If you haven’t noticed, the front lawn of First Congregational Church of Greenwich looks a bit different these days. Senior Pastor Rev. Patrick Collins has been spending many hours planting small white flags in the grass. Each flag is in memory of a life lost to COVID-19 in Connecticut. As the numbers of victims have grown, so has the number of flags planted.
“The flags are a powerful visual reminder of how this pandemic has impacted our community and our state.” says Rev. Patrick Collins. “The flags also give the community an opportunity to grieve together what we have lost during this time, which is important. This is not an attempt at bringing the community down, but rather providing a bridge that mirrors the reality of the situation so that we cross that bridge and get to the other side of this pandemic. If we are really going to move on from this situation, it is crucial to take the time to remember our loss and acknowledge the pain we feel.” Even with 1,639 flags thus far on the lawn, there are many more to be planted in the upcoming days.
First Church continues to live stream all worship services online. Rev. Patrick Collins also shares some thoughts and comforting words every Friday at 3:00 pm on Facebook (visit www.facebook.
You may like to receive “Music on Mondays,” an interesting newsletter about music by Dr. Craig Scott Symons, Minister of Music, “Wisdom on Wednesdays,” a live vlog by Rev. Patrick Collins, and “Faith Formation for All,” a family-oriented weekly email from Rosemary Lamie, Director of Faith Formation. These are weekly newsletters that bring information, encouragement and activities to anyone on the mailing list. Email [email protected] today to sign up.
The church and its affiliated thrift shop, The Rummage Room, remain closed until further notice.