space or even worried that it would be difficult? Would you like to learn how to meditate from the comfort of your own home and in the process, gain useful tools to help you navigate these difficult times?
Woodfords Church, together with the Maine Shambhala Meditation Center, is offering a four week session that will gently guide you through an introduction to meditation. Each one-hour session will include a guided meditation and a quiet meditation followed by a time for discussion. The sessions will be held during the week, either 8-9 in the morning or in early evening, and will be led by Kit St. John. Please see Kit’s bio below.

We will only be able to offer the program if we have enough interest. Please contact the office to let Teri know that you would like to participate and whether you would prefer morning or early evening. Or just to ask a question if you aren’t sure! Most likely the program will start in late July or early August. A minimal donation will be requested, but all are welcome, donation or not. We will get back to everyone once the logistics have been decided.

“COVID 19 is imposing on all of us unaccustomed space in our lives. Sitting meditation can be a way to welcome space and learn to “rest our minds” in our natural resilience when not knowing what is going to come next.” —Kit St. John
Christopher (“Kit”) St. John

Christopher (“Kit”) St. John was introduced to silent sitting in Quaker meetings of the New England Friends yearly meeting in 1953, and China Lake Friends Camp. In 1982 he received formal meditation instruction at a one-day session led by Zen master Taizan Maesumi Roshi (Kit was a founding member of the Brunswick (ME) Dharma study group in 1985). Kit became a meditation instructor in 1989 and attended a three month retreat at Vajradhatu Seminary in 1990. He has served in many positions at the Brunswick/Portland Shambhala Center including Director of Practice and Education, and since 1995, Resident Director of Shambhala Training. He was a member of the Karme Choling Meditation Center Board of Directors from 2000-2005 and was appointed Shastri by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in 2016.

Kit was a staff attorney at Pine Tree Legal Assistance from 1975-1994 and the founding director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy from 1994-2011. From 2011-2017 he consulted with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington DC, assisting state groups advocating for tax and budget policies that promote social welfare and fiscal balance.
CONTEMPLATION, CONVERSATION, AND ACTION(?) SERIES: SPIRITUALITY, FAITH, AND THE QUEST FOR RACIAL JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES

Meeting 1: 
  • Tuesday, July 14
  • 6:30 - 8:00 pm 
  • Zoom Login Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/94423424609
  • Meeting Number: 944 2342 4609
  • Meeting Password: 284880
  • Reading: “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From Alyssa: Given all that currently is going on in the United States, I would like to host a series of conversations about spirituality, faith, and the question for racial justice in our nation—in part because I recognize my own need for dialogue partners as I’m processing these important concerns. I imagine that this learning series will take place over several months, and that conversations will be grounded in shared experiences, such as reading a common book or watching a common film.

In my mind, the program will include several components. First, participants will contemplate the content they have consumed on their own. Next, we will gather in a group for conversation about the content. Finally, the activities of contemplating and conversing may lead some program participants to consider taking action—but other program participants may not feel that same call. One ground rule of the group will be that there will be no expectations: I want this series to offer opportunities for honest, non-judgmental learning that is unburdened by preordained or hoped-for outcomes.

Rather than dictating what we read, watch, discuss, and do, I would like to gather the Woodfords community’s input about what might prove most helpful. If you might like to participate in this series and help shape it, please click the link below to go to a registration page where you can indicate your interest.


Our first conversation will take place on Tuesday, July 14. We will discuss the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and then plan what to read or watch next. You may access a copy of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by clicking the “Get the Reading” button above.

I look forward to learning with you.
Alyssa
WOODFORDS BOOK CLUB
& JULY BOOK
 
Although this group began as part of the Senior Program [AKA Grant Fund], it is now open to anyone in the church who would like to read and discuss various books. We read all sorts of things depending on interests of the group. So, if you like to read and have time in the afternoon, one day a month, we welcome you to join us!
 
The next book club meeting is Wednesday, July 8 at 3 pm. 

Join this meeting via Zoom:
Dial in by phone:
  • +1 929 205 6099 US
  • Meeting ID: 974 2458 6900
On July 8, the Woodfords book group will be discussing The Overstory by Richard Powers. This is the second in a series of books spanning the time from before WWI to mid WWII.
 
