Announcements

• 

  Worship on Sundays

  In-person regular Sunday morning worship is presently suspended due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. However, our church is still open because WE are the chuch. Each Sunday we still participate in LIVE, interactive worship on Zoom at 10am and you are welcome to join us. The details on how to join in each Sunday's virtual worship can be found below (and are usually posted by Friday morning). 

  What is Zoom worship like? Watch a recording of past Zoom worships HERE.

  Want to know what to expect at a typical in-person Sunday morning worship? Click HERE.

  Looking for our core beliefs and values? Click HERE.

   

• Leave Us Your Information!

  If you would like to be on our Zoom worship mailing list or leave us your contact information please click HERE.
• 

  This Sunday at UCCSV - 9/19/21

  Last week as we began our new worship series, Finding Our Way Again with Curiosity, Courage, and Connection, we considered where we come from. This week we look to consider where we are right now. The pandemic has left us with a profound sense of physical dislocation. We've spent countless hours in virtual spaces, together with others even while apart. We’ve lost our sense of embodiment with others. For some of us being together in a space with a crowd now seems overwhelming. In addition, sometimes we spend so much time sitting and staring at a screen that we lose the sense of our body in space. When Jesus meets people in person, they are often overwhelmed by his presence. He tells them to come and follow him. Can we still do that in our current situation? How can we begin to physically relocate ourselves, to embody the gospel message in this time and space?

   

  The Zoom room opens at 9:30 and worship begins at 10am. Bring a candle with you as you sit down to worship.

   

  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88939739878?pwd=L3ZmUW1xRFVHWDdsK1B3TTl2ZUN2UT09
  
  Meeting ID: 889 3973 9878
  Passcode: 20874
  One tap mobile
  +13017158592,,88939739878#,,,,*20874# US (Washington DC)
  +13126266799,,88939739878#,,,,*20874# US (Chicago)
  
  Dial by your location
          +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
  Meeting ID: 889 3973 9878
  Passcode: 20874
  Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kyayNlyqh

   

  The bulletin for this worship service can be found by clicking HERE.

   

  Image is "Come and See" by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman from A Sanctified Art.

• When Will UCCSV Get Back to In-Person Worship?

  As vaccination rates in our area soar and the number of COVID cases continues to drop you may be wondering why our church is still worshiping online. Here's a few reasons why we're still only gathering on Zoom right now on Sunday mornings and some information about when we think that may change:

  1. We're still worshiping almost exclusively online because at the moment it's impossible for all the church to worship in the sanctuary at the same time. We also have no way to livestream the service or create a hybrid worship experience with the technology currently in our sanctuary. Our sanctuary still only holds less than 50 people if we practice social distancing. While many churches have stopped distancing, our church guidelines call for us to follow the 2 out of 3 rule. There are three ways to stop the spread of COVID. 1. Be outside 2. Distance 3. Wear masks. We must practice two out of three of these methods whenever we gather. If we are worshiping inside then we must continue to distance and stay masked. As long as we cannot all worship together, and we have no way to include others who cannot be there in person with an online option, we will continue to worship online as that is the most accessible worship option we have.

  2. Many of our congregation have told us that they are not yet ready to return to inside worship within a crowded sanctuary. We honor this conservative approach after the trauma of this past year. With limited staff and lay leadership we have to focus on the worship experience that is presently most accessible to the largest numbers of people. Right now that continues to be Zoom.

  3. Can't you just worship outside? Yes. We have had two outdoor evening Vespers services for those who would like to worship in person. However, these are subject to issues with the weather and staffing. We are trying to offer an in person worship at least once a month as possible but this is only to supplement online worship, not to replace it.

  4. When do you anticipate being back in the sanctuary for Sunday worship? At this time the church is contracting with a company to significantly upgrade the audio and visual technology in our sanctuary in order to provide us with options for hybrid worship and livestreaming. We do not yet have a date for when this work will be finished. When the work is done we will phase in hybrid worship so that we can have in person distanced worship in the sanctuary AND be able to have people also join us online for Sunday morning worship at the same time. We will continue to record our worship for posting on the church website as well. We hope this will happen sometime in October. We continue to try to adapt to this situation as things change. We appreciate your grace and patience. We encourage vaccinated worship goers to get together for Zoom worship watch parties at home or to gather and meet separately in person to experience that crucial sense of community and connection. Some of our ministry groups are also starting to meet in person either at the church or off site. Stay tuned for more information!