Guidelines for In-Person Worship - Updated 5/27/2021

We will continue to monitor the guidelines set forth by the PA health department. Please know that we will continue to live stream the worship service over our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WboroTUCC), so if you do not feel comfortable coming to church for in-person worship, we encourage you to watch our live virtual broadcast or go to our church webpage (tuccwboro.com – click on “Listen In” tab) and watch a recording of the service at a time that is convenient to you and your family. These procedures are to protect the health and safety of our church family. 

1. You no longer need to call the office to reserve a seat.

2. Wearing a mask is optional if you are fully vaccinated. We encourage anyone not vaccinated to continue to wear a mask for your own protection.

3. All doors to the building will be open until 10:45 A.M. After that time, please use the handicap access door in the Narthex.

4. We encourage the use of hand sanitizer located throughout the building.

5. Social distancing will be practiced by only sitting in the pews that are not ribboned off.

6. Continue to place offerings in the plates provided at each entrance to the Sanctuary.

7. Continue to remain seated during the worship service.

UPDATED 4/22/2021

We will continue to monitor the guidelines set forth by the PA health department. Please know that we will continue to live stream the worship service over our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WboroTUCC), so if you do not feel comfortable coming to church for in-person worship, we encourage you to watch our live virtual broadcast or go to our church webpage (tuccwboro.com – click on “Listen In” tab) and watch a recording of the service at a time that is convenient to you and your family. These procedures are to protect the health and safety of our church family.

1.   You must call (717-762-7191) or email (tuccsecretary@gmail.com) the church office by noon on Thursday prior to the Sunday you want to come to worship in order to reserve a seat. This seating chart is necessary to create a contact list in the event that someone tests positive for the coronavirus.

2.   You must wear a mask at all times in the building.

3.   When you arrive you must use the Harbaugh Hall door entrance off the parking lot. The door will be open at 10:15 am. Please do not come before that time unless you are attending Sunday school. Special instructions will be sent to individuals who indicated they would be returning to Sunday school.

4.   You will be asked a few questions, and your temperature will be taken. You will also be asked to use the hand sanitizer located in Harbaugh Hall.

5.   You will then proceed to the sanctuary to take your socially distanced assigned place in the pews via the stairway or elevator. Bulletins and an offering plate will be on the table inside the sanctuary doors. Please do not circulate to greet others when you are waiting for the service to begin.

6.   When the service is over, please use the tunnel in the narthex, the outside doors in the narthex, or the elevator. Please save conversations until you are outside.

7.   There will be welcome team members to assist you.

A few other details…

We ask that you remain seated for the entire worship service. For congregational singing, we ask that you remain seated and either hum or silently read the words to the hymn while listening to our worship team members sing. The words to the hymns will be in the bulletin and on the screens. When using the restrooms, there will be hand sanitizer outside the restroom to use before going in; please have only one person in the restroom at a time; when finished, clean any area and or surface you used with the disinfecting wipes provided; wash your hands; upon exiting please use the hand sanitizer again.

The guidelines for Sunday school are as follows:

Please use the Harbaugh Hall door when entering. Please do not arrive before 9 am. Your temperature will be taken upon arrival. A mask must be worn the entire time you are in the building. There will be no gathering in Harbaugh Hall and no fellowship hour, so be sure to eat breakfast. Participants will report directly to their classrooms. Parents will be asked to pick up their child at the classroom at the conclusion of Sunday school at 10:15 am regardless of whether or not they will be attending morning worship. This is to eliminate unnecessary movement throughout the building. Some classrooms have changed to accommodate social distancing.

• 3M class—Will not be meeting in person until the fall.

• Faith Formation class—Will meet in the Chapel. Any parents who would like to stay at the church while their children are in Sunday School are welcome to gather with this class.

• Questors—Will meet both in person in the Parlor and online.

• Youth—Will meet in the Rainbow Room.