Summary: The novel is about nine Americans whose unique life experiences with trees bring them together to address the destruction of forests. Powers was inspired to write the work while teaching at Stanford University after he encountered giant redwood trees for the first time.
 
Looking ahead: If you are interested in book club for next month as well, we will meet again on August 12 to discuss The Book of Joy.
 
If you would like to be added to emails regarding book group activities, or if you have any questions, contact Suzanne D’Bourget at suzannedb@me.com or 329-1444.
WEEKLY OFFERTORY PLATE

We know that many of you give in the offering plate on Sundays. If you would like to continue doing this while we are worshipping via Zoom, we have made it easy for you. Please click here to go to the Woodfords Church Giving Form: https://woodfordschurch.wufoo.com/forms/r16ngkzv0ska2jh/. You will see a field for Plate Offering/Non-Pledge Giving and you can enter an amount of your choice. Please contact the office with any questions you may have ( info@woodfordschurch.org). Thank you.



WEEKLY OFFERING ENVELOPES
The new weekly offering envelopes - starting July 2020 - have been ordered and will arrive in late June. We will send out a notice by email once they have arrived. Please call Louise and arrange a time to go into the building to pick up your envelopes. She can be reached at 207-774-8243, Ext 106.

If you didn’t use envelopes in the past, but would like to start using them, we always have additional unused sets and would be happy to give you one. Please let the office know ( tcoviello@woodfordschurch.org).



SUBMITTING AN ANNOUNCEMENT?
Are you submitting an article for the announcements? Please take a moment to read the following guidelines…
  • Submit your proofed article, including a title, by Tuesday at noon.
  • Send the article to: mtopa@woodfordschurch.org AND info@woodfordschurch.org.
  • Specify how many weeks you want the article to run (or a date by which it should be removed)
  • If you have an image for the article, please attach it to your email.
If you have any questions about the above, please contact mtopa@woodfordschurch.org.
Thank you!
RING THE BELLS IN THE SUMMERTIME (OR LONGER!)

Missing the Woodfords music scene? Can’t sing in a choir right now?

Want to try something new — and/or get out of the house in the evening?

How about ringing some handbells for a few weeks in the summer?
Handbell composers have arranged some new music for “Social Distancing” bell ringing. Small ensembles are being developed with 4-6 players.

Players read music off of individual folders and music stands — and the sharing of bells is very, very limited.

COME JOIN IN THE FUN!  

It will lift your spirits to be part of this great group of musicians.

When: Thursday Evenings in the Woodfords Church Cloister, 7-8 pm
Group II, A brand new group: RINGERS II 

NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NEEDED!

All ages Welcome!

Activity Rehearsal Dates: June 25, July 2, July 16, July 23, and July 30
August –TBA!

Short term or long term commitments welcome!

If interested, and want more details, please contact:
Paul Schnell, Music Director
Woodfords Church
207 727 6562 (HM)
FAMILIES OF WOODFORDS SURVEY

Hello Woodfords Families:

As the pandemic lengthens many of us are creating new daily patterns just to survive this time. Young families are being particularly challenged as we struggle to balance work, school, and the physical, social and spiritual needs of our kids. If your family looks like mine, the daily chaos leaves little additional time or energy for reflection and connection with yourself, your partner or with any kind of faith practice. And yet, our families may need spiritually grounding now more than ever.

Woodfords Congregational Church, in partnership with other area UCC churches, is looking for ways to connect with and support youth and families in the coming year. As such, we have created a survey where families can give us HONEST feedback about what, if any, programming might work for them. This is a short, multiple choice survey and will take 5 minutes of your time max. Your feedback will be hugely helpful!
Please participate here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CB6LKR5
If you have any further questions or additional suggestions, don't hesitate to reach out!

