Read through to discover:
Update from our COVID-19 Leadership Task Force: We’re in the Green! Find out what changes we’re making.
New Fundraiser: Plant Sale, April 30
New for Lent: Midweek Musical Pause and Children’s Time on YouTube
March 12, 2022
Beautiful Beloveds,
The day before my spouse, Sam and I were married on a beach in San Francisco, the weather was warm and sunny. You could see the Golden Gate Bridge almost glowing against a bold blue sky. The beach was packed with sunbathers and picnickers. The next day, our wedding day, it was cold, and the fog has rolled in. In fact, the fog was so thick you can’t see the bridge in most if not all of our wedding photos. We did have the beach to ourselves though. At the end of ceremony, I realized a borrowed (and blue) ring from my grandmother, worn at three generations of family weddings, had slipped off my cold finger. We didn’t find the ring, and my grandma had a loving, gracious interpretation of why. So much is outside our control. We couldn’t turn up the temperature, or blow the fog away. We could, and did, get married with our closest loved ones there to bear witness. Some of my favorite photos are those of different people huddled together, random borrowed jackets and sweatshirts over fancy dresses, keeping warm. I also love the ones where everyone is looking for the ring in the sand, seemingly dispirited by our happy day, but lovingly trying to help.
This Sunday, as our “Good Enough,” Lent worship series continues we consider how much is outside our control. It’s a long list. And, we consider, what can we do about it? We can choose how we respond to the unknown, the uncertain, and the uncontrollable. Rather than lamenting what could or might be, let’s learn to nurture,”what is” and embrace our holy, good enough, lives. We remain, Together in Christ…Committed to Serve.
Peace,
Heather
Update from our COVID-19 Leadership Task Force: We’re in the Green!
As rates of COVID-19 on Cape continue to drop, we’re changing our mitigation strategies. Masks are now optional in our building. Please continue to honor the choices others make. We want our church to be welcoming and feel safe in the widest and best understanding of the word. Please do not ask anyone to remove their mask if they choose to wear one.
Additionally, we will now be encouraging masked congregational singing, so keep your mask on hand if you’d like to sing during our indoor worship.
Lastly, we will be asking everyone who enters our worship space if they would prefer to be seated distanced from others, or not. You can let us know when you register for worship if you prefer this option. Again, we ask that you honor the choices that others have made. Some areas of our sanctuary will be designated for carefully distanced seating.
Please continue to register for worship here. You can sign up for the whole month, or one Sunday at a time. This allows us to plan for seating, know if overflow room will be necessary, easily contact you if there is a change related to weather, or mitigation strategies, and send you or order of worship. It is also helpful if contact tracing becomes necessary.
Masked, distanced, singing or silent, we cannot always know what leads to the choices others make. We do know, all are beloved of God, and need the space to make the choices that feel right to them. Some wear a mask to protect themselves, others to protect their loved ones. Let’s be sure our church is a haven for all God’s children to make healthy choices for themselves. We remain, Together in Christ…Committed to Serve.
Mark Your Calendars
Sunday, March 13 Second Sunday of Lent: (Daylight Savings Time Begins)
Please register here and receive an emailed copy of the order of worship.8:30 am: Drive in Worship Park in front of the church, radio tuned to 91.5.
10:30 am: Worship in our sanctuary (masks optional)
10:30 am: Livestream available on our YouTube channel
We also offer FM transmission to your car radio in our parking lot. Tune to 91.5
3:30 pm: Esprit
7:00 pm: Youth Group via Zoom (link below)
Monday, March 14:
9:00 am: Lend-a-Hand
10:30 am: Fire Drill
7:00 pm: Men’s Study Group (via Zoom)
Tuesday, March 15:
9:00 am: Yoga
10:30 am: Fire Drill
7:00 pm: Nurture Team Meeting via Zoom (link below)
12:00 pm: Deadline for “A Word on Wednesday,” AND Saturday Tidings
Wednesday, March 16:
10:30 am: Rainbow’s End Opens (Donations accepted 11 am – 2 pm)
Thursday, March 17:
9:00 am Yoga
10:00 am: Good Enough: Lent Study via Zoom (link below)
10:30 am: Rainbow’s End Open (donations accepted 11 am – 2 pm)
2:00 pm Chair Yoga (New participants welcome. Join us in the solarium.)
