4/27/20 Three New Dates Added for COVID-19 Testing April 27, 29 and May 1


BRANCHBURG – Somerset County Freeholder Director Shanel Y. Robinson and Hunterdon County Freeholder Director Shaun Van Doren announced that three new dates have been added to the COVID-19 testing schedule at Raritan Valley Community College. The new dates are Monday, April 27, Wednesday, April 29, and Friday, May 1. The testing site will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Testing is free of charge and only available to Hunterdon and Somerset County residents, age five (5) and older. Because priority is being given to those who are exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus, residents must have a valid doctor’s prescription, ID and an appointment to receive testing.


Patients are required to provide a copy of their prescription, either by bringing it with them to the testing site, or by sending it via email in advance of the appointment. Patients or their physicians, can email the written authorization to the Somerset County Department of Health at coronavirus@co.somerset.nj.us, with the word “Prescription” in the subject line. Faxes can be sent to 908-704-8042.


Patients must schedule an appointment for testing at https://somerset-hunterdon.adlabscovidtest.com or by calling 908-237-7150.

Additional dates will be offered based on availability of resources. 

Check www.co.somerset.nj.us/covid19status for updates.

Anyone who does not have an appointment and a valid prescription or written order from their physician will be turned away.

For the safety, health and security of staff and volunteers, patients must arrive by car. The testing site will not allow entry if residents don’t arrive in a vehicle, even if they have a valid driver’s license and prescription. When coming to the testing center, residents are asked to use the main entrance to the college campus, off of Route 28.


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3/31/20

From Pastor Ian:

It’s hard to believe that we are now in our third week of sheltering at home. It has been remarkable to see the way that this virus has spread so quickly. Two weeks ago there were 50 cases in NJ, today there are close to 10,000 cases. We are still waiting for the virus to peak, to please stay at home, it could save your life and the lives of others.


During this time we have been learning and discovering new ways of worshiping, learning, growing and serving. Our live streamed worship on Youtube and Facebook has been well attended as it is broadcast, and hundreds more have been watching it after the fact. Our Weekly Hymn Sing has a smaller group participating live, but there are many who watch it later in appreciate the stories and the songs. There are two weekly Bible studies that are continuing on Zoom. I would also encourage you to use services like Google Hangouts, Facetime, or What’s App to connect with others. You can set up your own virtual meeting rooms to get together face to face, if not person to person. The elders and Deacons are meeting weekly on Zoom to keep up to date with everything that is going on in our Church and community.


One new opportunity that you will see beginning later this week is a series of video conversations that I will be having with our Mission Partners. I want us to remember that even although we are hunkered down, there are real ways that we can continue to serve our neighbors and communities. In Conversation with our Mission partners we will learn ways that we can continue to support them in their work for the Gospel.


One thing I want to ask all of you to do before Friday. Can you please send me a picture of you and/or your family, preferably an Easter Picture, if not then any family picture will do. I am going to put together a video montage for Easter Sunday of as many people as possible who make up the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church. Send a photo whether you are a member or not. If you are part of our physical or online community, send a picture!!!! You can email it to me directly – pastor@ppch.org.


I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Your Pastor and Brother in Christ,

Ian

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3/27/20

Dear All,

I trust that all of you are continuing to keep well. By now most of you should have received a call or email from one of the deacons. They are working very hard to make sure everyone in the congregation has access to everything that they need. They are currently compiling a list of local resources to help you in this period of quarantine. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the deacon on call, who this month is Doug Millard, or to the deacon who called you last week. Again, they are here in the name of Christ for you.

It has been exciting to see so many of you join us for worship online over the past couple of weeks. That is something that we are going to do during this period, and beyond. I want to invite you all to join us again for SUNDAY LIVE STREAM WORSHIP at 10 am.
                                                                    Facebook page  

https://www.facebook.com/PluckeminChurch

or on our new Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDObT4E6-SxyoCIGMjHy-QA



These are the primary sites where we will be feeding worship. We are primarily using Zoom at this stage for small groups and other meetings. You may join the feed, but if you have internet and are not on Facebook, I would encourage you to go to the youtube channel rather than Zoom. The Zoom feed is going to be bare bones. I want that to be available to folks who have no internet, for them to call in and listen in. 


Here is the information for Zoom. Please take time to share this with folks who might like to join. When they call in they will enter the Meeting ID and password when prompted.


Sunday Live Stream Worship

Time: Mar 29, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time

Join Zoom Meeting FOR AUDIO ONLY

https://zoom.us/j/932417878?
pwd=UDdBYWVFdDhLdXp5U3lTbE9wbEp6UT09

Meeting ID: 932 417 878

Password: 072263

Dial in: 1 929 205 6099


Please also know that I am available to you. If you would like to talk, simply call the church number and the call will come directly to me at home. If I do not answer, I will get back to you as soon as I am able.

I look forward to worshipping with you online. Remember you are not alone. Remember you are loved. Remember you are not forgotten.

In Christ,

Ian


 



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3/16/20

Dear All,
So many of you joined us yesterday for our virtual worship. It was a joy to see one, then another, then another pop up in Facebook and on Zoom. We have had a lot of very positive feedback and we are going to continue to improve how we lead worship in this as time goes on.

As most of you are aware there is now a Statewide ban on gatherings of ore than 50 people, the recommendation is that this be in place for 8 weeks. There is also an 8pm curfew in place and restaurants, bars, gyms etc are closing at 8pm tonight until further notice, and will only be serving take out food.

With all of this in mind we will be providing Worship online only for the next 8 weeks. The office will remain closed, and all group usage has been suspended until further notice.

We will be providing opportunities for groups to connect online through Facebook Live, Youtube Live and through Zoom, keep your eye on the Facebook page for the most up to date information, we will also be sending out regular emails and updating the Website.

