Closed since January 3 for remodeling, United Methodist Church of Geneva (UMCG) building will reopen Sunday, Feb. 6, with a rededication worship service at 9 a.m.
The public is invited. The church is at 211 Hamilton Street in Geneva. Due to the pandemic, services were held online and the sanctuary and offices were closed to in-person use during the remodel.
Carolyn Burnham, church director of communications, said the church building underwent professional cleaning the week prior to the reopening.
Church trustees asked for volunteers to help Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon to move boxes and other items back to the office and other rooms impacted by the project.
On rededication Sunday, Pastor Lisa Telomen will celebrate communion and continue her “Perfectly Imperfect” sermon series at the rededication service. Sunday school classes will resume during the service.
Regular office hours and building use will resume Monday, Feb. 7. Because COVID numbers remain high, coffee hour fellowship will resume in March.
Facial masks are required at indoor services to protect children and those that cannot be vaccinated. The Church’s livestream service is posted to UMCG’s website (genevaumc.org, YouTube and on Facebook.
Congregants are asked to bring food and household items Sunday for the Salvation Army food pantry. Requested are non-perishable items such as canned soups, vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, boxed macaroni and cheese plus “Helper” meals, diapers and cleaning supplies. The drive is sponsored by the Church’s missions committee and Church in Society unit.
Burnham said, “As UMC of Geneva began reopening in Spring of 2021 members of the church felt that a beautification project was necessary.
“In preparation for the updates, church members spent months going through the Church’s purging and donating items we no longer needed and organizing the rest.” Burnham said.
Pastor Rob Hamilton reflected on the church’s 185-year history in a blog post for Friday, Feb. 4. He said, “In 1872, when the ground was broken and foundations were laid for the United Methodist Church that sits at the corner of Second and Hamilton, Methodists had slowly been growing for 30 years in Geneva.”
—Al Benson