• Yoyos (3rd-5th) —Will meet in the downstairs Trinity Nursery School room.

• Early Elementary (1st and 2nd) —At this time there are no children of this age attending.

• PreK-K—Will meet in the nursery room.

We ask that each of these areas are sanitized with the disinfectant provided at the conclusion of Sunday school.

Thanks in advance for following our safety guidelines. If you have any questions please contact Deb Hollen at tuccdeb@gmail.com.

Return to Sunday School Update - March 18, 2021

We’re excited to return to both morning worship AND Sunday School on March 28th! Morning Worship guidelines are exactly as they were in the fall and are given in a separate announcement (see below). We have tried very hard to make returning to our church safe.

Here are the guidelines for Sunday school:

• Please use the Harbaugh Hall door when entering.

• Please do not arrive before 9 A.M.

• Your temperature will be taken upon arrival.

• A mask must be worn the entire time you are in the building.

• There will be no gathering in Harbaugh Hall and no fellowship hour, so be sure to eat breakfast.

• Participants will report directly to their classrooms.

• Parents will be asked to pick up their child at the classroom at the conclusion of Sunday school at 10:15 A.M., regardless of whether or not they will be attending morning worship. This is to eliminate unnecessary movement throughout the building.

• Some classrooms have changed to accommodate social distancing:

  • 3M Class - Will not meet in person until the fall.

  • Faith Formation Class - Not meeting as a class at this time, but any parents who normally attend this class and would like to stay at the church while their children are in Sunday school, may gather in the Parlor.

  • Questors - Will meet both in person in the Recreation Room and online.

  • Youth - Will meet in the Rainbow Room.

  • Yoyos (3rd-5th) - Will meet in the downstairs Trinity Nursery School room.

  • Early Elementary (1st and 2nd) - At this time. there are no children of this age attending.

  • PreK-K - Will meet in the nursery room.

• We ask that each of these areas be sanitized with the disinfectant provided at the conclusion of Sunday school.

Thanks in advance for following our safety guidelines. If you have any questions please contact Deb Hollen at tuccdeb@gmail.com.

Consistory Sets Regathering Date for Worship 

The church consistory of Trinity UCC met on Thursday, February 18th, and decided to regather for in-person worship on Palm Sunday, March 28th. As in the fall, we will continue to monitor the guidelines set forth by the PA Health Department.

Please know that we will continue to Livestream the worship service over our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WboroTUCC), so if you do not feel comfortable coming to church for in-person worship, we encourage you to watch our live virtual broadcast or go to our church webpage (tuccwboro.com – click on “Listen In” tab) and watch a recording of the service at a time that is convenient to you and your family.

The only difference from our fall protocol is that the windows will remain closed, and, of course, there is no air filtration system.

Again, these procedures are to protect the health and safety of our church family.

Regathering Protocol

1. You must call (717-762-7191) or email (tuccsecretary@gmail.com) the church office by noon on Thursday prior to the Sunday you want to come to worship in order to reserve a seat. This seating chart is necessary to create a contact list in the event that someone tests positive for the coronavirus.

2. You must wear a mask at all times in the building.

3. When you arrive, you must use the Harbaugh Hall door entrance off the parking lot. The door will be open at 10:15 A.M. Please do not come before that time.

4. You will be asked a few questions, and your temperature will be taken. You will also be asked to use the hand sanitizer located in Harbaugh Hall.

5. You will then proceed to the sanctuary to take your socially distanced assigned place in the pews via the stairway or elevator. Bulletins and an offering plate will be on the table inside the sanctuary doors. Please do not circulate to greet others when you are waiting for the service to begin.

6. When the service is over, please use the tunnel in the narthex, the outside doors in the narthex, or the elevator. Please save conversations until you are outside.

7. There will be welcome team members to assist you.

A few other details…

• We ask that you remain seated for the entire worship service.

