Grow Christ's Life in Every Heart

Members of Faith Lutheran,

 

      In my lifetime, our current circumstances are unprecedented: 11 weeks in a row where we could not “go to the house of the LORD” as His people to hear His Word and eat from His Table. It gives me great joy to say that this time of fasting appears to be coming to an end! We are making plans to gather again at Faith for Divine Service on Sunday, June 14, at 9 AM as we are able to have an outdoor worship service.  (Online & live streaming of the service will still happen.)  We will also be offering Drive-thru Communion from 10:15-11:30 AM for those who can’t come to worship but would still like to commune.

      Faith’s Deacons have met during the quarantine to discuss the challenges of caring for the flock during this pandemic. Perhaps the most challenging question we have faced is the one before us now: when and how to resume in-person gatherings (how to maintain social distance and limit crowd size, whether or not to require masks, to sing or not to sing, commune or not commune, how to protect children and those at risk, etc.). Opinions about these topics vary widely, so they are all potentially divisive.

      What follows are some guidelines according to which we are planning to resume our gatherings. These we offer out of a desire to see God’s people again in His house around His Word & Gifts, in the safest way we know how at the moment. These guidelines are not perfect, but were conceived in the spirit of what St. Paul urges the Ephesian church: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

     If you desire to come, please allow these guidelines to inform your behavior and decisions. If you will continue to remain home, please continue to reach out to me (618-477-7088 or pastor@welcome2faith.com) with any pastoral care needs. God continues to be with us wherever we may be. Thanks be to God.

 

Vicar Tim Roggow

 

General considerations as you attend worship:

• Request that anyone with fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, or other symptoms of illness stay home and continue to watch online

• Recommend that "high-risk" individuals such as the elderly, the immunosuppressed, and those with pulmonary disease stay home and continue to watch online

• Face coverings are required (except during Communion Distribution, when servers will be masked)

• Continue to make the entire Service available online, being aware of changes to that experience when there are people in the room

• Recommend that families bring their own hand sanitizer to use

• Please bring your own lawn chairs and blankets as chairs will not be available.

• Remove Busy Bags; parents should bring their own "busy supplies" from home

• No Sunday School or Adult Bible Class will be offered onsite at this time

• Please limit restroom use.

• Offerings can be brought to the service or still mailed in or given online.

 

Before & After Services:

• Temperature checks will be done as you enter the worship area.

• Attendance will be taken so if there is someone that comes down with the virus, others may be contacted that they may have been exposed.

• Encourage people to talk/visit outside (at an appropriate distance) rather than inside the building

• No coffee hour, food, or beverages

• Print all hymns and liturgy in the Bulletin

• Sanitize common surfaces (door handles, bathrooms, etc.)

 

Service changes:

• Place Bulletins on a table at entrance

• Place Offering Plate at entrance

• Nursery will not be staffed