Dear Church Family,
With all that is going on in our world right now it has been hard to sit down and map out a newsletter for the month of June. So, here we are, on the 15th of June, and you’re finally, getting it!
It’s hard to decide what to focus on in a newsletter. Programs are up in the air, human contact is minimal, and yet the need for togetherness, during these tumultuous times, seems at an all-time high. We will trust that God’s Spirit will guide us, and by that I mean, sometimes, that the Spirit will guide us into uncharted waters and other times God’s Spirit will guide us to have conversations and seek wisdom from each other.
Here’s an attempt to make sense of the coming month.
Peace, Pastor Seth
|
|
Plans for Reopening Worship
Worshiping Together: A week ago Governor Murphy adjusted some guidelines when it came to religious services. We are now permitted to gather with 100 people outside or with 50 people inside. This is all to be done with social distancing and masks. The elders and deacons and pastors do feel that it is time to start encouraging people to be together—though, troublingly, it is also a time where we want those who are most vulnerable not to come together—at least not yet.
June 21st, June 28th, July 5th and July 12th we intend to worship outside, at 9:30 in the morning
, and to adhere to the maximum number permitted for gatherings…which is 100. We are partly interested in being outside because we are permitted to sing (with masks on). When we move inside singing is a much more complicated matter. A group of scientists and doctors in our church, who are advising us, have expressed deep concern about indoor singing—until there is more evidence about how this can be done safely. Indoor singing seems to be a ‘super spreader’ of COVID-19. If there is bad weather any of these days, in-person worship will be cancelled and worship will be on-line only.
We will continue to post services online, though they won’t be available on Saturday night anymore. The quality of the online services won’t be as good (at least on June 21st) because we are simply recording and posting the live service itself, at it unfolds. We won’t be in a position to edit it. It will be posted to youtube on the church website, so if you don’t have Facebook you can view it there by late morning on Sunday.
We will decide, after the 21st, if we will, additionally, create an online worship service that is ‘studio quality’, as we’ve done now for the past 13 Sundays. It is far easier for the leadership of the church if the recorded Sunday morning service would suffice, but we will be attentive to the quality to make sure those worshiping from home have a meaningful experience of worship.
We invite individuals and family to bring your own chairs if you are able, or, as you arrive, to find an available chair. We will set them out (with gloves) in the morning.
We will not offer children’s worship or nursery at this time, so please bring art supplies from home or whatever your children might need. We recognize this is not ideal but given the circumstances we feel that it is safest.
As we slowly begin to meet in person, we ask that you join with us in the following ways of showing that we care for each other:
- If you feel sick at all please stay home and call your doctor
- Please maintain social distance whenever you are at church or anywhere in public
- Please wear a mask
- If the number of people at any given church event has reached maximum capacity, anyone arriving will be asked to go home and come back for the next scheduled event
- Please make the best choice for you and your family. If you or anyone in your home is immunocompromised and you do not plan to attend in-person services, please continue to stay in touch with us via phone, email and by participating in events on-line.
Please watch your email later this week. We will write again with more information and when we have a more accurate weather forecast. We hope and pray that these measures give you a level of certainty that we are taking things seriously!
|
|
Plans for Reopening the Building
Over the next few weeks we will be meeting, individually, with all the groups that utilize the church (those run by church members and those run by other organizations). We will discuss reopening with them and think about what is safe and possible. If a group appears able to meet the guidelines we will invite them back in. Guidelines include 1) wearing a mask always in the building; 2) sanitizing a room as you go in and as you leave; and 3) strictly adhering the numbers guidelines that we make that are distinct for each room and space.
A few things that will start right away:
- Global Grace Cafe will reopen as a cafe, with outdoor seating in front of the church, starting June 22nd. We will continue to serve meals delivered to the homeless through the end of June. After June we will return to our ‘complimentary meal’ system where individuals can come to the cafe for free food during open hours.
- Small bible studies and support groups and English Classes can begin starting June 22nd. We will limit rooms for such usage to the Quilt Rm and Parlor. It is our feeling that these spaces are the only ones that truly allow for social distancing.
- June 22nd the Thrift Shop will reopen, with a maximum of 10 customers in the shop at any one time. It may take extra volunteer help for us to manage the Thrift Shop. Please reach out to the church office to learn more.
|
|
Special Plans for June 20-21: THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN
One of the most important national movements that has been highlighting many of the racial, social and economic justice issues of our day is
The Poor Peoples Campaign
. Under the leadership of Bishop Rev. William Barber faith communities and communities of good will have mapped out a series of policy demands for the nation. This campaign, inspired by Martin Luther King’s Poor People’s Campaign of 1968, cut off by his assassination, will have a
virtual March on Washington on Saturday, June 20th, 2020
.