• For congregational singing, we ask that you remain seated and either hum or silently read the words to the hymn while listening to our worship team members sing. The words to the hymns will be in the bulletin and on the screens.

• When using the restrooms, there will be hand sanitizer outside the restroom to use before going in; please have only one person in the restroom at a time; when finished, clean any area and or surface you used with the disinfecting wipes provided; wash your hands; upon exiting, please use the hand sanitizer again. 

• When the service concludes, a Welcome Team member will dismiss you by rows (just like at a wedding). They will instruct you as to which door to use to leave. Please follow their instructions.

Consistory Sets Regathering Date for Worship

The church consistory of Trinity UCC met on Wednesday, September 2nd, and decided to regather for in-person worship on September 13th. There are still many unknowns and we might regather for a few weeks and decide that it is not safe for us to continue worshiping in-person, but after examining the results of the recent survey, it was felt that there is enough interest to try regathering for worship, even if it is temporary. We will be evaluating how everything is going and will be listening to the guidelines set up by the governor’s office for any changes that occur as result of new information in the battle with this pandemic.

Please know that we will continue to live stream the worship service over our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WboroTUCC), so if you do not feel comfortable coming to church for in-person worship, we encourage you to watch our live virtual broadcast or go to our church webpage (tuccwboro.com/listenin) and watch a recording of the service at a time that is convenient to you and your family. Virtual church is still church and in these difficult times, it is important to remain connected to your church family in a way that works for you.

We want you to know the priority of these procedures is to protect the health and safety of our church family. First of all, we ask that if you are planning on attending worship on Sunday morning, please call (717-762-7191) or email the church office (tuccsecretary@gmail.com) before noon on Thursday to let us know you are coming and how many from your family will be with you. You will be assigned a seat (just like going to a concert or sporting event). This will enable us to be assured of a safe social distance of at least 6 feet and this will also help us develop a “contact list” if someone comes down with COVID-19.

What To Expect When You Arrive At Church

The church building will be open at 10:15 on Sunday morning. When you arrive, please enter the building from the rear parking lot using the Harbaugh Hall doors. We will be following the guidelines of using just 25% of the capacity of our sanctuary. With a capacity of 325, we will not allow more than 80 people in the sanctuary for worship at a time.

Please bring and wear your mask while you are in the church building. A welcome team member will greet you, check your temperature, and ask you some basic screening questions. Throughout the church there are sanitation stations – we ask that you use the materials provided at the stations for your safety as well as those around you. Please read and follow the signage.

After being checked in by a member of the Welcome team, please follow the directions given to make your way to the sanctuary, either by the stairs or the elevator. Once in the sanctuary, a Welcome team member will show you to your seat. If you would like a bulletin, please take one off the table and we ask that you TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU. Please place your offering in the plates at the doors.

We ask that you remain seated for the entire worship service. For congregational singing, we ask that you remain seated and either hum or silently read the words to the hymn while listening to our worship team members sing. The words to the hymns will be in the bulletin and on the screens. If you need assistance during the worship service or need to leave for something like using the rest room, please raise your hand and a Welcome team member will assist you.

When using the restrooms, there will be hand sanitizer outside the restroom which we ask that you use before going in; please have only one person in the restroom at a time; when finished, clean any area and or surface you used with the Clorox wipes provided; wash your hands; upon exiting please use the hand sanitizer again.

When the service concludes, a Welcome team member will dismiss you by rows (just like at a wedding). They will instruct you as to which door to use to leave. Please follow their instructions.

If you would like to visit with a friend, we ask that you meet outside the building. As we gather together again as a church family, we hope that the precautions we have taken will give you peace and that you feel safe in the comfort of your church building.