Join us again for Live Streaming Worship this Sunday, March 22 at 10:00 am on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PluckeminChurch,

  
And on Youtube - This is a brandnew channel for the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, it currently has nothing on it. Soon it will have plenty!!!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDObT4E6-SxyoCIGMjHy-QA

 

Here is the information for join us on Zoom:

Join Zoom Meeting - Just click the link below and it will get you right in!

https://zoom.us/j/932417878

 

Meeting ID: 932 417 878

If you want to call in, just dial this number - you will need to use the meeting ID when prompted.

+1 929 205 6099

 

Meeting ID: 932 417 878


Please remember that the deacons and your pastor are only a text, email, phone call, Facebook Message away. We are doing everything to keep ourselves and you well in this period. Although there will be very limited physical interaction, please know that if you need one of us in person, we will do all that we can to make that happen in such a way as to keep everyone healthy.

Remember also - You are Loved, You Belong and You are NOT Forgotten.

God Bless you all,

Your pastor and friend,

Ian

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3/14/2020

To Pluckemin Presbyterian Church friends and family,

In consideration of the public health concerns related to COVID-19, we will not be hosting on- site services this Sunday. The building will be closed, and all church activities canceled, for the next two weeks.

 

We will host a live worship service  ONLINE this Sunday at 10:00am via our Facebook Page. 
If you do not have Facebook, you can also join us on Zoom from the following link:
                                                 https://zoom.us/j/7428222814

              When prompted use Meeting ID : 742 8222 814


You can also dial in on any phone and listen to the audio only. 
Dial:  +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) and enter Meeting ID:742 822 2814

 

Over the next few days we will be providing other opportunities for folks to connect online.  I and the deacons remain only a phone call away.

 

If someone asks why your church chose to respond to this health crisis by closing its doors, here’s our response:

  • We are loving our neighbors by protecting our neighbors.
  • We are not being fearful. We are being responsible.
  • This is what love requires of us in this season.

 

Thank you for your patience. We will do our best to keep you informed and connected. For now, we are taking it day-by-day and week-by-week.

Your Pastor and Friend

 

Ian

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March 12, 2020

 

Dear Friends,

 

If you were with us this past Sunday, you know that we encouraged worshipers to greet one another with fist bumps and shoulder taps instead of hugs and handshakes. But, that was the world of 72-hours ago.  By now you’re hearing from businesses, schools, and of course, the 24-hour news cycle about quarantines, cancellations, and precautions in our area.

 

And it can be pretty unnerving.  We start asking questions like: do I have an underlying condition that makes me vulnerable?  Will my age effect my immune system response? Is it safe to go out of my house?  It’s hard sometimes to separate the truth from the hysteria (after all, news media outlets are competing with each other for your viewing time).  But, we do agree that it’s a time to be cautious, particularly for the sake of our most vulnerable worshipers.  In that effort, we want to inform you of the steps Pluckemin Presbyterian Church has taken (and will take) in order to protect our community as best we can.

 

First, I feel we need to remember Jesus’ words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

 

So, armed with our faith, we have put the following sensible protocols in place:

  1. We have established a plan to take precautions and plan for contingencies as the coronavirus situation evolves.
  1. We are actively monitoring notices from the CDC, the New Jersey Department of Health, and the local school districts.
  1. Our custodial service provider is being extra diligent in cleaning (and we’ve added more custodial hours). All hard surfaces (e.g. counters, doorknobs, railings, arms on chairs; photocopy machine, restroom faucets, toilet seats, etc.) in common areas are being cleaned frequently, and special attention is being paid to the Sanctuary, bathrooms, Christian Education Wing, meeting rooms, kitchen and Fellowship Hall.
  1. We are providing anti-bacterial wipes, hand sanitizer as it becomes available, paper towels, latex and non-latex gloves for use by church and other small groups who utilize our facility.

We also ask our church community to use the following personal hygiene guidelines provided by the CDC:

  • Frequent hand-washing with soap for 20 seconds,
  • using sanitizer when possible,
  • covering your mouth/nose when sneezing or coughing – then throwing the tissue in the trash, and 
  • do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

If you are sick, or have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus, or if you’ve traveled to a high-risk area (or have been exposed to someone who has), please stay home.

 

We are making our sermons available online via our church website (www.ppch.org), church Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/PluckeminChurch/) and the following YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/rankinepiper/videos).

 

You also may continue with your giving to Pluckemin Presbyterian Church using the on-line giving button available on our website at https://ppch.org/give-now

 

We want you to know that to date, we have not received any communication from the Department of Health that Pluckemin Presbyterian Church is directly affected in any way. All scheduled activities and services are still continuing as usual.

 

We will continue to monitor our protocols in connection with recommendations from the CDC, state health authorities and local school districts, and will provide updates as needed.

 

Let’s keep living our lives!  And maybe take a break from the news cycle for a few minutes.

 

May God Bless you and your family,

Pastor Ian T. Rankine

 

announcement from medical equipment minstries

Due to the spread of the corona virus we at Medical Equipment Ministries want to be as safe as possible when working with our clients, volunteers and partners. The following plan of action has been put in place:

 

We will not accept any donations or returns of medical equipment until further notice.

 

This Saturday, the 14th, we will be open 10-12. We will meet our clients in their cars in the parking lot. We will not have clients come into the building.

 

Volunteers will wear gloves at all times.

 

We will have a firm limit of two packs of diapers per client.

 

In the future, until we are clear of the virus, we will only provide equipment out of our current inventory. We realize that this inventory will not last very long.

 

We will continue to answer the calls. We will help as many people as possible for as long as we can.

 

We will no longer be open on Mondays and Thursdays.

 

We will do evaluations of our status on a regular basis as time goes on.