The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community
This list, compiled by Talbot Association of Clergy Laity (TACL), is a work in progress.
It provides links for the “virtual” services, during COVID-19, which are known to us as of 4/4/2020.
Please email updates to TACL: taclexcom@gmail.com.
| Organization | Information on Religious Services during COVID | Link for virtual service | Denomination |
| All Faith Chapel | Virtual services held by Zoom. Link sent via email. | https://zoom.us/j/4649541475 Meeting ID: 464 954 1475 Or dial into: 301 715 8592 |
Episcopal |
| Bay Area Community Church | Virtual service Sunday at 9:20 am streamed live via website and Facebook | https://www.bayareacc.org/easton or https://www.facebook.com/bayareacc/ | Non-denominational |
| Bethel AME | Combined virtual service Sunday at 10:30 am and Noonday Prayer (weekdays) for the three AME churches in Talbot Co. | Sunday at 10:30 am – Dial: 1-312-626-6799, Code: 8680217534# or https://zoom.us/j/8680217534 Meeting Code: 8680217534# Noonday Prayer – Dial: 712-770-4010, Code: 471-936#. |
Methodist-Episcopal |
| Christ Church Easton | Virtual service Saturdays at 5 pm via FaceBook Live. Virtual prayer Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 10 am via Zoom. Sunday |
https://www.facebook.com/christchurcheastonmd/ Zoom services https://zoom.us/j/4467767453 |
Episcopal |
| Christ Church St. Michaels | Services cancelled through May 10th | NA | Episcopal |
| Church of Christ In Easton | Virtual services held via conference call (link emailed) and Facebook Live | https://www.facebook.com/Eastoncocfamily/ | Church of Christ |
| Church of the King | Services cancelled at this time. | NA | Church of the King |
| Easton Baptist Church | Services via Facebook Live | Thttps://www.facebook.com/Eastonbc/ | Baptist |
| Easton Church of God | Services broadcast via Facebook Live and YouTube | https://www.facebook.com/eastoncog/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnti1KQ5bOkR_tlPKo-jM9A | Church of God |
| Easton Church of the Brethren | Services cancelled, but worship resources are being emailed weekly. | NA | Church of Brethren |
| Emmanuel Deliverance Center, Inc. | Services via teleconference. | Please dial 515-604-9000 and enter the access code: 165706 | Non-denominational |
| First Baptist Church | Check website for details on virtual services. | https://www.fbceaston.org/ | Baptist |
| First Wesleyan Church | Virtual services broadcast live via website | http://eastonfirst.org/ | Wesleyan |
| Fountain of Life Church | Virtual services via Facebook Live | https://www.facebook.com/flceaston/ | Pentecostal |
| Grace Lutheran Church | All services and gatherings cancelled | NA | Lutheran |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church | Services cancelled through April 4th. | NA | Lutheran |
| Islamic Society of Easton | Working on making virtual services available. | TBD | Islam |
| Mid Shore Community Church | Weekly radio program (WCEI 96.7 FM) and Sunday services broadcast live via Zoom | http://www.midshorecommunitychurch.com/ | Non-denominational |
| New Queen Esther AME | Combined virtual service Sunday at 10:30 am and Noonday Prayer (weekdays) for the three AME churches in Talbot Co. | Sunday at 10:30 am – Dial: 1-312-626-6799, Code: 8680217534# or https://zoom.us/j/8680217534 Meeting Code: 8680217534# Noonday Prayer – Dial: 712-770-4010, Code: 471-936#. |
Methodist-Episcopal |
| Oasis Covenant Fellowship | Virtual service via Facebook Live | https://www.facebook.com/oasiseaston/ | Non-denominational |
| Oxford United Methodist Church | Services cancelled through March. April TBD. | NA | Methodist |
| Presbyterian Church of Easton | Video of the Pastor’s sermon will be available on website | http://www.pceaston.com/ | Presbyterian |
| Real Life Chapel / Church of Nazarene | Virtual services held via Facebook Live | https://www.facebook.com/reallifechapel/ | Church of Nazarene |
| Rhema Apostolic Deliverance-Ministries | Services broadcast via Facebook Live and YouTube | https://www.facebook.com/PastorandLadyDickerson/ | Apostolic Church |
| Royal Oak Community United Methodist Church |
Virtual Service at: Facebook – Royal Oak Community UMC or YouTube – Royal Oak Community UMC at 10:00AM Sundays | https://www.facebook.com/rocumc/ | Methodist |
| Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church |
