|
|
The bi-weekly newsletter of Barrington Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. |
|
|
|
|
|
Make sure you see ALL of this newsletter |
Some platforms (including gmail) will only show some of this email and then provide a small link to click at the cut-off point to see the remainder. So you don't miss anything and will know that you've seen everything there is to see, the words THE END! in green letters are at the very end.
|
|
Church Office is CLOSED until further notice.
There are still no in-person worship services, meetings or activities at church until further notice and both building remain closed, so please do not enter.
Some things are happening virtually as listed below:
Thurs, Aug 13
1 pm Moving Forward team meets via Zoom
Fri, Aug 14
Linda on call for pastoral emergencies
Sun, Aug 16
10:30 am CEYM meeting via Zoom
Tues, Aug 18
11 am Staff meeting via Zoom
7 pm Search Committee meets via Zoom
Wed, Aug 19
7 pm Mission and Justice Team meet via Zoom
Fri, Aug 21
Dale on call for pastoral emergencies
Sun, Aug 23
Tues, Aug 25
9:30 am Book Group meet via Zoom
11 am Staff meeting via Zoom
2 pm Worship Technology Team meet via Zoom
Wed, Aug 26
Deadline for the next eBridge
Fri, Aug 28
Linda on call for pastoral emergencies
Sat, Aug 29
10 am Chancel Team meet
Sun, Aug 30
|
|
Sundays, August 16th & 23rd |
|
During the summer all of the information needed for worship will be shown on the screen during the service, and there is no bulletin.
|
|
Sermon series on the Gospels continues |
Dale’s four week series on The Gospels has so far covered Mark and Matthew and will continue with Luke and John on August 16 and 23. Dale discusses what makes each Gospel unique, who wrote it, and what specifically it might have to say to us. Please join us online at 9:30 am on Sundays (or watch the recording later). See above for links
|
|
On Sunday, August 16th:
One arrangement is given by Susan and Howard Rotblat-Walker in memory of their granddaughter, Julie Alice Rotblat.
The other arrangement is given by Jane Tonn and family in loving memory of her husband Douglas.
On Sunday, August 23rd:
Both arrangements are given by Liz Rosenholm in honor of her husband Ozzie and the heroes that kept him well during this pandemic
|
|
Birthdays being celebrated |
The week of August 16th: Jesse Azevedo, Brittany DiOrio, Grace Mole, Julia Mole, Jake Slye, Marcy Wemple, Steve Cipoletti, Deb Clarke, Matthew Mason, Doug Dubel, and Jonah Forman
The week of August 23rd: Vivian Peters, Larry Ashley, Alison Fodor, Nancy Brex. Sydney Forman, Linda Marshall, and Cheryl Muth.
|
|
Amy Barkat (star deacon), Steve Fodor, Joe Judge, Pat Stoddard, Carol Strakosch, Jane Tonn, Nancy Arena, and Lory McCoy. In a pastoral emergency if you cannot reach either of our ministers, please reach out to one of our deacons. |
|
Please send prayer requests to Dale during August |
Deadline for submitting prayers to be included in worship is 8 am Sunday morning. You can leave a message on the church’s answering machine (401) 246-0111. With Linda taking some time off in August (see below), emailed prayer requests should be sent to Dale at dale@bcucc.org Please be sure that the person you are lifting up is comfortable with them reading your prayer to the whole community, and consider using first names only.
|
|
Linda will be taking vacation |
Our associate minister, the Rev. Linda Hartley will be on vacation again from Monday, August 17th – Sunday, August 23rd.
|
|
Do you understand computer networks? How good are you with troubleshooting servers or managing web clients? Your BCCUCC office could use some technical support. Over the years we have increased the technology in our office substantially. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t always play nice and often needs to be updated, upgraded, or tweaked. This can take a significant amount of time for our office staff who would otherwise be doing the work they were hired for. This is especially true when they spend hours on hold with paid tech support trying to learn how to fix something. It would be great to have a layperson from our church who is technologically savvy enough to be our “go to” person with computer, network, and website issues. Are you that person? You would need to have time to help us, be able to respond relatively quickly (within a day or so at most), and possibly be willing to come into the office and make some hands on changes. If you are able to help, please reach out to Dale at dale@bccucc.org. Thanks!!
