SABBATH ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS

North Canton & Youngstown, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; Wheeling, WV Congregations

United Church of God, an International Association

 August 8, 2020

North Canton: 2:00 PM at Gateway Event Center

Youngstown: 2:00 PM at Holiday Inn

Pittsburgh: 2:00 PM at Deer Creek Church

Wheeling: 10:30 AM at Wheeling Country Day School Gymnasium

 

2:00 PM local webcast -->  https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast

NEXT TWO WEEKS

(may be subject to change)

Sabbath, August 15	North Canton: 2:00 PM – Gateway Event Center Youngstown: 2:00 PM – Holiday Inn Express, Youngstown W.
Friday, August 21	Friday night Bible study webcast – 7:30 PM (EDT) – Mr. Randy Stiver https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast
Sabbath, August 22	North Canton: 2:00 PM – Gateway Event Center Youngstown: 2:00 PM – Holiday Inn Express, Youngstown W.

 

*For Pittsburgh and Wheeling times, please see updates from Mr. Keith Wilson

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Pastor’s contact information:  2206 Eastwood Ave. NE, Massillon, OH 44646. Home phone: 330-809-0566, Cell phone: 740-739-7248

Email addresses: randy_stiver@ucg.org  or rpstiver@gmail.com (both come to the same location). 

Scheduling: To my email for church events, visits or counseling, and please copy my wife Linda ldstiver@gmail.com. 

Announcements: Please send to my email and copy to Amanda Stiver at anstiver@gmail.com as she helps process them each week.

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1.       LOCAL PRAYER REQUESTS and UPDATES

(If you notice that your prayer request needs updating, please drop us an email or a call with an update. Thank you!)

• COVID-19 – Please keep the health of God’s people in your prayers, locally and around the world, in UCG and the greater Church of God, especially those who have come down with COVID-19. Please also remember those whose livelihoods have been affected by the economic impact of the outbreak. 
• Feast Planning – Please keep Feast of Tabernacles planning in UCG and the greater Church of God in your prayers. The complications of the coronavirus emergency levels, shut-downs, and partial shut-downs make it challenging for Feast coordinators and others planning Feast details.
• Rose Szymkowiak (North Canton) – From Rose: “As a result of my visit to the ER two weeks ago, the staff did a number of tests most of which were fine. They did test me for Covid which thankfully came back negative. They also did a test for Lyme disease, that test unfortunately came back positive. Follow up visit to my family doctor was Thursday (I only got the test results Monday when the local health department called to inform me) and my doctor has put me on a regimen of antibiotics, twice a day for the next four weeks in an effort to knock all this out.  I feel somewhat relieved to know what I’ve been dealing with the last six weeks and that there is treatment. -- I would like to request prayers for my complete healing of this condition and that it will disappear quickly.  According to the doctor, this sometimes hangs on for several years.”

2.      U.S. FEAST UPDATE FOR AUGUST 8, 2020

The Feast Webpage (www.feast.ucg.org) has been updated showing all current U.S. Feast sites. Regrettably four sites were cancelled due to the social distancing regulations that limited attendance. Those sites were: 

Lake Junaluska 

Steamboat Springs 

Bend / Redmond 

Oceanside

(plus, in the Caribbean, Suriname and Haiti are now officially cancelled).

Three new sites are available and can accommodate larger attendance with less stringent restrictions. Those sites are: 

Gatlinburg, TN 

Rapid City, SD 

St. George, UT

Those who were registered at the cancelled sites were sent an email on Thursday evening, August 6, with instructions on how to update their registration information.

We realize that some members may not be able to attend live services and will make personal arrangements. However, there will still be at least two Feast sites in different time zones that will webcast live daily services.

Updating Registration 

If you are going to attend the Feast site where you are currently registered, and which has not been canceled, no action is needed. If you are going to update your registration, there are 3 overall categories, and everyone should fall into one out of three and be able to register appropriately.

1.          Attending a site listed on UCG webpage (this means you intend to attend services).

2.          “Not Attending In-person UCG Services” – 

a.         You are staying at home.

b.         You are going to a UCG Feast site, but will not be attending services.

c.          You are making personal arrangements.

3.          “Satellite Site” – your local congregation is sponsoring a local site.

If you need to update your registration, please do so by this coming Wednesday, August 12.

