Choir safety updateWe had sincerely hoped to bring the choir back to our Sunday morning worship, beginning in September, but the resurgence of the COVID pandemic, and the particular virulence of the Delta strain, has put a hold on that activity. While we seem to be doing okay with quiet congregational singing in the pews (one hymn a Sunday, alas!), the prospect of rehearsing and performing as a choral ensemble in an inside space is not yet a safe one. Our church’s COVID Task Force will re-evaluate the situation in October, and we’ll see if we can reassemble later this fall. Bells, anyone?If we can’t sing, we can play handbells! We have a beautiful 3-octave set of Malmark Handbells that have been under-utilized for the past fifteen years or so, and now seems to be a great time to try to start a handbell choir. If you are middle-school aged or older, can read music reasonably well, and know your right hand from your left, this could be the musical opportunity you have been waiting for!! Please let Gretchen Lewis know if you’re interested, or if you think you could be interested, in learning to ring handbells. It’s lots of fun, and it’s a great opportunity for fellowship and music making. See Gretchen at church or email. Tentatively, I’m planning an organizational meeting and introductory rehearsal on September 12, after church at 12:15 up in the Conference Room. How about percussion?In early July, I attended the biennial Conference of UCC Musicians, which was held virtually from Hartford, Connecticut. The event began with a music reading session on Thursday evening July 8, and ended with a concert on Saturday afternoon. The first workshop I attended featured the amazing 80-something year-old Miriam Therese Winter, poet, song-writer, and member of the Medical Mission Sisters, who shared some of her songs with us. Other workshops I found stimulating included some huge puppets by Sue Aziz, an exploration of global hymnody in North American worship led by Patrick Evans, and my personal favorite, a presentation on the use of percussion ensembles in worship, led by Michelle Horsley. She offered very practical advice on starting a basic inter-generation percussion ensemble in the local church, and I’m mulling over the possibilities of beginning one here at First Congregational later in the fall. If you’re interested, talk to me, either at church or by email.
Gretchen Lewis, music coordinator  Join us for Living Room Worship Online! LRW is an informal experience for those who desire to connect more with each other and with God through small group discussion, prayer, and singing. While we can't yet be together in person, we hope you'll join us virtually via your own living room! For more information, you can contact Kerry Priest ([email protected]).
Sunday, February 28 7:00 pm Click to Zoom Or call 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 931 8438 5398 Passcode: 848935 (Note: long-distance charges may apply when using the call-in option.)  As we move into the new year, we invite you to join us for Living Room Worship Online! LRW is an informal experience for those who desire to connect more with each other and with God through small group discussion, prayer, and singing. While we can't yet be together in person, we hope you'll join us virtually via your own living room! For more information, you can contact Kerry Priest ([email protected]).
Sunday, January 24 7:00 pm Zoom link: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/96711977572?pwd=WmlLZnllRlpVRUdYQXlEbUdDTnR5QT09 Or call 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 967 1197 7572 Passcode: 364255 (Note: long-distance charges may apply when using the call-in option.) Service of Prayer, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 12:15p, 821 Poyntz
On Tuesday November 3, please join an ecumenical group of Manhattan Christians for a short service of prayer and communion. This will be an opportunity to join together in prayer for peace, unity, and God’s presence among us as we go through the national election together. We will meet outside at 821 Poyntz (next to MHS East) at 12:15 pm and the service will last less than half an hour, please wear warm clothing and a face mask and observe social distancing. In the event of snow/rain, canopies will be put up. Communion is an open table; all are welcome to partake in the bread and cup. The service will be led by local clergy with Rev. Liz Kocher of First Lutheran Church presiding over communion. Online Prayer Vigil Hosted by Community UCC (Champaign, IL) Our friends at Community UCC are inviting us to join them anytime between Noon on Tuesday until Noon on Wednesday for an online vigil. They will be sharing images, music, and quiet space to be with others in prayer. Go to https://www.facebook.com/communityucc/live to access the online vigil. Interfaith Silent Prayer Vigil, Thursdays, beginning Nov. 5 from 12-1pm in City Park Beginning the Thursday immediately after the election, we will be gathering with others for a silent, interfaith prayer vigil in City Park over the noon hour. Come for one or all of these gatherings. Full details available here. Zoom Prayers & Fellowship, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Join us for our regular Thursday evening prayer gathering on Zoom. We center ourselves with a little scripture and music and then pray together. You can stay after for conversation or head out if you need to!
Schedule for Communion on Oct. 4th
Communion at Home: 10:45 a.m. during our regular online worship service (bring your own elements)
Drive Through Communion: 12:15-12:30 p.m. OR 1:00-1:15 p.m.
Communion on the Lawn: ***advance sign up required*** Group A
Group B
In case of inclement weather, an announcement will be made on our website, e-mail list, and social media on Sunday morning.
Important Information for Communion on the Lawn
For Communion on the Lawn: please bring a face mask and lawn chairs/blanket for your family. When you arrive, please stay in or right next to your car until the parking lot greeter invites you to proceed to the sign in table. At the sign in table you will sanitize your hands, pick up prepackaged communion elements, and the usher will assist you in finding your assigned spot (marked by a cone). We will have two “seatings” - Lawn Group A at 12:00 p.m. and Lawn Group B at 12:45 p.m. See detailed schedule above.
As we continue to learn more about the coronavirus, we are learning more about how we can safely be together. Our congregational leadership has carefully planned traffic flow and requirements for Communion on the Lawn with community health in mind. We ask that everyone carefully read the health guidelines when you sign up. When you reserve your spot, you are agreeing to care for the health of others by following the guidelines. If you have any questions, please reach out to the church office. Sign up for Communion on the Lawn at uccmanhattan.org/sign-ups OR by calling the church office. We've made a short video tutorial to help you with the online sign up process. Health Requirements for Our Gathering
Video Tutorial for Using Online Sign UpVideo Walk-Through for Communion on the LawnVideo Walk-Through for Drive Through Communion Cassidy Moreau is leading another anti-racism discussion group via Zoom and you're invited to participate. The group will begin September 25th at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. They will be reading How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi. For more details, contact Cassidy.
 You are invited to join a conversation to inform action around race and mass incarceration in America. A new book study of The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is beginning July 1st via Zoom.
This group will meet every other week on Wednesdays at 7 pm. The study will be facilitated by Cassidy Moreau and will be open to the community. The group will involve reading the book, discussing questions, and action steps to help us all--together--chip away at the systematic racism in our country. The book can be found digitally through Kindle, and similar apps. It is also available via Hoopla through the public library. If you have any questions, please contact Cassidy directly or email the church office to get in touch with her. Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71411719856?pwd=QWRTZTEwbE16MldwTElORGVoM1NzQT09 Meeting ID: 714 1171 9856 / Password: 66502  The first Wednesday of the month means Lunch Bunch!
We hope you'll bring your own lunch to a comfy spot in your home and join us via Zoom for conversation and laughter. It will be fun to see each other's homes and perhaps meet each other's pets! Physical distancing is what we're after and that doesn't have to mean social distancing. It will be so good to talk with one another. Join us Wednesday, June 3rd at 11:30 a.m. Click to Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88932482375 OR Dial 1-669-900-6833 from your phone. When you hear the recorded voice say, “Welcome to Zoom. Please enter your meeting ID followed by pound” you should dial 889 3248 2375#. That’s it! Got questions? Let us know. Otherwise, we'll see you Wednesday for lunch! |
