Belfry & Neighborhood Notes

This was also delivered to your email in-box, if you did not receive it as an email, please contact me so that I may update your contact.  Thank you.  

Dear Members, Friends, Neighbors, and Community,

We hope that everyone is doing well and successfully navigating these challenging times.  Please remember that even though we feel isolated, we are not alone.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need support.  You may also call on fellow members, neighbors, and friends.  We are all here to support one another on this new and strange journey.

We wanted to send out an email to keep you posted on what’s been happening and what the plan is for May.  This is a long one, but there’s actually a lot happening as we settle into a little more time of staying home.  We wanted to let you know what’s happening and what’s been happening.  Below you will find: Church News, Sunday School News, Neighborhood News, and Resources.  

CHURCH NEWS: 

First, we have decided to continue to cancel Sunday Services through May 17th. 

The Annual Meeting and Call to Vote has been postponed and new dates are TBD.  The Council Meeting is cancelled for May, but please keep your eyes open for e-mail calls to vote (things still need to happen and we still need your input).

Despite cancellations, things are happening.  Church Services are being held on FaceBook “Live” at 9am on Sunday Mornings.  These are short services to stay connected and are kid friendly.  We settle in, honor birthdays, read a story to the kids, and then have a short reflection.  You can find these on the Facebook page and links through the website.  

We will continue Facebook Live Services.  On May 3rd, I will be away, but I will try to offer a short reflection at 9am.  It won’t be at the Church, but I think it’ll still be lovely.  

For Easter, we had a series of short FB Live services (a Meditation, a Children’s Story, and a Service).  We rung the bell at 10am for three minutes in solidarity with the other churches who were also forced to cancel services.  

We are also using this opportunity to clean up the church and kitchen and get to tasks that there never seems to be time for.  If you haven’t been driving about, the roof is currently under construction.  

KIDS NEWS:

Some of our kids have been working on their PRAY workbooks at home.  If that is something you would like to do to keep your kids active with the church and busy at home, please don’t hesitate to work in your books.  When we return, Linda and I will get together with the kids and catch up and regroup for setting dates for continuing the PRAY Journey together, parties, Circle with the Minister Meetings, individual meetings with the Minister, and badge awarding.  Any kids who have been hard at work with their workbooks will be able to give back by helping their fellow students working thorough theirs.  

If you don’t have your workbook at home, or choose not to work on your workbooks at home, please don’t worry we’ll get back on schedule when we return to Church and Sunday School.  

If you’re new and would like to join us for Sunday School, please let me know.  The kids are working through the PRAY program, which earns them badges for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, American Heritage Girl, and you can earn a badge without being affiliated with any of these.  Earning badges will help our children to learn about faith and love.  It helps us to learn about your children to match kids with appropriate tasks in the Church and Community to become helpful and loving members of the community.  

NEW FOR MAY: Look for weekly Kid Yoga and Story Time to post on the website.  For yoga, I think we’ll start with trees and for stories, I think we’ll start In The Beginning…

I am very sad that my Outdoor Mindful Guide Training was cancelled.  I was looking forward to offering mindful nature ramblings this summer.  But, alas, patience.  We’ll have to wait (for both kids and adults).

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS:

We are still doing our part for the Community Meals this Thursday by providing fresh fruits to go in meals for pick up.  Thank you Pat (and Quabbin Harvest) for coordinating all that.  

The Neighbor’s Meeting Group has been active supporting neighbors and one another.  We dropped off much needed food (thank you, Farm School) and gift cards to neighbors in need.  We have gathered and delivered supplies needed for our hospital(s).  We have been sharing resources with one another as fabric and elastic has been in short supply.  A BIG thank you to everyone who has been digging out sewing supplied and sheets.  A BIG thank you for making masks and hospital gowns, which are still much needed.  A BIG thank you to DeeDee for all those gowns.  We can still use sheets and sewing elastic if you have spares–they can be dropped at my house (131 Athol Road or the Church).  

NEED RESOURCES FOR YOURSELF OR OTHERS:

The Farm School has been active in helping us to support neighbors and has also begun offering organic meat that can be delivered to your door.  Quabbin Harvest offers curbside pick up, simply call them with your needs and they’ll have it ready for you.  

Let me know if you would like a list of local stores and restaurants that are open.  You may also call on me.  I am happy to deliver anything you need to your doorstep and wave through the window.

I hope that covers everything.  I may have forgotten a thing or two.  Most important, I am sending you all virtual hugs and much love.  I miss everyone and can not wait to be back together again in Church, in Meetinghouse, and in Community.

Love & Blessings, Charlotte

PS: Please help us update the Community Church & Meetinghouse email list.  If you know of someone who did not get an email, please let me know so that I can add them to the list.  If there are mistakes on this list, please let me know.  If you are on this list and would like to be removed, please contact me.