A message from Martin and Rev. Jim
To Members of the Congregational Church of East Hampton:
As many of you know, Governor Lamont has issued a new Executive Order 7X in which the state extended the closures, distancing, and safety measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 through May 20, 2020.
We will continue to shutter our church building and suspended in-person Sunday services and meetings through May 20. I remind everyone that the building is closed to all except key staff members. This is to minimize the chance of infection to anyone who is on site as well as ensure we do not have to suffer the expense of a “deep cleaning” if some one who is diagnosed with COVID-19 has entered the building. While I understand that this may be considered harsh, it is for our own safety and well being.
Our Spring Market fund raising event is currently scheduled for Saturday May 23, 2020. We have determined it is very unlikely that we could successfully organize and hold this event on that day given the restrictions we all are living with. We also expect it would be lightly attended if the Spring Market was held so soon after the quarantine restrictions were ended.
At this point, we will postpone the Spring Market and perhaps we can hold a similar market on our lawn late in June if the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” restrictions have done their job. We will keep everyone posted on the plans if we can pull the later fund raiser together. You may also have heard that the annual East Hampton Old Home Day weekend has been outright cancelled as well. Our usual participation to sell hot dogs will also not happen in 2020.
You can see that our church budget continues to be strained by the international COVID-19 crisis, and I urge you to maintain sending your pledges and offerings to the church during these difficult times. Please drop them in the mail and send to CCEH, PO Box 237, East Hampton, CT 06424. An on-line option is to use Bill Pay through your bank and designate a payment to the Congregational Church of East Hampton. Another on-line option is to use the Church web site to set up a recurring contribution as an electronic funds transfer from your bank to the Church’s bank. If you need help navigating on-line payments, we can help you get that established.
But even though our church building is not accessible, as a church community we are still active. Last Sunday, nearly 150 people attended our virtual Easter service with music, readings, and a children’s message. Reverend Latimer holds weekly office hours on Wednesday evenings, and our church committees have been utilizing Zoom for their meetings as well.
We still have a way to go in handling our physical distancing situation. Together we can persevere and triumph over these challenges. Feel free to reach out to me or Reverend Latimer if you have any questions or concerns.
Martin Bartel, Moderator (mbartel@snet.net) 860-250-5166
Jim Latimer, Minister (jim@jimlatimer.org) 610-568-2480