|
|
Problems with our email resolved |
If you tried emailing any of the church staff xxx@bccucc.org in late July or early August and experienced either the email bouncing or you never heard anything back from the recipient, it was because our website host was experiencing problems with their email system and some emails to us weren’t getting through. Our email account was finally fixed on August 6th and hopefully you’ve experienced no problems since then. If you do, please let us know by calling the church office at (401) 246-0111. Thank you. |
|
2020-2021 Church Calendar available online |
Our online church calendar has been updated for the upcoming church year and can be viewed at http://bccucc.view-events.com Please be aware that it’s not been noted on the calendar whether worship, meetings or events will be virtual or in person. This is because – except in the near future - we don’t yet know. Calendars that appear in the Announcements and the eBridge will make the location (virtual or in person) clear.
The church calendar is never set in stone – and this is especially true this year! Please keep the office updated of any meetings or activities planned, or any changes in what’s been scheduled, so that the calendar can always be kept up-to-date. Send calendar information to Christine at office@bccucc.org or (401) 246-0111. Thank you.
|
|
If you missed reading Dale's latest blog titled "How can we remain connected?" (sent 8-6-20) you can find it at this link where previous blogs are also available for reading. The zoom discussion on 'Building Connections' mentioned in Dale's blog has already taken place. There was great conversation and a summary and response to it should appear in the next eBridge. Thanks to all who participated. |
|
All are invited to paint rocks |
More painted rocks are needed to go around the base of the Peace Pole which will soon be ‘planted’ on the church property. Rocks painted with sayings, pictures, slogans etc can be left in the container on the patio behind Fellowship Hall. If you have any questions or need ideas, please contact Andrea at andrea@bccucc.org or 246-0111 ext 107.
Editor's note: If you type 'painted rocks' into Google Images you'll find lots of pictures of painted rocks to give you some ideas. Or click on this link for some helpful advice.
|
|
Looking for a way to help during the pandemic? |
In their last newsletter, TAP-In offered this suggestion (and yes, that's Charlie and Lory McCoy’s farm they are talking about):
“TAP-IN supports the RI Food Bank activities and one way is by volunteering at the McCoy Community Farm in Warren. (https://rifoodbank.org/mccoy-farm-harvests-hope/) Fresh produce and vegetables are available to TAP-IN's clients because of volunteers who go to the farm on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. They can always use more help. If you would like to join those volunteers, please contact Poppy Silva 245-3030 and/or Jane Ryan at 245-1975 for more information.”
|
|
TAPIN is accepting donations - but only certain items |
TAPIN is accepting donations of the following items only at this time: non-perishable foods items, pots and pans, and household linens. While the basement of the library building is undergoing renovations, TAPIN has relocated to Barrington Presbyterian Church, 400 County Rd, Barrington and is open from 9 am - Noon, Monday - Friday.
|
|
Do you know someone in our church who is unable to watch our online worship services, but would like to? |
If so, please forward their names to the church office office@bccucc.org. We will then put them in touch with a friendly Tech-Support member of the church who will talk with them and see if there is a way we could help get them get connected. If you yourself are having problems watching the worship service, and would like some help, please let us know and we'll do our best to help.
|
|
Upgrading? Donate your old iPad! |
The church would be glad to repurpose your old iPad for someone who’d like to be more active in our church-online community but may not have the equipment they need. Contact the office office@bccucc.org to arrange a donation. Thank you.
