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Weekly Update from Peoples Church 

A Reflection from Rev. Harris 

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God  (1 John 3:1)

Dear Church,

It is important as a community of faith to pause, to take stock, and look at what God is doing in our lives.  As we move closer to Thanksgiving and a season of gratitude there is much to be thankful for at Peoples Church. In spite of the situation, we face due to COVID-19 God's grace meets us daily.

COVID-19 has changed the way we do Church and the way we experience Church. Though this challenge is new and none of us could have imagined it. We are adapting and innovating. Together we are engaged in the sacred work of re-imagining what it means to be Church. Despite, all of the changes in our world we have much to be thankful for.  There is one thing that always remains and that is the love, hope, and redemption we have found in Jesus. 

Here's A Brief List of Gratitude:

  • We continue to worship God weekly! Proclaiming the love of Christ Jesus through our digital format. Last Sunday alone over 900 views of our service occurred. Monthly we experience anywhere between 3,000-5,000 views of our services. 
  • We have received letters from Florida, Maine, California, North Carolina, and locally in D.C. from people who have been touched by our worship services. 
  • We will welcome new members to our congregation next month!
  • We have provided spiritual support for those who have experienced loss during this season. 
  • Members of our congregation are involved in the leadership of the Potomac Association and the Central Atlantic Conference. Both Rev. Thomas and I are actively involved in work regarding the Association and Conference. 
  • Rev. Thomas has provided critical leadership to our staff, strengthening our systems, and curating our logistical and programmatic needs of the Church. As well as providing pastoral leadership and care to our congregation. 
  • Our Church Council and Trustees have met frequently providing leadership and care for our Congregation.
  • The Diaconate has engaged in pastoral care touching base with members for prayer and support.
  • The Reopening committee meets biweekly planning the processes, protective needs, and logistical operations for a safe return for our congregation. 
  • Many of our Circles and Clubs are meeting virtually or over conference call. 
  • Adult Bible Class and Church School have moved to a digital format. 
  • 20-30 people attend Bible Study every Thursday evening. 
  • We have joined Prayer Vigils for Justice on 16th street and organized a voting initiative. 
  • We have rallied together to address food insecurity with food being donated from our food pantry and hope garden to local shelters. The Diaconate, Women's and Men's Fellowships, and the Food Pantry are working to strengthen our outreach around food insecurity. 
  • We have been generous in the stewardship of our tithes and offerings for the operation of the Church and the service of our wider community. 
We have to pause, we have to remember what God has done and is doing. We have done this work together by the grace of God. We are called to dream together, to work together, and share the story together about the future that God has for all of us! For this we give God thanks and praise!

Keep the Faith, 

Rev. Brandon C. Harris 

Worship This Sunday! 

We invite you to worship with us this weekend, November 15 at 10 am on our website Peoples Church UCC, Facebook, and YouTube.  Our preacher will be the Rev. Dr. Neichelle Guidry, Dean of the Chapel and Director of the WISDOM Center at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. We are delighted that Dean Guidry will be our preacher for us this Sunday. Her sermon will come from Romans 8:26-28, 31-32.
 

Musical Snippet for this coming Sunday's worship service:
Speak To My Heart
Donnie McClurkin

Worship Opportunities Nov 15-Nov. 22:

Sunday, Nov. 15: Adult Bible Class
8:45 am-9:45 am.
 
Zoom Information: 

Meeting ID: 883 9085 7788
Passcode: 438381
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,88390857788#,,,,,,0#,,438381# US (Germantown)
+13126266799,,88390857788#,,,,,,0#,,438381# US (Chicago)


Virtual Church School 
11:30 am
https://www.eventbrite.com/x/virtual-church-school-joy-and-justice-registration-126139611975

 

Wednesday, Nov. 18:
Wednesday Word Prayer Call at 7 am
Wednesday Noonday Prayer
(information can be found at peopleschurchucc.org)

Thursday, Nov. 19:
Bible Study Thursday evenings at 6 pm via Zoom.

 

Did you miss worship last Sunday? Want to hear the sermon again? Maybe you want to be reinspired by the music. Watch the rebroadcast anytime on Youtube and Facebook by searching Peoples Congregational UCC D.C. 

