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More people in PNC congregations are now vaccinated
Everett UCC promotes shots during meal for homeless people
Everett UCC is doing several things to help people to be able to be vaccinated.
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Dr. Mary Lou Hatcher and Sheila Murphy, ARNP, left, of Mercy prepare vaccinations at Everett UCC for meal for homeless. |
“We have no idea how many people have been vaccinated, but we are helping in a few ways,” said Betty Parry Fisher, moderator. “We have talked about vaccinations during our virtual coffee hour and during prayer time, encouraging everyone who can to move forward with vaccinations.
The church also has a group of folks who are helping others find appointments.
Especially at the beginning of vaccines being offered, signing up for an appointment was as competitive as buying a ticket for a rock concert, she said.
Jenny Deveraux Kearns, who works at home for Microsoft, pulled up the pages for vaccination sites and then refreshed the pages throughout the day. When she sees open appointments, she sends a text to a small group.
Betty has been keeping a list with those who want help setting an appointment. She jumps on her computer, schedules the appointment and lets the person know.
If transportation to and from the appointment is needed, several Everett UCC members provide rides.
Mercy Watch, a medical ministry for people who are experiencing homeless, comes to Everett UCC each Thursday when they serve a takeout dinner for low-income people in the community.
Mercy Watch vaccinated ] kitchen volunteers and has been able to vaccinate several homeless people.
People in the community know that late Thursday afternoons, Mercy Watch will be at the “Rainbow Church.”
For information, call 425-367-3014 or email bettyparryfisher@gmail.com.
Pastor is volunteering
Becky Anderson, former pastor at Newport UCC, has been volunteering with Medical Resource Corps of Easterm Washington at vaccination sites since Jan. 21.
She has been at Multicare/Deaconess downtown, Cancer Care Center and the Arena and the Veterans Hospital next week. Would you like more information on it?
I have had really great experiences, and come home feeling “bathed in gratitude” from those who pass through.
She just applied applied to volunteer at https://www.spokanecounty.org/FormCenter/Emergency-Management-31/Volunteer-Emergency-Worker-Application-276.
For information, email rev.becky.53@gmail.com.
100 percent of eight attending are vaccinated
Janel Rieve, pastor, reported in March that 100 percent of the folks who are attending Zion Philadelphia UCC in Ritzville have had their second dose of the vaccine.
“That’s eight of us who venture out,” she said. “We have had worship in the church in October, masked-up and socially distanced. In the summer, we met outside.”
“We do not have the capability to do online worship. I send out materials to 35 inactive members and call on two older members who can’t come,” Janel said.
For information, email janelrieve@gmail.com.
Prospect helps schedule appointments
An informal poll on Sunday, March 21, at Prospect UCC in Seattle showed that the congregation was about 75 percent vaccinated. The staff-clergy rate was closer 20 percent. The pastor and organist are not yet vaccinated, said Karen Eisenbrey, office manager.
The church is promoting vaccination by offering information from a member’s former student who is helping schedule vaccination appointments as a community service project.
Prospect have offered its building as a vaccination site but have not heard back yet and don’t feel it would be a preferred site because of parking and accessibility issues, she said.
“We are organizing brown-bag get-togethers in the building for fully vaccinated people, to happen on Tuesdays beginning April 13. We are exploring what re-gathering for worship could look like and when that might happen, especially if clergy and music staff are not yet vaccinated,” Karen said.
“We have the added wrinkle of our pastor’s planned sabbatical this summer and whether the sabbatical pastor (also not vaccinated) will want to handle re-opening, or whether it would be better to either do it before the sabbatical in May or wait until after October,” she added.
For information, call 206-322-6030 or visit prospectseattle.org.
Colville reports most vaccinated
In late March, Jim CastroLang, pastor of First Congregational UCC in Colville, reported that 80 percent of the congregation was vaccinated.
He has been leading worship, with a lay leader, pianist and singer (sometimes remote) from the sanctuary but lay leaders serve as zoom moderators to stream the service online.
Two older women who do not use computers or cell phones come wearing masks and sit at the back.
The church has worked with four other churches—United Methodist, Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist and Lutheran—for six years to serve a hot meal Mondays through Fridays. It has continued as a take-out meal in the pandemic, serving about 40 people.
“We look forward to worshiping together, but we will continue to do zoom because it’s an easy way to do video recording,” Jim said. “Previously I provided audio of sermons.”
He uses a webcam with the computer to give a quality picture. Using Zoom has drawn two people from Pennsylvania with family connections, another who grew up here but lives in Marysville, and a member of the church council who works in Olympia.
For information, call 509-998-7203 or email jcastrolang@gmail.com.
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