|
|
Church groups invite you to join them |
|
The Book Group will meet virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, August 25th at 9:30 am. They will discuss Chances are… by Richard Russo. “Russo's first standalone novel in a decade (after Everybody's Fool) mixes his signature themes-father-and-son relationships, unrequited love, New England small-town living, and the hiccups of aging - with stealthy clue-dropping in a slow-to-build mystery about a young woman's 1971 disappearance.” (Publisher’s Weekly). F or more information about the group, contact Helen Schall at helenschall@hotmail.com or 245-4724. All are welcome to participate. For security reasons, the zoom information is not included in this version of the newsletter that appears on our website or on Facebook, but was in the eBridge email sent to the congregation.
|
|
Knitting for Others group |
No longer able to get together in person, this group of knitters has been meeting virtually each month. Their next get-together is scheduled for Tuesday, September 1st at 7 pm via Zoom. All knitters and crocheters are invited and new faces are very welcome – so do join in! For more information on the group, contact Nancy Arena at 401 246-0212 or nancy.arena@outlook.com For security reasons, the zoom information is not included in this version of the newsletter that appears on our website or on Facebook, but was in the eBridge email sent to the congregation.
|
|
From your Mission and Justice Team |
|
Our Faith, Our Vote, Our Voices |
Barrington will NOT be holding a primary election in September as none of the seats are being contested.
Officials are busy preparing for the general election set for Tuesday, November 3rd. Anyone interested in becoming a poll worker in Barrington should contact the town clerk’s office at 247-1900 ext 1. Also, anyone who wants to fill out a mail ballot application can do so - see below.
|
|
Pay attention to the deadlines, give election officials time to do everything properly. Your vote matters.
|
|
Helping others during the pandemic |
|
Keep up to date with SNEUCC |
|
What's happening at the Conference level? |
The Southern New England Conference, UCC (SNEUCC), publishes several newsletters - one of which comes out weekly and is titled '5 Things to Know and Share'. Read the latest edition at this link and sign up to subscribe and get it sent to your inbox.
Click on this link to see the archive of all of the different SNEUCC newsletters - and subscribe to any that are of interest to you.
|
|
A reminder that the church buildings remain closed until further notice. If you need to drop something off, or have asked to pick something up, the items can be deposited or retrieved from the white wooden “Church Mailbox” that’s located at the top of the stairs by the office entrance, next to the boiler room door. We ask that people not enter the building. Thank you. |
|
Stay connected with each other - and call the ministers if needed |
During this time of separation, we are all encouraged to keep in touch with each other. If there’s someone in the church you’d like to reach out to - maybe someone living alone - but you don’t have their contact information, please call the church office and leave a message (401 246-0111 x 101) or email office@bccucc.org Christine will then get their contact information to you.
If you’re in the hospital, a nursing home or rehab, or you’re simply staying home, but would like a visit with a minister, please don’t hesitate to call them and they’ll be happy to visit with you over the phone. Their numbers are Dale (401) 246-0111 x 103; Linda (401) 246-0111 x 104. Leave a message and they'll get back to you. (Note: Linda will be on vacation from Aug 17-23).
|
|
Ways to watch our live-streams |
We are doing our live-streams using Zoom and 'Facebook Live' and there are two places to watch it online:
- On the church’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/bccucc
- On the church's webpage www.bccucc.org at the 'BCCUCC live-stream' link from the home page, where the feed will be embedded.
For Facebook live, simply go to www.facebook.com/bccucc to watch. You don't need a Facebook account to see it. If you do have an account, search for the church's Facebook Page which is 'Barrington Congregational Church UCC'. If you 'Like' our page you should then get our news feeds, and also be able to comment on our posts and the live feeds. Once on the church's Facebook page, you will need to click on 'posts' or 'videos' to find the live feed, or watch the recording later.
If you're not able to watch live, you can watch a recording later, on the live-stream page of our website.
|
|
The office is closed but you can still reach us |
|
Until further notice, the church office will remain closed. However you can still be in touch with the ministers and staff. You can either send an email or leave a message on the answering machine at the person's extension. Both emails and voice mail messages will be checked regularly. Our contact information is:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