—Rev. Tamara
ttorresmcgovern@woodfordschurch.org
(207)653-8749
WOODFORDS TAKES A SMALL STEP TOWARD REOPENING

The pandemic has brought about many changes that no one could have thought possible even a few months ago, including the closing of the Woodfords Congregational Church building. Our members, friends and renters have all been affected by this sudden and ongoing life-altering change. As the state moves into its initial stages of reopening, the Church officers have been meeting weekly to review Maine CDC guidelines, Governor Mills’ executive orders and Portland City Council mandates in order to recommend how to begin to "reopen" the building in a safe and prudent way. Please see the guidelines below for when and how people can begin to meet in a limited way at the church…
Starting June 15, gatherings of small groups may meet at Woodfords Church if the following guidelines are met:
  • The group should be 10 or fewer people
  • The preferred meeting space is outside in Memorial Garden (2nd option is the Cloister)
  • The entrance into and out of the building should be from the Beacon Street door
  • The designated restroom is the large accessible restroom in the Narthex
  • Masks should be worn at all times and a social distance of 6 feet should be maintained
  • Attendees should bring their own chairs if meeting in Memorial Garden due to limited seating
  • The group organizer is responsible for doing the following:
  • 1) Contacting the office (info@woodfordschurch.org) to book the gathering
  • 2) Providing the office with an attendance list for purposes of contact tracing
  • *If there are any attendees who are not members/friends of WCC, the organizer should make sure he or she has their contact information.
  • 3) Making sure he or she has the Beacon Street door code (different to the Parish House code)
GOT SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? WANT TO TALK ABOUT A JOY OR CONCERN? HAVE A PRAYER REQUEST?

If you would like to schedule time for a pastoral care conversation with Rev. Alyssa, do not hesitate to be in touch ( alodewick@woodfordschurch.org ). She would be happy to talk via Zoom or the phone – and may even begin physically-distanced visits sometime this summer.

Also, Alyssa is always open to receiving prayer requests. Drop her a line with a description of what you’d like her to pray for – and don’t forget to indicate if you would also like your prayer request to be added to the Woodfords prayer list. (Alyssa’s default is to hold all prayer requests she receives as confidential, unless the requestor explicitly says otherwise.)
WOODFORDS APPROACH TO RE-OPENING THE BUILDING

As Maine begins to gradually reopen, we know that Woodfords members are curious to know how and when we plan to bring back some of our in-person activities. The Woodfords Officers have been talking weekly to wrestle with the many complex issues that are involved. We want to maintain health and safety but we also know that we are a much-needed community resource.

We have broken the conversation down into three categories of building use:
  • Spaces that are rented to mission partners for their exclusive use (e.g. PCM on the third floor, Stages in the gym)
  • Spaces that are shared by multiple groups (bathrooms, hallways, certain meeting rooms)
  • Spaces that are used only by Woodfords staff and members

We are discussing each type of space separately. For each category we are thinking through how we can minimize risk and still allow us (and our partners) to provide their services to the community. So far we are using guidelines from the Governor, Maine CDC, Wisconsin Council of Churches, and professional performing arts organizations (among others) to inform our discussions. We also anticipate guidance within the next two weeks from the Maine Conference of the UCC and the Maine Council of Churches.

At this point, we have no plans to resume in-person Sunday worship services through at least July. The available science shows that the riskiest activities are when a group of individuals are contained for an hour or more in an indoor space or engaged in talking loudly or singing. Not only does our traditional worship format involve all of these things, we are also a high-risk population with so many of our active members over the age of 50. And we are in the area of the state that has the highest level of community transmission. Thus we have already decided that we will take a conservative approach when it comes to Sunday worship. Before we can resume, we will need to be satisfied that we have adequate cleaning and ventilation in place to do so safely with appropriate social distancing, and that the prevalence of the virus in Cumberland County is under control. We may have a different approach toward other Church activities that involve smaller groups, outdoor spaces, and/or lower-risk groups within our membership.

We will remain in touch about the progress of these conversations. As the state guidance becomes clearer and summer unfolds, we will continue to think about ways to get back to our priorities and Church mission. We also expect that we may have to find new and creative ways to get back to business. We will welcome your input as those conversations and plans evolve.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS CAMPAIGN

COVID-19 and the economic downturn may be creating hardships, but they also are creating opportunities for us to help one another. We invite you to consider making a special gift to Woodfords’ “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” campaign.
Woodfords will send 75% of the money collected through this special offering directly to Preble Street. The remaining 25% of collected funds will be added to the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund, which helps provide resources for people during difficult times. Due to rising levels of unemployment and underemployment, Pastor Alyssa anticipates that the church will receive an increased number of requests for assistance in upcoming months.