Trinity UCC Covenant of Care

(Why We Mask and Use Social Distancing)  

Trinity UCC policy requires the wearing of masks and social distancing in order to minimize the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus. Wearing a mask protects others from contacting the virus from you. We believe that, when you wear a mask and practice social distancing, you demonstrate your love of neighbor and your commitment to follow Jesus’ commandment:

  “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:40  

As an individual who attends Trinity UCC, and as a follower of Jesus Christ committed to God’s call to love my neighbor and to care for the most vulnerable among us, we covenant with each other to keep our community safe and healthy.  

I covenant to…              

• Wear a face mask as a symbol of love and care of neighbor.              

• Sit six feet apart from others outside of my seating group, leaving room for God to work in the in-between spaces.

• Clean up after myself in the spaces I have used, because like Jesus, germs are everywhere we go, too.

• Honor and respect the sacredness of each person in this space and to stay home if I don’t feel well, knowing God is with us wherever we are, whether inside or outside the walls of the church.

• Work together with my church family in creating a safe and healthy space to worship as one body, united in God’s love, acknowledging the hard work ahead, and the commitment to care for one another.

• Contact church leadership directly if I have been diagnosed with COVID-19 after having participated in  an in-person worship service.

If wearing a mask makes you feel apprehensive or makes it difficult to catch your breath, we encourage you to consider watching our live virtual broadcast of the worship service from the comfort of your home. Virtual church is still church, and we rejoice in your decision to worship with us virtually if you are unable to wear a mask for the duration of the service.  

Long ago, the prophet Micah asserted that what God requires of us is “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed our lives and our world. It has not, however, changed what God requires of us. We acknowledge that masking and social distancing is not a cure-all or a guarantee you will not catch the COVID-19 virus, however, it is the most responsible way we have to limit the possibility of transmitting this disease.

Together, we as the church, covenant to care for and love one another in new and different ways, embracing God’s still-speaking voice.

May 23 message from Pastor Bruce regarding President Trump’s urge for houses of worship to reopen:

A friend of mine, Bruce Epperly, made the following statement to President Trump's proclamation that all churches should be open:

"Our church has always been open. The virus may have closed the doors of our sanctuary. It didn't close our minds, hearts, hands, and mission. Study groups and worship are flourishing, children are being nurtured, and our mission to the community is strong. Our indoor programs will be shuttered throughout the summer but our faith is global, welcoming to all people, seeking justice and environmental well being for all, and sharing good news with one another and the world."

For the past few months, we have had to worship virtually, but that has not deterred us from "Being the Church." We have maintained our Christian community, maybe not in person, but by calling each other, using Zoom gatherings, praying for each other, and doing for each other however and whenever it has been possible. Yes, its true, it just isn't the same as being together in person, but a part of caring for each other is to do what is best for each other and using our heads to determine what that is. I, as your pastor, will err on the side of caution and care for our fellowship here at Trinity, which means making sure it is safe for us to gather in person. Until that time, I feel we wait and listen to the medical experts who have a much better handle on this virus than those who look at things with a political twist. And by saying that, I am NOT taking sides in the political arena, but rather I am following my conscious and siding on how we have a responsibility to care for each other as Jesus himself cared for people.

Believe me, I am looking forward to the time we can be together and worship in the same space and shake hands and hug each other, but until then we will continue to use caution and good judgement in determining when that time will be.

Message Regarding the American Red Cross Blood Drive:

Our Blood Drive is still on!  

Trinity UCC's American Red Cross Blood Drive is scheduled for Saturday, June 27 from 9:30 to 3:00. Blood donation and associated workers have been designated "essential critical Infrastructure workers" by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition, the US Surgeon General, CDC and other federal, state and local authorities are encouraging healthy people to continue donating blood. Blood donation is safe and the American Red Cross is taking extra steps to protect donors from contracting COVID-19. 

One of those steps is refusing "walk-ins". You must schedule an appointment to donate! To schedule your donation or get more information go to redcrossblood.org.

If you need help scheduling your donation contact the church at Tuccwboro@gmail.com. If you aren't eligible to donate blood please consider volunteering to help get the word out, or help with tasks the day of the drive.  

