IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR MEMBERS & FRIENDS

After much deliberation and prayer, your church leadership and your interim pastor have decided that the best course of action for us, under the present circumstances, is to SUSPEND WORSHIP SERVICES at Barre Congregational Church through the end of March.  We will then reassess the situation to decide if we can go ahead with Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter services.  For now, all the evidence, medical opinions, and the best advice available locally and nationally, point toward the wisdom of taking action now to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus).  Limiting public gatherings is one effective way to address the problem.  

Please share this information with other parishioners and friends of the church.  We especially want to make sure that those without internet or access to social media are informed of our decision, so if you know folks who may fit that category, please let them know.  Our Deacons will also be attempting to call members and friends who may not get the word electronically.

Our breakfast team leaders are working on plans to safely continue serving the homeless and low-income populations who are among the most vulnerable in a community during a crisis such as this.  The other churches in town are working on similar approaches.

We are also looking into ways we could live stream and video tape some sort of worship service that could be broadcast on Sunday mornings we are closed. Stay tuned for more on that.  

I will be keeping office hours at the church on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.  I will also be available for pastoral care needs and emergencies, as usual.  Our church council will be meeting again next Tuesday to update the situation.  Our church staff is in conversations about the situation as well.  You have a strong group of leaders here and a lot of reason for optimism that we will weather this storm together.  Please pray for them, and for each other, and for our communities, our nation, and our world.  Further information and updates will be posted here and on our Facebook page, as well as circulated by whatever means we can to get the word out.

Finally, please keep yourselves updated on the pandemic.  There are numerous websites and resources out there.  For starters, you could visit our Vermont Conference website for information, updates, and links on the crisis.  The ministers in our Conference are gathering for a ZOOM call next Tuesday.  The national UCC website is also a good source to check out.  Don’t believe everything you see on social media (check the sources!).  Remain calm and wash your hands often!

Please don’t hesitate to email or call me with concerns, questions, suggestions, prayer requests.

Blessings & Peace to all,
Rev. Bert

The Barre Congregational Church Fellowship Group will be changing things around a bit this month and will be meeting this Saturday, February 15th at 10 a.m. We hope that those of you who work might be able to join us. This month our activity will involve origami. Our plan is to get started on a Lenten garden for the chancel. We would welcome your help and your company. If you have questions, contact Jan Avery or Kate Duffy.  Bring your scissors and rulers.

Church school has begun! This year, Pastor Carl Hilton VanOsdall (of the First Presbyterian Church) and our Church School Director, Hollie Friot, will be developing a program for 4th to 6th graders. And if you have a 7th through high school student interested in community service and mission opportunities, please reach out to us for information about a possible joint youth group.