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The council met to discuss our policy around COVID-19.   After much discussion, the council recommends that SOV NOT resume service at our Church building at this time, but continue our on-line worship.  There are many reasons for this.  First, and foremost, despite the Governor’s announcements that churches can resume physical worship, there’s a lot of “fine-print” regarding how Churches can do this, that frankly we are not equipped to handle.  There is a 21 point checklist for conducting public worshiping in the State of Massachusetts.  It  would be quite a challenge for our little congregation to monitor the building attendees, provide the cleaning and sanitation services required to support social safety requirements, as well as track any members who might have COVID-19 and require us to file reports with the State.  

We will have a chance to discuss this topic further at the SOV Town Hall Meeting this Sunday, May 31^st. .  We’d like to hear your suggestions.  Also consider some creative ways that small groups might meet in a safe social manner outside or in folks’ homes.  So for the time-being, it’s sticking with Zoom on-line worship, coupled with a “wait-and-see” approach on opening our doors.

On the positive side, we’ve applied for (thanks to Cindy Boaen) AND RECEIVED  a Payroll Protection Plan loan from the SBA. More on that later!

We had mulch delivered to the church building on Friday 5/22. Thanks to Cliff Bailey for arranging this and to the team who helped weed, lay some stones around the perimeter, and spread the mulch  – Cliff, Andy George, Richard Vila, Wayne Twombly and the Kamalaraj family! It looks great! If you were not able to participate in this beautification effort, you have another opportunity! Saturday June 6^th is the tentative next date when we will be working outside again, so contact Cliff if you can help. Thanks too to Richard for mowing the lawn on Saturday as well. Even if we cannot hold worship in the building, at least it looks good  

Denise and Wayne met with a roofer this week. Quotes are on the way! Thank you both!

Wayne has also been working with ACS to install high speed internet at the church. Comcast is now installed instead of DSL. Pastor will have a private internet and there will also be a public internet “BellTowerPublic” in the office, chapel, fellowship hall, the sanctuary and the parlor. SOVPublic is the password.

Here is a list of items that were accomplished by the Building Ministry Team and all the helpers at the end of last year/early this year. 

·  3 of 4 faucets replaced in Fellowship hall bathrooms

·  Furnace gas leak repaired

·  Royal Stoneworks snow plowing/shoveling/sanding going well

·  Sewer pipe replaced in furnace room

·  Red door hydraulic hinge replaced

·  Building inspection complete, repair items identified, and action initiated

·  Water supply above HTP water heater and heat pipes in pre-school capped

·  Fixed supply line leak in fellowship hall right bathroom sink 

·  Affixed loose toilet to floor

We will be developing a prioritized list of “to do” items that we will be working on over the summer. If you are interested in helping improve OUR church home, please let us know!

Blessings from the Building Ministry Team – Christine Anderson, Cliff Bailey, Tom Bielecki, Denise Boyd, John Hansen, Kathy Johnson and Wayne Twombly

We are having technical difficulties with Zoom this morning for Church.

We are working on the issue to resolve it.

We are now meeting on Google. The link is below

meet.google.com/mji-cbux.nyq

If you would like your own copy of the worship service that will be shared tomorrow, you may download a copy of the pdf file above.

Worship begins at 10:00am but feel free to jump on the Zoom meeting a little earlier. We also have some time for fellowship and conversation after the service. Children are encouraged to be present in whatever way makes life easiest for the adults in their lives!

You may notice a new addition to the service: prayer for spiritual communion. During this time of physical distancing we may be longing for the physical elements of bread and wine, in which Jesus Christ is truly present. Yet we know that Christ is indeed present in all ways. This prayer acknowledges the longing we may have and assures us of Christ’s presence in other ways. This has been a practice in the church for centuries when various situations have prevented the participation in the sacrament of holy communion.

Especially as we enter into Holy Week,
consider setting up a worship space in your home.

Your dining room table, or another table, would be a good location.

The space might include:

• a table cloth.
• a crucifix to remember we are saved and forgiven in Christ’s death. For Good Friday, you might want to drape the cross in black or purple cloth. You can do this after the Maundy/Holy Thursday service.
• a candle to remember we are to be the resurrected light of Christ in the world. For good Friday, consider having three candles to extinguish at times during the service.
• a bowl of water to remember our baptism; this is especially appropriate for our Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday services.
• and of course, your phone or tablet
• for the Thursday service, a beverage and your evening meal or dessert.