It’s that time of year – again!

We can do it; we can endure another hour of 2020!

Don’t forget to Fall Back one hour early Sunday morning, November 1 or change those clocks before you head to bed.

DST History (Thanks Wikipedia)

Daylight saving time (DST), also daylight savings time or daylight time (the United States and Canada) and summer time (United Kingdom, European Union, and others), is the practice of advancing clocks during warmer months so that darkness falls later each day according to the clock. The typical implementation of DST is to set clocks forward by one hour in the spring (“spring forward”) and set clocks back by one hour in autumn (“fall back”) to return to standard time.^[1][2] In other words, there is one 23-hour day in late winter or early spring and one 25-hour day in the autumn.

George Hudson proposed the idea of daylight saving in 1895.^[3] The German Empire and Austria-Hungary organized the first nationwide implementation starting on April 30, 1916. Many countries have used it at various times since then, particularly since the 1970s energy crisis. DST is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it. Some countries observe it only in some regions; for example, parts of Australia observe it, while other parts do not.^[4] Only a minority of the world’s population uses DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe it.

DST clock shifts sometimes complicate timekeeping and can disrupt travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices, heavy equipment,^[5] and sleep patterns.^[6] Computer software often adjusts clocks automatically, but policy changes by various jurisdictions of DST dates and timings may be confusing.^[7]

Join us in shining a light on Clyde Manning from New Philadelphia Moravian Church, this week’s #BeMoravianStars!

Clyde Manning is one of the many stars at New Philadelphia that make up a constellation of “stars.” As a Pastoral Assistant, her position is varied and includes many aspects of church life, and this current period of crisis has challenged all of us as we strive to “be” the church. It’s been important to stay in touch with homebound church members in new ways since being together isn’t an option. Working with the Elders and others at New Philly, Clyde has been in communicating through notes, texts, telephone calls, and distant porch visits, finding cheerfulness and hopefulness with each interaction. Active church members continue to “be” the church through good work. In recent months, New Philly has responded generously to several “drives” including: diapers for struggling families; art supplies for those confined to nursing homes; and non-perishable food for our Blessing Box which was constructed and installed early this summer. Recently, New Philly provided scholarship funds for South Fork students, allowing them to receive academic support as their parents returned to work. Clyde’s tasks usually center on the coordination of these projects as we build bridges from church to community. Clyde and the members of New Philadelphia strive daily to answer the call of the one who said of Himself, “I am the light of the world.”

Remember to nominate the Moravian Stars in your life! We will “star” the yards of those nominated to honor them for their generosity and love for their neighbor. Then, we will feature their good deeds on our social media and website.

Click here to read more about our #BeMoravianStars initiative and to nominate someone you know!

Register to Attend Worship

If you would like to attend the 10:00 a.m. IN PERSON worship service on Sunday, November 1, we ask you to register online. You may sign in digitally by going to newphilly.org and following the link that says “Register Your Church Attendance.”

Once you click the “Register Your Church Attendance” link, please read all the information and answer all questions, once completed you will receive an email confirmation of your registration. If anything changes and you need to cancel or make changes to your reservation, you may log back into Realm or call Rachel in the church office for assistance. *Registration closes Saturday, October 31*

We are asking that you arrive between 9:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to enter and be seated by an usher.

We want to keep our pastoral staff, musicians, video and audio technicians safe.  And we want to keep each other safe. We will ask for your feedback and responses to share with the Regathering Team and with the Joint Board as we look at the next stages in our regathering in person for worship, fellowship and service.

Here are some ways we ask you to care for yourself and others while at worship today:

• If you have a temperature greater than 99.5, any symptoms, or recent exposure to coronavirus, are over 65 with underlying conditions, we appreciate your caring for yourself and others by not attending in person. We will continue to livestream (and save) the service on the New Philadelphia Moravian Church Facebook page and YouTube page for viewing. We will continue to offer the Zoom for listeners for those without computers or mobile devices.

• Please arrive between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. for the 10 a.m. service. Use the center Sanctuary/narthex entrance (front door) and stay at least six feet away from the persons waiting to be seated. Ushers will admit you, then seat you. You may pick up an order of worship before entering the sanctuary.

• Please complete the contact information requested either using your smart phone or tablet  for the link on newphilly.org or offering the information to a greeter who will have a tablet or  phone at the narthex entrance.

• Follow the three W’s (Wear a mask, Wait six feet  between you and others, Wash/sanitize your hands) while inside the sanctuary for the service and while outside before entering. (Yes, this does mean keeping your mask on while inside the building.)

• Physical distancing of at least six feet does not allow for hugging, handshakes, high fives or fist bumps whether inside or outside the building. Kindly try gestures such as hands to heart or waves to show your greetings, your care for others and your fellowship and friendship.

• Seating is marked and spaced so that you will be distanced from others and so that worship and music team and audio and video technicians are distanced. The balcony will not be available for seating at this time.

• A few singers and musicians will provide music. We will not sing together as a congregation or read aloud together during the service.

• At the end of the service, ushers will direct congregants to exit, starting with the last seated at the back and moving toward the front (the last shall be first). Please wait in your seat until an usher directs you to leave.

• A restroom is available in the narthex, the area as you enter the church building. Signage will let you know about cleaning supplies available.