Recorded services and messages shared on Facebook. | https://www.facebook.com/SSPPEaston/ | Catholic |
| Shore Harvest Presbyterian Church | Virtual services will be live streamed. Check website for details. | https://www.shoreharvest.org/ | Presbyterian |
| St Joseph Chapel c/o Sts Peter and Paul |
Recorded service on Sts Peter & Paul Facebook page | https://www.facebook.com/SSPPEaston/ | Catholic |
| St Luke’s United Methodist Church | Virtual services broadcast live via new website | https://www.antiviralchurch.org/ | Methodist |
| St Mark’s United Methodist | Virtual services via Facebook Live | https://www.facebook.com/St-Marks-United-Methodist-Church-156903111057624/ | Methodist |
| St Matthews (UMC) | Sunday services and weekly prayer meeting now held through conference call. | Conference call 978-990-5000, code 38067 | Methodist |
| St Michael Chapel c/o Sts Peter and Paul |
Recorded service on Sts Peter & Paul Facebook page | https://www.facebook.com/SSPPEaston/ | Catholic |
| St Stephens AME Unionville | Combined virtual service Sunday at 10:30 am and Noonday Prayer (weekdays) for the three AME churches in Talbot Co. | Sunday at 10:30 am – Dial: 1-312-626-6799, Code: 8680217534# or https://zoom.us/j/8680217534 Meeting Code: 8680217534# Noonday Prayer – Dial: 712-770-4010, Code: 471-936#. |
Methodist-Episcopal |
| Temple B’Nai Israel | Virtual services Friday night and Saturday broadcast live via Facebook. Check https://bnaiisraeleaston.org/ for dates and times. | https://www.facebook.com/bnaiisraeleaston/ | Jewish |
| The Church of the Holy Trinity | Virtual services broadcast live via website: Sunday’s 9:30 am Holy Eucharist; Wednesday’s 8:30 am Morning Prayer | www.holytrinityoxfordmd.org | Episcopal |
| The Retreat House at Hillsboro | Wednesday night prayer service (5:45-6:15 pm) via Zoom. | Zoom online: https://zoom.us/j/212677840 or Call into +1 929 205 6099 US (Zoom meeting ID: 212 677 840) | Non-denominational |
| Third Haven Friends Meeting | Small group meetings via Zoom. Email 3rdhaven@gmail.com for instructions | http://thirdhaven.org/ | Quaker |
| TriLife Christian Center | Virtual services on Facebook Live and on their Prayer Line | https://www.facebook.com/firstladytrilife/ | Non-denominational |
| Trinity Episcopal Cathedral | All services cancelled through May 9th | NA | Episcopal |
| Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton |
Recorded service available via YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyDd3eXTUcsvOkIAUNzj-Pg/featured | Unitarian Universalist |
Even before COVID-19 hit our area, 40% of the children in Easton Elementary schools were considered ‘food insecure.’ Through programs such as FARMs (free and reduced-priced meals) that work with Talbot County Public School (TCPS) and Sodexo (the company that provides the food), these children and others in the school community throughout the area received breakfast and lunches during the school week. The group, CarePacks, made sure they were fed on the weekends.
Emily Moody and Megan Cook, also partnering with TCPS and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, founded CarePacks eight years ago. They had a clear goal: ‘to provide every eligible student with a backpack filled with healthy, easily accessible meals and snacks every Friday afternoon so that when students return to school on Mondays, they are well-nourished and ready to learn.’
This year, CarePacks started a family-style pantry weekend program at Easton Elementary, sending larger staples such as frozen meats, breads, and produce home to the families on the 4th Friday of each month. The need was high. “There’s a lot of poverty happening that maybe people aren’t aware,” says Cook. “Talbot County has a high FARMs rate, and a lot of our families are the working poor. These are people who are working multiple jobs, yet have limited income. And as the costs go up, what gets squeezed over time is the amount that they can spend on groceries.”
500 family bags ready for delivery
Now with school closures, all programs have had to redefine how to assist those in need within the community. TCPS and Sodexo have been packaging three meals and a snack a day for anyone between the ages of 2 and 18. These meals are then either being picked up throughout nine designated sites throughout Talbot County or delivered using volunteers and/or TCPS buses.
