Love Intentionally
Love Inclusively
Love Universally
Love Completely
Love Everyone
Love Better!
Week 15 (June 18, 2020)
Good afternoon sisters and brothers!
We have a plan! At this past Tuesday’s council meeting, there was agreement that we shall seek to worship together for the first time in several months on July 5. Now many things have to come together logistically to make this work, but that’s our plan. We have many state requirements to follow now, and that means finding touch-free hand sanitizers, a quantity of disposable masks, etc., etc. We are committed to the well-being of each and every one of our members and staff, and are doing our very best to minimize risk to anyone; more than just following the guidelines arising from the CDC, we are taking guidance from the physicians on our church council who work on the front lines dealing with COVID19. It is our intention to submit our plan to our insurance company to ensure that in all ways, we are as safe as we can be!
In coming days, information will be published from the church council that will describe what our coming back together will look like. There is absolutely no doubt that things are going to be different. We shall be spaced out to maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance between persons (families can remain together). There will be no singing aloud or praying together (to minimize the aerosolization of dangerous particulates). Virtually all music shall be recorded and presented on the screens. The elements of the sacrament will be distributed prior to worship and left the chairs so that contact between individuals might be completely minimized. We will likely worship in three sites on campus simultaneously, to accommodate as many attendees as possible, while maintaining safe distances. And so on, and so on. Many things will look and feel very different, but we shall ensure a priori, the safety of our community so that we might worship our gracious Lord together. Please watch for information from the council in the next week or so, that will more fully define what happens next.
For those who may be at high risk, and don’t feel comfortable returning just yet, please know that it is our intention to continue with the opportunities for virtual worship and devotions that we’ve been implementing over the past several weeks.
Things continue on apace, with worship, Bible study, devotions, committee meetings, etc., taking place virtually. Maintaining relationships over the internet is not the same. We miss each other. Some people are more deeply impacted than others, and we’re trying to make ourselves available to everyone as best we can to offer support and help as necessary. Please know that if you have a need for something with which we can help, we are here for you. Please reach out. It is easy to be overcome by depression and anxiety, and loneliness is an awful thing.
You can connect with our virtual opportunities and activities by going to our church website (www.godamong.us), and clicking on the button that says, “ILC Online Activities”. I hope you’ll join us for worship, bible study and devotions. God is with you always!
May God richly bless each of you in the coming days!
Pr. Luther
- After worship, around 11 am, Darrell and Nancy Datte host our after worship coffee/donut fellowship time (BYOC/D) on Zoom, and look forward to welcoming everyone in our community. Please think about joining in and saying hi to your brothers and sisters. That gathering can be found here:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/3173666136?pwd=b21OU3p1L0laNjZYcmx2clJMbDRmZz09