• We are not able to provide a nursery, use of water fountains or use of the building except for the sanctuary where we have designated an entrance and exits. Please enter and exit the church only through the narthex. Ushers will help guide you.

Many of you know that, in addition to the text or watchword for the day, our Daily Texts include some Scripture readings for the day. This week I have been enjoying reading through one of my favorite psalms, Psalm 107. The psalm speaks of people who are facing many different challenges and difficult situations. Some are in deserts – geographically, spiritually or emotionally – longing to be refreshed; some are in prison – bound by forces (hatred, violence, addictions…) that hold them down and keep them from being free; some are sick and suffering because of physical ailments, crying out for health and strength and daily bread; some are facing storms that disrupt their worlds as they try to go about the business of living.

In the Psalm, all of these people cry out to God and God saves and redeems all of them! But it is interesting to note that God does this in different ways because their needs are different. People in deserts (like the folks in places that are being destroyed by fire and being turned into parched lands) need lots of water. But water is the last thing that people in the midst of storms (like those on the Gulf Coast) need right now. And God’s response to those who are sick and to those who are in prison is not the same, but each response serves the need that is present.

Now, what if all of these folks – the ones in the desert, the ones in prison, the ones facing illness, the ones in the midst of storms – what if they would start discussing and debating and arguing about how God works in the world? What if one of them would say, “God is a God who leads us to water!” and another would respond, “Huh? No way! God gets us out of the water!” And then the person who has been cured and the one who has been set free might start debating the details of God’s redemptive process. No!! The psalmist says that all of these people need to give thanks to God together and share their stories so that we can gain a greater understanding of who God is and how God works in the world. Then we all can “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good… and his love endures forever!”

Bishop Gray

We are all feeling the effects of the Coronavirus and the socially distanced isolation we feel from behind our smile hiding masks.  Some are feeling it more than others.  Not everyone feels their worship needs met by a live-streamed service.  The handshakes and hugs we used to receive in Sunday School, at choir practices and before and after circle and committee meetings leave us hungry for the human contact that was part of our church experience.  Maybe you just need to sit for a time in the sacred space of our sanctuary in meditative prayer. 

Whenever something happens to cause significant changes in our lives, we find ourselves needing to deal with what are important losses in our lives.  What losses has this pandemic caused in your life?

We have no idea just when these things will be restored, but we need to try to do something to gauge the depth of our needs and to see how we might be helpful until that time comes. 

The Board of Elders offers you this opportunity to share about how you are experiencing these days by responding to a few questions.

GO TO QUESTIONNAIRE

KEEPING CONNECTIONS: Because we are not able to meet together in person and we are sometimes using tools to connect that we are unfamiliar or even uncomfortable with, we are collecting questions and finding answers to some of your technology/connection questions. 

This can be an interactive column: you ask questions, but if you know answers too, share them! Send questions (and answers) to kehwindsor1@gmail.com. 

Q: How can I update my email address if I am not receiving the newsletter and other notifications from the New Philadelphia newphilly.org site? 

If you currently do not receive the newsletter, you can email the church office (info@newphilly.org). If you want to be updated about posts on the website, you can subscribe via the link on the website.

Q: Are REALM and Instant Church Directory the same thing? If I change my email on one, does it automatically update on the other?

REALM and Instant Church Directory are two separate items. Changing one does not automatically update all.  REALM includes church membership records and giving records. See more about Realm at https://newphilly.org/lets-get-connected/  Log in to Instant Church Directory using the email listed for you in the church membership roll. You can create a login by following the link on newphilly.org. Questions? Contact Nancy Holland at nancy.holland@triad.rr.com or Kay Windsor at kehwindsor1@gmail.com.

Q: When can we get print copies of the church directory? 

The church directory can be printed. HOWEVER, it is a living document and changes constantly so a printed edition isn’t really worthwhile.

Q: How can I view past worship services on Facebook or YouTube?

If you go to the Facebook page, there should be an option for VIDEOS – this will take you to all the videos the church has posted including past services. If you go to the YouTube channel, the past services should automatically populate on the page.

Q: How can I view the live-streamed service on Sunday morning?

You can view the live stream service by going to facebook.com/newphiladelphiamoravianchurch – from there you can view the service.  You may also click the LIVE link on our webpage and it will take you directly to Facebook.

Q: Is there some other way, a platform other than Facebook, to view our live-streamed services on Sunday? I don’t use Facebook. I understand I can bypass the login, and I understand that the comments that can be shared are a good way to connect, but can’t we also do that on other platforms like Vimeo? I appreciate the new links on the newphilly.org page and it’s good to have them in the emailed newsletter. Thanks!

To stream on two different platforms requires more bandwidth than what we currently have, so right now the only way to view it live is via Facebook.  YouTube now has a chat feature, but Facebook has additional features that the church currently uses.  Things keep evolving, so it is possible that in the future the church may move or add an additional live-stream platform.  We’d like feedback on the reasons people would prefer a different platform.  Some people say they can watch YouTube on their TV, but can’t get Facebook on their TV – we’d like to know how many people are in this position and what other reasons folks have for wanting the platform to change. Contact Valerie Crane at ctcranes@yahoo.com.