CarePacks has also expanded its outreach from a monthly to a weekly weekend delivery for families. “Last Friday we packed and ordered for 250 families,” says Cook. “This week, we packed and ordered and delivered for 500 families. We anticipate our numbers to grow.”
CarePacks is grateful for all the help they’ve received. “We did a Facebook ask and raised funds to purchase 4,000 pounds last week,” says Cook. “TCPS staff have been fabulous! Helping distribute the food either at the middle schools, remote sites or door to door. St Marks Church delivered food for a neighborhood.” This, in addition to the
businesses and groups, such as Rotary, Lions Club, women’s groups, retired teaches, etc., that have always supported them under normal circumstances. “Whenever we’ve needed anything, someone or some group has stepped forward. It’s been like that since day one and continues today. The last few weeks have been no different. Everyone bands together to get the job done. It’s an amazing community we live in.”
There are many ways to help; however, as things are rapidly changing and evolving, Cook recommends following them on Facebook, where they post their most current need.
Discover Easton continues to work closely with Easton businesses and local organizations to manage the impact COVID-19 is having on our community. This week, Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order for all of Maryland to slow the spread of the virus. Many Easton businesses have found new ways to serve the public to supply essential goods and services. We continue to share ways you can safely support our small businesses in Easton.
Social Distancing Bingo
It’s easy to play and support local safely. Create a line (diagonal or across) by filling out five boxes on the bingo card found in the link below. Post a picture of your winning card on social media with #DiscoverEastonBINGO. You could win a $50 gift certificate!
Business Gift Cards & Certificates
Support your local businesses by purchasing a gift card or gift certificate online. We thank the many participants of this program that have donated their purchased gift cards to those in need. Please help our local businesses during this time of uncertainty.
Supporting Easton Restaurants
Maryland restaurants have been ordered to shut down except for carry out and delivery. Some Easton eateries remain open under these new conditions, offering ways to enjoy their food at home. Many restaurants and patrons are donating meals to our front-line workers.
Carry Out Food Options In Easton
Art at Home
The Academy Art Museum highlights the digital and distance programming that their dedicated staff has created each week to bring art to you safely at home. Art programming includes kids activities, adult classes, “Out of the Vault”, drawing contests, Q&A’s, and more!
Easton Census 2020
The Census helps allocate the appropriate funding for Easton and Talbot County for the next decade. Your response helps direct billions of dollars in federal funds into our schools, roads, and other public services. Click below to view a sample questionnaire and see how to complete your Census online.
Covid-19 Resources for Easton Small Businesses
As COVID-19 continues to have a major impact on our community, Discover Easton is compiling resources and information to help our small businesses during this crisis.
#DiscoverEaston
Use our website and social media to connect with local businesses and organizations. We are keeping our online listings up-to-date with the most recent information. We encourage you to reach out to businesses directly to see if they offer online shopping, delivery, pickup, or have adjusted their hours.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | DiscoverEaston.com
Talbot County Coronavirus Information Website
Talbot County has convened an Operational Working Group made up of officials from the Talbot County Health Department, Talbot County Emergency Services, Talbot County Government, Talbot County’s towns, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, law enforcement agencies, and many other community partners including Discover Easton. This group is monitoring this evolving situation closely and will release information each week day to share any updates affecting the citizens of Talbot County.
If you have an Easton business and would like to participate in any of our programs, please email us at welcome@discovereaston.com.
The Spy asked about how you are likely to spend time these days. We can only conclude, our readers are online, well read and well fed with a desire for reading even greater than the lure of tv movies. And, all of this is in between the likelihood that 93% of you suggested you’d be taking walks.
Most interesting, were all the other things you shared with us that you are doing. A word cloud captures the most mentioned activities…the larger the word, the more frequent the mention.
Word Cloud
The Results
The Spy will have a new Pulse Poll on Sunday
This was the post:
We want to thank everyone for your support during this difficult time. We want you all to stay healthy and safe. Thanks to Sysco, Latitude 38 can offer a FREE farmers market to you on Tuesday from 10am-12pm or until our produce is gone. We will have FREE potatoes, oranges, green leaf lettuce, green cabbage, romaine lettuce, lemons, limes and avocados. We hope this saves our seniors a trip to the grocery store!