If you would like to participate in the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” offering, please click here to PAY ONLINE or send a check to the church office (202 Woodfords Street, Portland, ME 04103) with a note on the MEMO line. Gifts of every size will help! We’ll keep tabs on the collective generosity of the Woodfords community and report back in a few weeks. Thank you.
UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS!

In addition to birthdays in the monthly Beacon, we have decided to include upcoming birthdays here as well. Let's keep connecting—whether digitally or by snail mail—and maintain the spirit of WCC!

Constance Smith 7/05 • Harold Sprague 7/05
Grace Belanger 7/06 • James Fletcher 7/07
CHAIRYOGA-PRAYERYOGA
TUESDAY AT 10 AM VIA ZOOM

ALL ARE WELCOME!
 
Join us for a gentle and contemplative hour of centering, chair-based yoga, and community check ins. All you need is a stable chair and some comfortable clothes. Everyone is welcome!
 
What: Chair-Yoga and Meditation Led by Rev. Tamara
When: July 7 at 10 am EST & Every Tuesday (until otherwise announced)

Where: Participate in this Zoom Meeting by following the link below:

Meeting ID: 278 121 743; Password: 345479

How: Once there you will be asked if you want to allow this page to open zoom.us? Click "Allow." You will then be asked if you would like to enable computer audio. Also allow that if you would like to be able to speak/greet others. Once you do these things you will appear in the meeting and everyone will be able to see you, and you them!
PODCAST AND CONVERSATION THIS
FRIDAY VIA ZOOM
New Time! 10 am

ALL ARE WELCOME!

This week's podcast features Jason Reynolds who was appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress in January 2020 . His many award-winning books include Ghost, Long Way Down, and Look Both Ways. His most recent book is Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.
Please listen here:

What: Podcast and Conversation Group Led by Rev. Tamara

When: Friday, July 3, 2020 at 10 am EST & Every Friday (until otherwise announced )

Where: Participate in this Zoom Meeting by following the link below:

Meeting ID: 997 9870 5407; Password: 656465

How: Once there you will be asked if you want to allow this page to open zoom.us? Click "Allow." You will then be asked if you would like to enable computer audio. Also allow that if you would like to be able to speak/greet others. Once you do these things you will appear in the meeting and everyone will be able to see you, and you them!
JOIN WCC ON INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE!

In addition to Facebook, Woodfords has an Instagram page and YouTube channel. More ways to connect to our church and community! Find photos, new and old, on our Instagram page and worship services on the WCC YouTube channel.

Follow us on Instagram here:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here:
WOODFORDS HAS A FACEBOOK GROUP

Looking for an additional way to stay in touch with your Woodfords family during these days of social distancing? We’ve set up a Facebook Group to promote connection among members of the Woodfords Church Community.

It is a place to not only strengthen our relationships with the Holy and one another, but also to talk about our experiences, support each another, build hope, and receive inspiration. (And let's not forget the importance of sharing spirit-lifting, humorous videos of cats, dogs, and other favorite animals—humans included!) To access the group, CLICK HERE.



ZOOM TRAINING MATERIALS

During the upcoming weeks, Woodfords Church will hold its gatherings and meetings via Zoom. Zoom is an online platform for video- and audio-conferencing. If you are new to Zoom and/or need to become comfortable with it, here are some notes:

  • A Zoom account is not required to attend a meeting. If you plan to host a meeting, you will need an account. However, to simply join a Woodfords meeting, no account is necessary.
  • To join a meeting by computer, your computer needs to have a webcam and microphone. If you prefer to join the meeting by telephone, you will need the teleconferencing number provided in the invite.
  • If you don't wish to have an account, all you need to do to participate is click on the link for the meeting and you will be prompted to launch Zoom.
  • If you do wish to create an account, it's a good idea to do so before a meeting. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with Zoom before the meeting begins.
WOODFORDS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
t: 207-774-8243
www.woodfordschurch.org