Bible Study is this evening, Thursday, November 12 at 6 pm. Join us as Rev. Harris leads tonight's session on the Book of James 3:13-18 and 4:1-12. 


Updated Bible Study Outline:
https://mcusercontent.com/be60f1b0d1d3fbeea70012540/files/30676228-f4cf-471d-a93f-d0c26349577f/James_Bible_Study_3_4_1_.pdf

 

Dial-in# +1 301 715 8592 US Meeting ID: 992 6852 3678 Password: 784420 Join Zoom Meeting: Click on link below:
https://zoom.us/j/99268523678?pwd=NFZrUzNlUXBXczJkMWVxZ1VZclU5UT09 
Meeting ID: 992 6852 3678 Password: 784420 

What the Revs. are Reading & Listening to this Week
Rev. Brandon Harris

Reading:
Howard Thurman and the Disinherited by Paul Harvey

Otis Moss III: Care for the Land is Intimately tied to Black liberation

Listening: 

Rev. Dr. Raphael G. Warnock at the 212th Anniversary of Abyssinian Baptist Church. 


 
Rev. Mahogany Thomas 

Reading:
We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston

Listening:

"Rev. Tamika Jancewicz on Justice & Liberation: Follow Before You Lead" by Lady Preacher Podcast https://www.dancingpastor.org/ladypreacher

Announcements 
 

"Thanksgiving Donation. Faith Without Works is Dead. James 2:14-17
The Men's and Women's Fellowships thank the members of Peoples Church for your outpouring of generosity.  We were able to deliver a check in the amount of $2,387.00 to the Georgia Ave. Family Support Collaborative.  This money will be used to support the annual Shirley Sanders Memorial Thanksgiving Food giveaway on Sat. Nov. 21, 2020.  Any additional money received will be given to the GA Collaborative for future events. We are moved by your response with such short notice.  Thank you, thank you.... we couldn't have done it without you. Yvonne Hinkson and Jackie Greene, Fellowship Presidents.
 
The Scholarship Committee will begin accepting college book grant applications on October 12, 2020. If hard copies of the application need to be retrieved from the church building, please email scholarship@peopleschurchucc.org Please note, the due date for applications and any supporting documentation is Friday, December 4, 2020, at midnight. Thank you.
 

COVID -19 CONTACT TRACING FORM UPDATE

Each person visiting the Church, for the first time only, with a scheduled appointment, must complete a Contact Tracing Form during the sign-in process. To expedite your sign-in time, the Contact Tracing Form has been posted on the Church website (peopleschurchucc.org) under Church  Forms. The Church Forms Tab can be accessed from the Home Page of the website.   The form can be downloaded and printed. Bring the completed form with you when you visit the Church for essential business only. Thanks for your cooperation with this COVID-19 protocol.

THE BYLAWS WORKGROUP has completed discussions with the Church Council on the proposed amendments to the bylaws. They are in the process of further editing to reflect the results of discussions with the Church
Council. The next phase is to make this document available to the full governing body (the congregation) for at least a 45-day review period. Because of COVID-19 protocols, the Work Group will announce a process for members of the congregation to raise questions and get responses from the Work Group. We hope to begin this phase in mid-October. Members of the Work Group are Pat Ellis, Lead; Robert Hendricks, Immediate Past Moderator; Brenda V. Smith, former Moderator; Brenda Ewing, Church Treasurer; Marie Whitaker, President, Council of Circles and Clubs; and Esther Williams, At-Large  Member, Church Council. The current Moderator and Moderator-Elect are integral in the process. Questions/Inquiries: info@peopleschurchucc.org
 
MEMBER CHECK-IN CALLS/TECHNOLOGY SURVEY is completed. Nineteen  Church volunteers combed through a list of approximately 500 members to confirm contact information and to gauge the effectiveness of Church communications during this period of COVID-19 protocols. The volunteers completed a sheet for each person reached. They were able to confirm contact information with 242 members (47.5 percent of the list). The remainder of the list were invalid numbers and unresponsive, and a few are no longer members. Deceased members numbered 25 (5 percent of the list). If there are members who were not contacted, please be in touch with Pat Ellis at info@peopleschurchucc.org. We want to be sure everyone is counted! Thank you.

 

 

 


                                    

 

Copyright © 2020 Peoples Congregational UCC, All rights reserved.


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