If you are ready to listen to the voices of those who have been oppressed here, but who also are people of hope, join the virtual March on Washington and encourage others to as well.
RCHP Worship, on June 21st, is being crafted with an eye toward the Poor People’s Campaign. At all levels of society we need to be in the mode of listening to truth and hope. On June 21st, rather than a sermon, there will be a series of testimonies from those who have direct experience with some of the major issues of our day.
|
|
Major Building Renovations and Transformations
The property committee has been hard at work throughout this season. During the week of June 15th-19th RCHP will complete the stripping, sanding and refinishing of the social hall, back stairwell and sanctuary. We are thankful for a generous donation that is paying for that work!
Also, during Covid-19 the sanctuary chancel was painted (thanks Harry!) and, after the floor work is complete, new red carpet will be installed. The sanctuary will look beautiful!
Outside David and Monica Day just completed a crumbling wooden retaining wall along the street on 2nd Ave. Also, outside, Philemon and his team completed mulching the flower beds. Emily Wilkes, working for Interfaith-RISE, has made a recommitment to the church garden.
Thank you, property committee!
|
|
Thankful for our Sunday School Teachers
This Sunday, during worship, we will take time to acknowledge our Sunday School teachers. Though the year got cut off abruptly these teachers still spend 6 months enriching the spiritual lives and increasing the biblical knowledge of our children. And, after covid-19, many teachers also continued to find ways to help with online storytelling and were able to send cards and words of encouragement. We are always thankful for Sunday School teachers, but I’m especially thankful for them this year!
Our teachers, in 2019-2020, were Cyndy Reames, Yana Pangemanan, Jolie, Sarah MacKinnon, Tracy Cangiano, Wendy Nussman, Ally Pexa, Wendy Jager, Liz Townley, Renee and Anthony DiGrigoli, Danielle and Chris Willard-Kyle. Additionally, Lara Arp, Ally Pexa and John Mellison were central to children’s worship.
|
|
Opportunities for Social Justice Engagement
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
If you are interested in supporting Refugees during this time please attend the monthly zoom meeting of IRISE,
June 18th at noon
. (Zoom info below)
IMMIGRATION PROTECTION AND SUPPORT
If you are interested in engaging in immigration matters please come to the DIRE monthly meeting,
June 25th, at noon.
Also, a rally to confront Police/ICE Brutality will be held in Freehold
Saturday, June 20th.
LEGISLATION TO GIVE ‘COVID CREDITS’ TO NJ STATE PRISONERS
HELP PROMOTE GLOBAL GRACE ALTERATIONS PPE CREATION PROJECTS
LISTENING SESSIONS: "CANCER IN THE TIME OF COVID-19"
Attend the next two listening sessions of NJ Congregational Center for Cancer Care. Attend
June 19th at 1pm
to
listen to those who are doing cancer research in the time of civid. On
June 26th
learn about advocacy opportunities.
Zoom Info for above meetings:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84486311953?pwd=UVBON244YXcvdFlIVUNUUHExMWR3dz09
Meeting ID: 844 8631 1953
Password: 080620
|
|
Opportunities for Study & Daily Prayer
DEEPENING DISCIPLESHIP
TUESDAY VIRTUAL BOOK GROUP
Join us Tuesday, June 16th at 1pm via Zoom for the start of our next book group series, as we continue to contemplate cancer through engaging Deanna A. Thompson's
Glimpsing Resurrection: Cancer, Trauma, and Ministry
. Invite your friends, family, and colleagues to join! RSVP to Winter Wiggins at nj4cancercare@improvingnj.org to register!
Please indicate if you would like us to purchase the book for you and we will happily have it shipped to your home!
WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
RCHP has resumed an in-person Wednesday morning Bible Study, at 7:45am. Please join us outdoors, in the church yard, near the church garden. We are currently reading the Abraham/Sarah account, starting with Genesis 12.
|
|
Need Care of Any Kind?
RCHP has, throughout the past 100 days of Covid-19 shut-downs, tried our very best to take part in ministries of healing and hope. We’ve emphasized meeting food needs, and housing needs, and spiritual care needs. You all have been just tremendous in participating in so many of these opportunities. Now, we ask, what do you need? If you’d like to talk to the pastors please reach out directly to us: Seth (732-882-3193) or Stephanie (732-882-2940) or Amos (260-224-0376. If we can’t be reached please call Lisa in the front office at 732-249-7349.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