Many appreciative people came by on foot, on bikes, or in cars. By 11:30 am, they had given away over 300 lbs. of potatoes, almost 400 heads of lettuce and cabbage, over 300 oranges, 200 avocados, and 300 lemons and limes.
Thank YOU, Latitude 38!
As the Spy has pointed out in a recent editorial, the country and our region will be facing an unprecedented moment in history when many meetings, performances, schools and other gatherings will temporarily come to an halt. To help with this unexpected slow down, each day for the next thirty days The Spy will share with our readers suggestions from our long list of writers and friends on how to pass the time as the country and the Mid-Shore endure social isolation.
Today is Spy reader Susan Baldwin:
Read: Still Life by Louise Penny
Listen: The Sea by Anita Kerr with San Sebastian Strings
Watch: Bohemian Rhapsody
Cook: Sauerbraten
Outing: A walk around the neighborhood with dog Rosie greeting folks out in their yards
Please send your suggestions to editor@talbotspy.org
We asked you two questions about life as we find it today and many of you shared your views.
Good news for all who are fighting this pandemic – The Spy readers take the threat very seriously with over 95% of those responding that they see COVID-19 as a serious threat.
We all wonder just when social distancing might be less important. Not surprisingly, most just don’t know. Hopefully this means that we will rely upon experts and facts to make that determination. Of those who shared a view, the majority clearly think this remains a necessity through the month of May and possibly beyond.
The Spy’s Take the Pulse Survey allows readers to share their views. We published the results for readers to consider, acknowledging we do not have a random sample of citizens in the community.
Now it’s time for the next poll. Please share your opinion here.
Today’s Kindness is actually a little different. This is about someone who is on the receiving end of unexpected kindness.
She came to our attention through a text from a Spy reader, Dan Van Skiver: “My friend Anna is a musician by trade. She doesn’t have a “day job,” she plays music for a living in bars, at events, etc. With everything shut down and canceled, she has no income. The feel-good part comes from a live-stream concert she did from her living room. A whole bunch of people watched and donated money to her while she played.
Like so many others, Anna Burgess found herself out of a job during the crisis. If you look on her promotion page, you’ll notice she had a full schedule of booked jobs throughout the region in the upcoming months. That’s because Burgess is really, really good at what she does. As an alternative/acoustic rock musician, Burgess’ repertoire includes both covers and original songs.
All of it came to a screeching halt when the severity of the coronavirus crisis hit.
Unable to work meant that Burgess had to come up with creative ways to support herself. So, on St. Patrick’s Day, she posted on her FB page: Alright, so I’m thinking of doing a live broadcast tonight around 8:15/8:30. I’m thinking Irish musician themed. Cranberries, anyone??
Sitting in her living room, guitar in hand Burgess put on a one and half-hour concert, because, as she said, “I missed playing.” She also added a Venmo and PayPal link in case anyone wanted to tip her. It wasn’t something she was comfortable with. “I had a little battle with myself before I did that. I was ashamed because I didn’t have much put away. It’s hard to ask for help because I have no work at all. But, I never expected this, maybe because, I think people can relate… It’s affecting everyone, not just musicians. It’s been crazy and amazing.”
The crazy and amazing part was the generosity of her viewers. First one, then many, and then hundreds of people tipped her. “I had some great friends who were very generous. But for the most part, it was $5 here and $10 there.” At last count, the video has had over 4,000 views and the best part is that Burgess was able to pay the rent and get groceries. “I had no idea, I didn’t expect this. It’s great to think that and I, and other musicians, can use other resources at this time. We’re good to hunker down now if we have to for a while,” she says.
But hunkering down is not what Burgess is doing. She’s made additional video concerts and is grateful for the opportunity to continue to entertain and do what she loves. She’s also teaming up with other artists and putting on live virtual concerts, like the one that she’ll be performing this Saturday, March 28, from 7-9 pm on FM 101.5 (WHCP Cambridge Community Radio). Dubbed CAMOCON 2020 (Cambridge Area Musicians Onward Concert), the concert is free, and tips are appreciated.
For more information on CAMOCON 2020 go to WHCP. To listen to the artistry of Anna Burgess go here.
Val Cavalheri is a recent transplant to the Eastern Shore, having lived in Northern Virginia for the past 20 years. She’s been a writer, editor and professional photographer for various publications, including the Washington Post.