5:00 pm: Big Book Step Group
Friday, March 18:
10:00 am: Al-anon Meeting
Saturday, March 19:
10:00 am Yoga
Sunday, March 20 Third Sunday of Lent:
Please register here for Worship in March
8:30 am: Drive in Worship Park in front of the church, radio tuned to 91.5.
10:30 am: Worship in our sanctuary (masks optional.)
10:30 am: Livestream available on our YouTube channel
7:00 pm Youth Group
** We encourage all who are eligible to be vaccinated. Let’s continue to work together to keep one another healthy. Let’s show our love for one another by honoring the choices others make, and staying home when unwell.
Together in Christ—We Pray
Please pray for the people of Ukraine and Russian and world leaders.
Please pray for the global denomination. General Conference 2020, delayed by the pandemic, has been postponed again, and is now scheduled for 2024. Click the link to learn more: General Conference further postponed to 2024
Please pray for the people of Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
-From the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Learn more here.
Please submit prayer requests here or call Pastor Heather, (774) 994-3645 or MaryAnne Farley (774) 487-0719.
How to assist the Ukrainian people
United Methodists and others wishing to provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people in the wake of the Russian invasion of their country may contribute to Advance #982450, UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery. This fund will provide direct assistance to those in Ukraine as well as assistance to Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries. Learn more
Together in Christ—We Observe a Holy Lent
March 13—Second Sunday in Lent
March 17—Good Enough Lent Study via Zoom, Buy and read the book, or just join us for good conversation of faith, life and Lent.
Our Lent Study, “Good Enough,” is based on the book of the same name by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie. You can use the book to go deeper with the worship themes
New for Lent 2022
We’re now offering a mid-week sacred pause with music from Daniel Shinabarger. This week, “This Is My Father’s World.
Additionally, on Saturday, Pastor Heather offers the Story of All Ages, introducing the theme for the coming week. You can see this week’s here.
Be sure to subscribe to our church channel to be notified when new content is added.
Committed to Serve—You are Making a Difference!
Care for Creation
Green Tip Check with your vet, humane shelter, or pharmacy. Many are happy to reuse clean prescription bottles, which are not accepted for recycling in most places. If you need to remove the labels, use Goo Gone to get rid of the stickiness. Animal Shelters also love used bath towels. A great place to recycle your used linens
The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement is providing these Tips
Hello Church Artists,
Still looking for artwork from any of our church members to enhance our display in the Solarium. Please give me a call if you want to contribute 617-460-3009.
Blessings & Love, Lois
March 2022 Collection for UMCO Food Pantry ~ Many thanks Generous Church Family for Blessing our local neighbors with Breakfast Foods plus Individual Toiletry Items in JAN & FEB! The Salvation Army and The Cape & Islands Veterans’ Outreach Center were extremely grateful for your donations! For March we are collecting Spring Cleaning Supplies such as: dish washing liquid, sponges, laundry powder or liquid, dryer sheets, Clorox wipes, paper towels, cleaning brushes, whisk brooms & dustpans, buckets, Bon Ami powder cleanser, baking soda, Windex, rubber gloves, and multi-surface cleaners
Committed to Serve—Giving Generously
Spring Plant Sale – Save the date April 30, 2022 from 9:00am til 2:00pm. But we can’t do it without your help. We need plastic pots 4” and above ASAP. They can be dropped off on the Solarium porch. Even more importantly, we need plants. Dig up and separate your perennials and bring them to the church the week of April 24. If you need pots, we can provide them. If you need help separating and dividing your plants we can help with that too. (Don’t forget to identify your plants)
Call: Dave Eaton 508-680-6779 | Linda McKeown 774-521-6792
Shoes, Fabulous Shoes! There is a new Trash/Treasure Barrel out front ready for your gently used shoes. Men’s, women’s and children’s are all excepted. Please leave all those shoes in your closet that are collecting dust and they will be given to those in need. This collection will be a great fundraiser for the church.
