Members of Newtown Interfaith Council are hoping to present two annual events in upcoming months.

The council met recently for the first time since the spring, and decided to tentatively present a live interfaith Thanksgiving service and a live service on the ninth anniversary of 12/14.

The Thanksgiving service was canceled last year, although members of the council worked with The Newtown Bee to share seasonal thoughts and greetings to this newspaper’s readers in print and online.

The service to remember 12/14 was done via livestream.

On September 30, four members of the council began planning for this year’s events.

Newtown Congregational Church Senior Pastor Matt Crebbin, Newtown United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Lori Miller, Trinity Episcopal Church Rector Reverend Andrea Castner Wyatt, and John Woodall, who with his wife Margo co-leads Baha’i Faith of Newtown, conducted a Zoom meeting Thursday afternoon.

The gathering opened with an informal discussion among the four concerning the challenges and successes each has had with livestream, prerecorded, and hybrid service and program offerings as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep most houses of worship from returning to full in-person gatherings. Those that have begun gathering in person, are still not seeing their traditional numbers. Most continue to ask their members and guests to wear facemasks and/or practice some aspect of social distancing.

The four also compared notes, including successes and challenges, of livestreaming services and programs during the past 18 months. Some have had more success than others, and were very willing to offer advice and help.

Woodall drew a laugh when he said it takes “only one person with microphone issues to trip up an entire Zoom gathering.”

When the group began comparing how many members of their respective places of worship continue to participate in regular services, the numbers were low for all.

Crebbin said that with children still not being vaccinated against any COVID-19 strain, Newtown Congregational Church has not yet resumed in-person children’s programs.

“We’ll do a soft opening later this season,” he said.

Castner Wyatt said Trinity’s numbers are also low.

“A faith community can be just too much for families right now,” she said.

Woodall said Baha’i of Newtown has done “some Zoom meetings, not nothing in person yet.

“A few nearby towns have returned to living rooms,” he said, referencing the in-home gatherings Baha’i followers prefer, “but Margo and I are not yet doing that.”

Interfaith Thanksgiving

Looking toward November, the first tentative plans for a 2021 Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration were discussed.

In offering her church as this year’s host, Miller said, “We’re really overdue for that.”

With Crebbin saying that all will continue to monitor the town’s dynamics, including numbers and protocols that need to be followed, the four decided to go with a late afternoon service this year.

There will not be a reception after, as had been done in past years.

Further planning will be done during the council’s October meeting.

12/14 Remembrance

The council on September 30 also discussed this year’s 12/14 Service, which will be on the ninth anniversary of the school shootings in Sandy Hook.

Castner Wyatt agreed to have Trinity host the public event that Tuesday evening. The attendees that afternoon agreed that returning to the Main Street church will provide continuity and comfort for those who have attended previous gatherings.

“I think we would all want that to be done live,” Crebbin said, “but it may be livestream, or hybrid, depending on where things stand.”

An evening start time was discussed, but again, details will be further discussed and decided upon in October and November meetings, the four agreed.

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Associate Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.