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06/10/2021 12:01 AMIn response to social distancing policies resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, the following religious organizations have either temporarily closed and shifted to virtual worship services or have reopened and modified onsite services to conform to safety guidelines. To report a change in worship services, contact zip06@shorepublishing.com.
Branford
• Branford Evangelical Free Church, 231 Leetes Island Road, Branford. In-person worship services have resumed on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. following safety guidelines. A minimum of six feet social distancing is required. Attendance limits in church will vary from week to week depending on the size of individual seating groups and the distance required to accommodate them. Masks will be required and anyone without a mask will be given one to wear. Temperatures will be checked. Online services via Facebook or YouTube on Sundays at 10 a.m. will continue for those who wish to stay home. To join, visit facebook.com/befreebranford. For more information, including additional guidelines, visit branfordefc.com/covid-19-response.
• First Baptist Church, 975 Main Street, Branford. In-person Sunday service takes place at 10 a.m. which is also streamed via Zoom. Social distance sermons, as well as the Zoom login details, are available at firstbaptistbranford.com. For more information, contact 203-488-9777 or fbcbranford@sbcglobal.net or visit firstbaptistbranford.com.
• First Congregational Church of Branford (UCC), 1009 Main Street, Branford. Online Sunday worship is held via Zoom with the link access on the church’s Facebook page. The weekly worship service is recorded and replayed at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays on BCTV channel 18 or 1070 for Comcast customers and on channel 6004 for Frontier customers. For more information, visit firstcongregationalbranford.org.
• St. John Bosco Parish, 731 Main Street, Branford. The parish consists of the two Branford churches of St. Mary, 731 Main Street, and St. Therese, 105 Leetes Island Road. In-person weekend Masses at the parish are as follows: on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. at St. Therese Church and on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church. Weekday Masses (Monday through Friday) are at 7:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church. All Masses will have limited attendance and specific guidelines to ensure the safety of all. Limited overflow seating is available at the St. Mary Church Hall on weekends. The Connecticut Catholic Conference has ended the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass in person on Sundays and holy days; most Catholics have an obligation to once again participate at Mass. For more information about the new directive, visit archdioceseofhartford.org. For more information about parish Mass guidelines, visit saintjohnboscobranford.org.
• Stony Creek Congregational Church, 192 Thimble Islands Road. In-person worship has resumed. Safety guidelines have been implemented, including the wearing of face masks and social distancing. The pastor’s Bible study takes place on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. via Zoom. For more information regarding safety guidelines and precautions, visit stonycreekchurchct.org.
• Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church, 45 Tabor Drive, Branford. Online Sunday worship is available at 10:30 a.m. via Facebook and at taborchurch.net. For more information, call 203-488-2541 or visit taborchurch.net.
• United Methodist Church, 811 East Main Street, Branford. The church has resumed in-person Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m. but with safety protocols in effect. Remote worship is still available; a livestream of the 9:30 a.m. service may be accessed through the church website or directly on the UMC Branford YouTube channel (look for the account with the red doors). For more information, contact Pastor Kent at 845-522-1233 or umcpastor@gmail.com or visit umcbranford.org.
North Branford
• St. Ambrose Parish, 30 Caputo Road, North Branford. Daily Masses in church have resumed with the number of worshippers in the church limited to social distancing guidelines. Daily Masses will be celebrated at St. Augustine Church, 30 Caputo Road, North Branford, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 9 a.m. In addition, a low Mass in extraordinary form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at St. Augustine. Weekend Masses will be celebrated for the Saturday vigil at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. at St. Augustine, as well as on Sunday at 9 a.m. at St. Monica. The Connecticut Catholic Conference has ended the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass in person on Sundays and holy days; most Catholics have an obligation to once again participate at Mass. For more information about the new directive, visit archdioceseofhartford.org. For parishioners who decide to join online, visit facebook.com/NBCatholics or vimeo.com/nbcatholics. For more information, call 203-484-0403 or visit nbcatholics.org.
• Zion Episcopal Church, 326 Notch Hill Road, North Branford. The church has returned to in-person worship outdoors, weather permitting, at Zion park at 9:15 a.m. In case of inclement weather, Sunday worship returns online via Zoom. The services will be posted on the church Facebook page later in the day. For those who wish to receive a link to the Zoom service, email zionvicar@att.net. For more information, visit zionepiscopalchurch.org.
Northford
• Northford Congregational Church, 4 Old Post Road. In-person Sunday worship at 10 a.m. has resumed with safety protocols, including face masks and social distancing. For more information, call the church at 203-484-0795 or visit northfordcongregational.church
• St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1382 Middletown Avenue, Northford. Worship services can be viewed each Sunday at 10 a.m. on Zoom and on the church’s YouTube or Facebook page. For more information, visit standrewsnorthford.org or facebook.com/standrewsnorthford.