Update from Church Council June 2020

Posted on: June 27th, 2020 by Brad Peterson

Dear Trinity Members,

 The question that I get the most is, “When are we going to return to church?” Well, now I have an answer to that question for all of you. 

At the June 14th Church Council meeting, the Church Council approved a plan to return to in-person worship.  Here is the upcoming worship schedule for Sunday’s:

  • July 5: Facebook worship with drive-thru communion from 10:00 am – 11:30 am.
  • July 12-August 9: Parking Lot worship.
  • August 16: Facebook worship .
  • August 23: In-person worship.
  • Wednesday worship will be Facebook only until August 26th.

 The August 23 in-person worship service will only occur if the Dunn County Health Department guidelines for indoor gatherings have reached 50 people.  When we gather for in-person worship, the following procedures will be in place to ensure the safety and health of our members, worship leaders, and volunteers.

  • Masks are to be worn by all.  You will be provided a mask if you do not have one.
  • Maintain social distance of six feet at all times.
  • Places where you can sit will be clearly marked.  People living in the same household may sit together in one pew.  Otherwise, two people may sit together on each end of the pew. 
  • Bulletins will be placed at the places where you can sit and we ask that you take them with you.
  • Doors will be propped open (other than the bathroom doors) so that you will not need to touch them.
  • Offering plates will be placed by the doors to the sanctuary for you to place your offering.
  • There will be no passing of the peace or communal singing.  Songs will be led by a song leader. 
  • Communion will be different or may not occur.
  • Doors will open 15 minutes prior to worship. 
  • There will be no coffee fellowship before or after worship.
  • We ask that you exit immediately following the service.
  • Capacity is limited but we will do our best to make sure everyone can worship, even if we have to extend social distanced seating into the fellowship hall. 
  • Hand sanitizer will be available and placed in multiple locations for your use.
  • All hymnals, pencils, and directories have been removed from the sanctuary so that we will not have to sanitize them after worship. 
  • If you are sick, have a fever, or are high-risk, we ask that you stay home.
  • All services will continue to be live streamed on Facebook.

  If this schedule needs to change, we will make announcements through the Trinity Facebook page, the Trinity website, and through email.  At this time, all other Trinity activities remain postponed or cancelled, including the Pie & Ice Cream Social.  We hope, if conditions allow, to resume many of our activities in September. 

   We appreciate your patience as we work towards coming together again in person.  We give thanks for the ways in which you have been the church throughout these difficult times.  You have shared the Gospel, encouraged each other, been generous in your giving, and kept each other in prayer.  You have taken to heart that being the church is more than being inside a building; it is about the mutual love and encouragement of each other as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

   Thank you for your love and commitment to Trinity and its ministry and may the Lord bless you and fill you with love and faith every day.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Brad and the Trinity Lutheran Church Council