Sunday Service
8:00 am and 10:00 am
via ZOOM
or
CALL: 1-646-558-8656 then enter meeting id: 259 359 235 #
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Dear Family in Christ,
I bring to you Good News in our Lord, Jesus Christ!
It has been a long-awaited journey, but finally the time has come to announce that we will reopen the doors of our Sanctuary in September. We will adhere to a new time schedule offering one Saturday Service at 5:30 pm and one Sunday Service at 9:00 am, starting on Sept 12th and 13th.
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The time change affords us the opportunity to clean and disinfect between the services. We will continue to broadcast live for all those who need or choose to stay at home.
As we gather together, remember things will look and feel differently. Next week I will provide a video preview of some things to expect as we gather in love and communion with one another. I will also send out an email, post on our website and mail via USPS our requirements for attendance. I know how that sounds, especially coming from an All-Welcome Priest in an All-Welcome Church, “requirements for attendance.” It can take some time to get accustomed to; however, to ensure the health and safety of every member to the very best of our ability, we will adhere to some common care guidelines for attendance. For instance, we will all be required to wear a mask. This is how we Love one another, we care for one another, we protect each other. We will be required to make a reservation for the service of our choosing by either calling the office or going directly to our website where a link for reservation will be posted. This will aid in our ability to meet the standards of Contact Tracing more easily.
While the Sanctuary will reopen for services, be advised that much of our building use will still be limited. We are not yet ready to offer our space to outside groups, but I am hopeful that our invitation will come soon.
For everyone involved in ministries or have expressed an interest in ministry in your survey, you will be contacted in the coming weeks. If you have a ministry that you were a part of and do not plan to be back for some time, it’s ok and we support you, just let us know so we can see to the task.
While we celebrate coming together, I am also aware that there is and will be some grieving. Change is hard, even in the best of circumstances. Given where we are today and all that we have come through, we are confronted with the reality of loss. Loss of beloved members, time, and opportunity (in the traditional sense) just to name a few. Our instincts will tell us to kneel or give a handshake, and we no longer may do that. We will grieve, but we will do it together, and be stronger and more united as one body in Christ.
Jack, our Sr. Warden, and Vestry have prepared a letter to inform you of the obstacles we have faced financially over this time and what we have done to best see us through. What is obvious and clear from this information is that while we are doing about as well as can be expected under the circumstances, and we are holding steady, we will need to truthfully confront our budget in the coming year to address our deficit in the spirit of Stewardship and long-term sustainable communal health.
It has most certainly been a challenge to begin my Rectorship here with all of you under this most unprecedented time, but I am so proud of all the work the Vestry has done and all the love and support you have given to one another. I am grateful to be a part of this congregational family and I am looking forward to our growing future together in the name of Christ our Lord. We have much to be excited about and my enthusiasm for proclaiming the Gospel alongside all of you is only growing.
I pray you all are remaining healthy and well.
See you real soon!
Blessings in Christ,
Mo. Allison+
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Update to the Congregation on the Church's Temporal Health |
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A letter from your Vestry updating you on the health of the church can be found on the link below.
A copy will also be mailed via USPS this week.
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every Saturday at 5:30 pm
for a reading of the Gospel and hymns.
All, All, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord
How Great Thou Art
On Eagle’s Wings
Peace is Flowing Like A River
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This week at The Branches Outreach |
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When Covid-19 struck, The Branches transitioned to a much needed food bank and has been providing for our neighbors in the Rio Grande area, and to the County through our Mobile Food Ministry, a partnership between Branches and Our Lady of Angels Church in Cape May Court House. Learn more at www.thebranchesoutreach.org.
This week we give thanks to the pickle ball group from the Stone Harbor Yacht Club for their collection of donations to The Branches.
Our faithful partner in feeding the hungry, St. Peter's Methodist Church Ocean City for bringing Hormel meals and ravioli.
Valerie from Victorian Towers who collected canned goods from the residents and brought them to The Branches.
If you would like to make a food donation, the following is a list of the things that we give out on a regular basis: spaghetti sauce, pasta, bread, mac and cheese, juice, peanut butter, mayo, tuna, water, high protein drinks such as Boost, cereal, Chef Boyardee, pork and beans, hot dogs and hot dog rolls, fresh fruit, canned beef stew, baby diapers, adult diapers and wipes.
There is a table outside The Branches where you can leave your donations when we are open, which is M-W-F from 9-1. Just place your donations on the table and we will retrieve them with grateful thanks.❤ Sandra & Terri
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Dear Friends,
For this Sunday’s postlude, I will play Trumpet Voluntary in D Major, also known as The Prince of Denmark’s March, by Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1674 - 1707).
Clarke was a gifted and well-educated musician, who served as organist of the newly-built Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. His Trumpet Voluntary was written around 1700 in honor of Prince George of Denmark, who was husband to Queen Anne of Great Britain.
Ever since that time, the piece has been considered a token of solidarity between the two nations. During the Second World War, for example, it was used by the BBC to alert occupied Denmark of important radio broadcasts.
Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary is also frequently associated with weddings, perhaps most famously with the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles in 1981.
Enjoy the music - and until we meet again, take care and stay well!
David
Wednesday afternoon concerts
with David are now live on Facebook at 3 pm
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The author of the next Virtual Adult Forum series, Adam Hamilton, needs no introduction to VAFers. He is well-known to us and to countless others as a brilliant and engaging small group leader. The next VAF series which gets underway very soon is titled: Christianity and World Religions. The subtopic is equally important: “Questions We Ask About Other Faiths.” In other words, how can we better appreciate other faiths vis-à-vis our own? It is a six-part series. If this sounds interesting to you, and you would like to participate, either email Fr. Ken k-gorman@comcast.net or call him 609-961-3196. He will get you a book [for free!] and put you on the VAF email list. If you are a potential VAFer, you may want to check - “What is the Adult Forum All About?”
Virtual Adult Formation is posted on our WEBSITE weekly.
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Day by Day booklets for September and October are available for pick up from the church office or can be mailed to you. Please call if you would like a copy. 609-368-5922 or email jultaylor9425@gmail.com
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Birthday Blessings to
Evelyn Pfaltzgraff on August 21st, Dianne Boldt on August 22nd, Clyde Pettit on August 23rd, Alice Thorn, Julie Taylor and Emma Cleffi on
August 24th, and Margaret Bennett on August 28th!
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Lectionary Text this Week |
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Zoom Gatherings and Worship |
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God, thus: Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore you. Guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what to do, give me your orders, And I promise to submit to whatever, you desire of me And to accept everything you allow to happen to me. Let me only know our will.
Amen.
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