“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden”. Matthew 5:14. The theme of last year’s stewardship letter was “light”; that we are beacons for our friends, family, and community. I’ve had a lot of time to think about that lately, as I have been trying to practice “social-distancing”. Some of us are better coping with being isolated than others. Due to various circumstances (age, mental/physical health, location...), this can bean overwhelming crisis. In addition, there are uncertainties regarding the economy, employment, personal finances, education, and safety. In this season of Lent, we remember how God illuminated our dark world with the presence of his son, Jesus. This is a temporary dark-time of Covid 19 (a/k/a Coronavirus), now more than ever, we need to shine bright and help others to maneuver the darkness and to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At our Sunday service, a friend shared her story of her family being quarantined during a Scarlet Fever epidemic. She expressed the gratitude her family felt as friends and neighbors showed their support by checking in with them and leaving gifts of food and toys. Those small individual gestures made a great impact on that family. In that same manner, let’s resolve to check in with our friends and family, especially the most vulnerable of us, to make sure they are coping as best they can. Let’s give them whatever assistance they may require to get them through. The church is a great resource to harness our light. Let’s use our church network to communicate needs throughout our membership. In order to do this, the church still needs your financial contributions throughout this crisis. We need to be able to “keep the lights on” (pun intended) and provide a staff to coordinate our efforts. We are all dealing with the financial uncertainties of the times, but whatever help you can afford, will be put to great use in helping our community. To that end, pre-addressed envelopes will be available for those who wish to continue to contribute, though they may not be able to attend church services. They can be obtained after March 24 from the parsonage porch. Take as many as you can use. Also, the church doors will be open during church office hours of Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 am to noon, and on Sundays 10:00 am to 11:30 am for anyone who desires to meditate or talk to Rev. Ray. You may reach the church the church by many avenues. They include:
Church phone: (262) 534-6582
Email:fccrochester@tds.netMail:
PO Box 8, Rochester, WI 53167
Website: https://fccrochesterwis.com
Church Directory for individual members
Please consult the church website for any additional up-to-date information. Thank you all for all you do!
Kimberly Ball - Member
We need more voices in our choir. Rehearsals at 8:30-9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, prior to worship services. Come and sing with us to the glory of God!
(temporarily cancelled)
OUR SUPPORTED MISSIONS:
Love, Incorporated
Crop Walk
Bill Martin Food Pantry
The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
LOVE, INC pantry items needed:
Jam/Jelly, Chili powder, Soups, Cereal, Tissues, Flour/Muffin Mix, Catsup, Crackers, Instant Coffee, Shampoo, Salt/Pepper, Gravy (jar or can), Large bottle juices, Canned fruit, Sugar, Dishwashing Detergent. 300 area families need our help!