As fall approaches and summer comes to an end, we wanted to reach out to all those in Easton and the surrounding towns to extend an invitation to everyone to join us on Sunday mornings and throughout the week for our many activities. Though Covid-19 has changed much in our lives and many still have concerns, that does not bring an end to our need for spiritual growth and our need to reach out to our neighbors in love and support.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of what is going on in the life of our church this fall ,beginning with our outreach efforts to help those in need locally. We continue to collect nonperishable foods for the Bridgeport Rescue mission here at 336 Westport Road in our office building. The donation baskets are located across from the entrance. There are two donation bins located at the door to make donations easier.
Our scriptures tell us, “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.'”
Jesus asks us to care for God’s people. So we seek ways to care for the children of God through our food pantry collection. We also provide food once a month to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission where we deliver chicken, sides, fresh fruit and vegetables, and desserts to their shelter. We invite all people interested in helping those in need to join us on the third Tuesday of the month for this ministry.
We are also partnered with a social worker through a ministry program called Covenant to Care. Throughout the year, we help to provided for the families working with our adopted social worker. We provide holiday meals, Christmas gifts, and outfitted backpacks to help support the children as they enter back into school. We always welcome additional help with these projects.
This fall we will reinstate one of our newer ministries based on our charge to care for our neighbor, our Outreach Sundays. Our first Outreach Sunday will be on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. where we combine our worship with our work in Christ’s name. This year we are collecting personal care items for those staying in shelters through Merton House. We accept all donations of new, unused personal care items for this project and we urge you to consider joining us as we assemble these into bags for individual use on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m.].
The Covid-19 crisis has called us to look at faith and spiritual practices differently. We have been offering periodic outdoor worship. We have added Zoom worship on Sunday mornings in addition to our in-person worship. While we are in the red zone, we do ask that all in-person worshippers continue to wear masks to ensure that all are safe and protected as we seek out God together.
Sunday school will be in person this fall which begins on October 12th at 10 AM. We celebrate this with an ice cream social following worship on the church grounds. We do ask that children come with masks. Worship Zoom Link and Info: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88440646436?pwd=REEzdGVlVVhFNTFwMkZSMHlpU29LZz09
Meeting ID: 884 4064 6436 Passcode: 469663
We also offer our fall bible study to all in the community who wish to join us at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at our office building at 336 Westport Road in person with a Zoom option at the same time. We will be studying the narrative of Abraham and Sarah this fall and the way they discovered and explored their relationship with God just as we still do in our lives and world today. This comes after a very powerful study of the Albert Camus book, The Plague over the summer in our first summer time book study as we looked at theology in secular writings. We hope you will consider joining the conversations in our bible and book studies as we offer them throughout the year. Zoom Link to Bible Study and Info: Please send an email to cchurcheaston@gmail.com, and we will send it to you.
New this fall, is our virtual guided meditation being offered via Zoom on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. This is an opportunity for all of us to take 20 to 30 minutes out of our busy weeks to refocus and reground ourselves. It is an opportunity to destress in a world that continues to throw stressors at our lives. So come relax and enjoy the moment and use it to refocus your lives on something more than our every day experiences. Zoom Link and info: Please send an email to cchurcheaston@gmail.com, and we will send it to you.
This coming winter, we will be partnering with the Joel Barlow Select Choir in a community caroling opportunity. This will be an outdoor event in December. This will be a wonderful way to support our children as they practice and explore their amazing talents, while at the same time celebrating the season and sharing in the wonderful music of the holidays. So keep an eye open for the dates and times in December.
We will also be partnering with the Easton Public Library and the American Red Cross on December 28 as we cosponsor a blood drive to help our hospitals provide lifesaving blood during a time of great need. We ask that you mark your calendars because this is a wonderful way to reach out and touch a life in need.
As a church family, we seek to work together as we discover God in our scriptures, in our world, and just how we are to live into God’s work each and every day. We invite each of you to join us in one or all of our activities this fall and winter. In a world that is hurting and often struggling, this is a way to share of ourselves to share Christ’s message of love and care for all people.
We seek to learn together, to grow together, and to journey together on God’s path of love. So, come and join us. For additional information check out our website at www.eastonchurch.org or email us at cchurcheaston@gmail.com or call us at 203-261-2527.