Thank you!

March 16 note from Consistory President, Teresa Needham:

Hello Everyone,

In this uncertain time of a National Emergency, tough decisions are having to be made. On that note, it is the decision of your church consistory to close our worship service for next week, March 22. We will reassess, during the week of March 23, to determine whether service will be held on March 29th.

This decision was made to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus. As a church family, it is our responsibility to care for each other. We need to be concerned about those who are most vulnerable to this issue. Since someone can be a carrier of the virus and not know that they have it, we must err on the side of caution.

On a personal level, I am one of those who are vulnerable. I take medication that suppresses my immune system. I am self quarantined and grateful that others are helping me with this situation. I encourage everyone to be vigilant and safe. Take this time to reflect, read and embrace a slower pace of life. Remember that with a quarantine it doesn't mean that you are alone. Through social media and phones we can still stay in contact with friends and family.

Be at peace and know that God hears our prayers! Continue to pray for the healing of those who are sick and suffering. Pray for the medical community that is treating the sick. Pray for our world and our ability to work together as people of Christ!

Blessings to all of you,

Teresa Needham

Consistory President

March 16 note from Pastor Bruce:

Dear Friends,

Greetings during these very difficult and apprehension filled days! First of all, my apologies for this past Sunday and all the technical difficulties we experienced trying to bring you the worship service either via Facebook or our WEB-PAGE…nothing seemed to go the way we intended! We are going to try again this weekend and instructions will be forthcoming as soon as we have them.

Next, the church office will be open during this time and please know if you have any problems such as needing food or other assistance you may call and we will find a way to help you. Also, please remember to check on each other and continue to find ways to BE CHURCH to each other. This is one time when it becomes more real that we are ALL ministers of the gospel with the ability to share the love and peace of God with each other. Loneliness is a major issue that will need to be dealt with so please be conscious of each other and the need for some human contact.

Also, please remember that the church’s expenses continue in spite of the fact we are not gathering together on Sundays. Please think about following through on your financial commitments during this time by either dropping your tithe or offering off at the church or sending it to the church office.

And remember, if you start climbing the walls of your home, you can go outside and take a walk and enjoy God’s creation. God’s peace be with you!

Pastor Bruce

March 14 note from Pastor Bruce:

My friends,

This Lenten season has turned into the season of cancellations, and perhaps the most unnerving cancellation is that of church service. However, in this time of uncertainty and anxiousness, we realize that large gatherings of people are potential hot-spots for the spread of disease, and church services can be pretty cozy experiences as far as personal space goes. For all of our best efforts to illuminate handshaking and peace passing, the best way to protect folks right now is to keep them apart.

Therefore, here is what our plans are for the next few weeks: 

Tomorrow, March 15, we are encouraging those of you with compromising situations to stay home. What we are going to try tomorrow is a bare bones worship experience, and we are going to attempt to broadcast this service on Facebook. It might just end up being myself and a few choir members who feel comfortable attending, but we are going to try putting something out for people to experience. We will then decide if this is the best way to proceed or if we should just cancel completely for the following weeks.

A few things to consider. If you cannot connect to Facebook, you might still be able to listen to the service on our website. But if you have no Internet capabilities, consider using this time for personal or family devotions.

Second, please remember your pledge. Even if the building is empty, bills and salaries still need to be paid.

Third, check on each other, especially older neighbors or those with special needs. Fourth, pray for each other and for all those directly affected by this virus. In other words, Be the Church!

More than anything else, please take care of yourselves including all of the things we have talked about in previous weeks, such as washing your hands.

More information will be available after tomorrow as church consistory makes decisions in regards to activities during the next few weeks. Information will be available on Monday and a new message will be shared with the congregation.

I continue to pray for each and everyone of you and I will be available for hospital calls. However, home visits will be limited to emergency situations. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to text me or email me or call me.

Peace be with you,

Pastor Bruce