Rainbow’s End, our church thrift boutique, is open this week. Come and see what’s new!
To volunteer, donate or consign items, or find out other ways to support our store, please call shop manager, Pamela Turner, at 508-548-2245.
Worship with Us
Outside, inside, or online
If you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, please stay home.
Please register here for March Worship
If you prefer to not to register online, please leave a message at the church 508.428.2811
If you’d like to see the statistics we’re tracking, you can find them here.
8:30 am Drive In Worship (Outdoor Worship):
- We are now inviting congregational singing outdoors.
- If you register, you will receive an order of worship for the day, including links to scripture, hymn lyrics, our online-giving portal and a music playlist to compliment the day’s themes. Registering also helps us with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
- Please stay home if you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
- Masks are optional. Please honor the choices that others have made to mask or not.
- If, after worshiping with us, you test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed, it is important to the health of our congregation that you let us know so we can notify others who may have been exposed. This will be treated carefully and confidentially, so that we can care for another. Please call Pastor Heather directly, 774.994.3645.
- Worship will feature pre-recorded music, and we encourage you to stay in your cars when it is wet and/or cold.
10:30 am In Our Sanctuary
- We strongly encourage all who attend indoor worship and activities at our church and who are able and eligible to be fully vaccinated.
- If you register, you will receive an order of worship for the day, including links to scripture, hymn lyrics, our online-giving portal and a music playlist to compliment the day’s themes. Registering also helps us with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
- Please stay home if you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
- Masks are optional, though still required for singing. Please honor the choices others are making.
- Sanctuary Shepherds will be there to greet and guide you, as you enter and exit our building
- Please enter through the main sanctuary doors, where you will be “checked-in,” and invited to use hand sanitizer. Communion Elements, in pre-packaged containers will be available. You can also grab a mask if you need one, and pick up a Bible if you choose. At this time we are not using paper bulletins.
- After you are “checked in” you will be led to a seat by a sanctuary shepherd. We will be seating individuals and families at least six feet apart from one another from the front of the sanctuary to the back. Please sit as close to the colorful dot as possible.
- The ionizers will be on, and at least one window will be open with a fan running. Additionally, all doors will be open. Please dress warmly and feel free to bring a lap blanket.
- Please exit through our solarium as directed by our shepherds.
- An offering plate will be available as you enter, as we will not be “passing the plate.” Don’t worry if you forget, or are moved to give more, there will be another place to give on your way out.
- We will be livestreaming our sanctuary worship, so you catch it on YouTube, or if we need more seating at the church, in Fred Curtis Hall.
- If, after worshiping with us, you test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed, it is important to the health of our congregation that you let us know so we can notify others who may have been exposed. This will be treated carefully and confidentially, so that we can care for another. Please call Pastor Heather directly, 774.994.3645.
Youth Group Zoom Link
Topic: Youth Group
Time: 7pm, Sundays
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89016033879?pwd=bnpjYUVqc1Rkc0RRRWtjeG0yTXV2Zz09
Meeting ID: 890 1603 3879
Passcode: 312727
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,89016033879#,,,,*312727# US (Washington DC)
+13126266799,,89016033879#,,,,*312727# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 890 1603 3879
Passcode: 312727
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcxf8khiGN
7pm Tuesday, Nurture Team Meeting
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83445466618?pwd=ekNlSnRiYUNQMCtkU2VMTnBwSFF3dz09
Meeting ID: 834 4546 6618
Passcode: 422146
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+13017158592,,83445466618#,,,,*422146# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 834 4546 6618
Passcode: 422146
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kEqLX5zrX
10am Thursday, Good Enough: Lent Study
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88206195080?pwd=MU05U3Z1VUtKbW93MjFsUWxrYzRaUT09
Meeting ID: 882 0619 5080
Passcode: 103388
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,88206195080#,,,,*103388# US (Chicago)
+16465588656,,88206195080#,,,,*103388# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 882 0619 5080
Passcode: 103388
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k30Qp4zD3\