FIRST UCC NEWS & UPDATES

 
 

A message from the First Congregational UCC Council:

 

Hello Friends,
 
As we enter the second week of preventative distancing, things are continuing to change, sometimes more rapidly than we can quite take in. And one of the biggest, most recent, changes that we have to adjust to is the “Safer At Home” order issued by Governor Evers yesterday, that all non-essential businesses are closed now through at least April 24th.
 
What does this mean for us as a congregation?
 
In short, it means that the building is closed and all activities, including worship and meetings, will stay cancelled until further notice. So unfortunately, we will not be worshiping together in person for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter. However, we will continue to offer online and virtual worship opportunities. These include recorded sermons online on Wednesdays and Sundays, live Virtual Adult Bible Study on Thursdays, live Virtual Coffee Hour on Fridays and live Virtual Fellowship Time on Sundays. Links to these events will be sent out through “Worship Joylines” every Wednesday by 5:00pm and Sunday by 9:00am, as well as being posted on our website and the Facebook Page . We will also be exploring different ways and times to connect virtually with all age groups in our congregation, including the youth. Those who do not have access to the internet will receive a printed copy of the worship service by mail.
 
In addition, the church office will no longer be open. Please continue to mail in your offerings during this time. It is more important than ever for you, our church family, to stand with us financially as regular operating expenses will still be incurred and we are in uncharted territory as a church with the absence of weekly offerings.
 
Offerings can be mailed to:
First Congregational UCC
PO Box 438
Plymouth, WI 53073.
 
All other work of the church will be completed remotely from home by both Jennifer and Rev. Kristal. Bill will continue to keep an eye on the building and grounds.
 
If you need to contact the church, please email us at ChurchOffice@1congoucc.com. Jennifer has access to this from home and will be able to respond or forward to appropriate parties as needed. Rev. Kristal can be reached at Rev.Kristal@1congoucc.com or on her cell phone at 920-627-0401. As for pastoral care, Rev. Kristal is only a phone call, text or email away. Please reach out if you need to talk, laugh, scream, cry or just hear a friendly voice during this crazy time.
 
For those that are unable, or are considered to be in a high-risk category, if you need help picking up groceries or prescriptions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and email or call. We do have a list of volunteers ready, willing and able to help you during this time. NO face-to-face contact will take place between the helper and the one being helped. Transactions will occur by placing items by the doorstep.
 
If you are interested in being an “Errand Helper”, please contact Jennifer or Rev. Kristal, so we can add you to the helper list. Volunteers should not be in a high-risk group, should be healthy with no symptoms of any kind and have reliable transportation.
 
We are also looking for “Telephone Buddies” – people that are willing to reach out and call the more vulnerable members and friends of the church, a couple of times a week, to just connect and make sure they have what they need to get through these days. So, if you’re thinking to yourself, “I could call people on the phone”, again, please let Rev. Kristal or Jennifer know and we will get you a few numbers of folks who would love to hear a friendly voice.
 
Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we work through all these new things together during this unfamiliar time. Now more than ever before it is clear just how much we need each other. And with the new “Safer At Home” directive that was issued, we are going to need to be even better at being the people we are, reaching out, caring, and sharing (from a safe distance). Because we don’t go to church, WE ARE THE CHURCH!
 
 
For The First Church Family
 
Offerings Made Easy With Automatic Withdrawal
Need Help With Errands
The Sharing Shelf
 
 
Below are links for additional COVID-19/Coronavirus articles and statements from the National UCC and the Wisconsin Conference UCC.
 
National UCC
March 24,2020 “A Message From General Minister & President John C. Dorhauer”
March 23,2020 “UCC National Leadership Speaks Out About Church Response To Coronavirus”

 
Wisconsin Conference UCC
April 8,2020 “An Easter Greeting From Rev. Franz Rigert”
March 19,2020 “Coronavirus Communications”