3.      HOW TO UPDATE FESTIVAL REGISTRATION

Instructions: 

1. Log into the UCG.org account which was used to register your household.
2. Access your household's Feast registration in one of two ways: 
   • Locate your confirmation email (subject line "UCG Festival Registration Complete" or "UCG Festival Registration Submitted") for 2020 and click the link in the email. -OR-
   • Click on your name in the upper right corner. In the box that appears, click the "My Registrations" link. Locate your Feast registration for 2020 in the list on the right and click the "View" link.
3. Toward the middle of the page, click the "CHANGE SITES" link.
4. In the "Choose Site" dropdown menu, select your new site. The selected site will appear under the "New Site" header on the right and will indicate how many spaces are available at that site.
5. Scroll down under the site photos and click the "Change Sites" button. You'll be returned to your registration page, with your new site displaying at the top of the page.

4.      INTERNATIONAL FEAST UPDATE

Most international Feast sites (including Canada) are closed to American citizens due to travel bans, many have had to cancel completely due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information, please check the www.feast.ucg.org website for your specific international site. The most recent update is found at this link: https://www.ucg.org/members/news/status-of-international-feast-sites-august-3-2020

5.      CHORAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AT THE FEAST

One of the highlights of the Feast of Tabernacles is being inspired and uplifted by the special music performed during services. The coronavirus pandemic has brought questions about the wisdom of having choirs and instrumental ensembles at the Feast.

An ongoing scientific aerosol study sponsored by the International Coalition of Performing Arts with lead scientists from the University of Colorado and the University of Maryland recently published preliminary results and recommendations based on initial testing.

They found that singers produce aerosol as well as wind instruments and concluded that the virus which causes COVID-19 can travel in respiratory aerosol. They mentioned that there are a few things musicians can do to somewhat reduce but not eliminate the risk of transmission.

Considering these findings and various news reports of church choirs and the spread of the virus, we have concluded not to have choirs or instrumental ensembles at our Feast sites this year. We are considering the possibility of virtual choir performances.

We will still have special music and sing our hymns to praise and honor God. We look forward to the time when we can return to having choral groups at the Feast of Tabernacles.

6.      LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF UCG

The following is a link to the letter of August 6 from Len Martin, Chairman of the Council of Elders: 

https://www.ucg.org/members/news/letter-from-the-chairman-august-6-2020?

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SPECIAL RESOURCES FOR DURING THE COVID-19 SITUATION

GUIDELINES FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES

·        Several hymns will be played, but no hymns will be sung - except in our hearts.

·        Plan to arrive about 15 minutes before service start time.

·        Masks are mandatory for age 10 and above for Ohio. They are mandatory in PA for age 2 and above. In West Virginia masks are required for age 9 and up.

·        We will take attendance as you enter with three basic questions about your exposure to Covid-19.

·        An infrared, touchless thermometer will be used to check for fever if needed.

·        Ushers will seat you, if needed, to provide for the necessary 6-foot, social-distancing.

·        Family groups will be seated together.

·        There will be no food or drinks (personal water bottles are excepted).

·        Please remember to wipe down all surfaces touched when using the restroom (wipes are provided).

·        After services we will vacate the hall within 15 or so minutes, but we can visit outside. 

COVID-19 Links and Resources:

Ohio COVID-19 Risk Level Guidelines for the Public: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/OPHASM/COVID-19-Risk-Level-Guidelines-GP.pdf

National: https://www.coronavirus.gov/

Ohio: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/

Pennsylvania:https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

West Virginia: https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx

UCG Updates and Hymn links:

UCG home office: https://www.ucg.org/members/news/united-church-of-god-coronavirus-updates

UCG Hymnal recordings and other links: https://www.ucg.org/members/hymnal

PHONE HOOK-UP to Home Office Webcasts

If you need a phone hook-up to the webcast services from Cincinnati (2:30PM on Sabbaths) here are the directions:

Please call no earlier than 5 minutes before the service will begin. If the Home Office has not activated the meeting, the caller will be put on hold, and then asked to call again later.

Normal Calling Directions for Home Office Webcast:

For those who can pay for long distance calls or have an unlimited phone calling plan:

Call: 1-508-924-1634

No access code needed.

If you know someone who could use the phone hook-up number, but does not get the announcements by email, please call them and pass along the information! Thank you!

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