Pastor's July Letter
It's Official - We've Gone GREEN!
Governor Wolf made it official – starting June 26th, our county went green in terms of the Coronavirus Pandemic Restrictions. That's right – I said “restrictions.” Even though we will thankfully be green for the month of July, there are still going to be some safety restrictions we'll be asked to observe when we are out in public and in gatherings with others.
The state is still mandating that we continue to wear masks and practice social distancing and wash our hands often and properly. But, hair salons are now open (hallelujah!) and some other businesses will open their doors once again with some additional cleaning requirements. Check with your favorite places for shopping and socializing before making plans. Indoor venues are asked to keep occupancy to 50% of their normal capacity.
Well, since this is summer and attendance in church is pretty low to begin with – we've decided to keep our doors closed through the summer for added safety. Please continue to enjoy our Live Stream Services from the comfort of your home (or vacation spot away from home) every Sunday morning at 10am on Facebook. Or even watch it later on our church's Facebook page.
And don't miss our daily Musical Selections from Keith, our Wednesday Night and Saturday Morning Music Sessions with Deb, our Tuesday & Thursday Devotions with the pastor, and also her weekly Message for Children on Wednesdays. And don't hesitate to contact the church, our pastor, or anyone on the Consistory with a question or concern or suggestion about how we might help you feel closer to your faith community.
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Now, it's summer and I know everyone is going to want to make up for all that we've missed during this pandemic by staying home and staying safe – but please be mindful of taking care of yourself as you venture out into the sunshine. Spend lots of time out of doors in God's green creation and breathe in the fresh air. And remember our motto for these days – Be Safe! Be Well! Be Kind to One Another! Jesus is counting on us to his heart, his hands, his voice in all that we say and do here and now so that his way of love becomes the only way to live!
God bless you! Pastor Susan
About Our Pastor
Reverend Susan Hanson
Reverend Susan Hanson has been serving churches since December 19, 1993, when she delivered her first sermon to her first congregation. Since then, Pastor Susan has served in 12 different settings of churches as an interim pastor and to nursing homes as a chaplain, primarily helping to heal hurting congregations and institutions so they could recover and start anew. Reverend Hanson came to St. Vincent UCC in 2013 - her lucky number 13, as she says - and has been with us ever since. How lucky we are because on Sunday, April 8, 2018, Pastor Susan was officially installed by the PA Southeast Conference of the UCC as St. Vincent UCC’s permanent pastor!
Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Florida State University; a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary; and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary. She was ordained in her home church, St. John’s UCC in Lansdale, PA, on January 9, 1994.
Susan and her husband, the Reverend Doug Hanson, pastor of St. Peter’s Pikeland UCC, live in Chester Springs. They have a daughter and son-in-law who live in Alabama with Pastor Susan’s two grandchildren, a daughter and a son who live locally, and a Golden Doodle. In addition to meeting new people, Pastor Susan enjoys reading a good book, taking walks in nature, and visiting with family and friends.
In her Statement on Ministry, Reverend Hanson says that “a pastor assists the congregation in living out our call to be the heart and hands and voice of God here on earth in our own particular time and place. We can be assured that all of God’s hopes and dreams for us will be realized when we allow God’s Spirit to work within our own lives, and through us, to help others as we seek to do God’s will in the world. Together, we celebrate that when good people seek to make a positive difference in the world, it is there that real ministry happens.”
Feel free to contact Pastor Susan via email at holylistener@gmail.com or by cell phone at 610.393.6971.