Grace and peace to you!
Not sure exactly where I first heard the phrase or who coined it but it has come in handy in my role as a Lead Pastor. Plan the work, work the plan.
For the past year of our COVID reality, we have been both planning and working. A lot of time, energy, and collaboration has gone into our efforts as a congregation to remain open, vibrant, and innovative. Although for most of the 440 days of our COVID response, our ministry has been beyond the walls our our building, we never closed down as a church.
From the start, we have placed the overall safety and well-being of the most vulnerable in our community first and foremost as we shared the love of Jesus. We took seriously the wisdom and recommendations of the scientific and medical communities who said that large gatherings of people posed a special risk of spreading the deadly virus. We wrote our comprehensive plan with these guidelines in mind. Many hours of careful research and conversation on the part of the Return to In-Person Ministry Team, staff, and Council resulted in a detailed approach on how we would regather as conditions improved in Dakota and Scott counties. I remain grateful for everyone’s efforts and dedication.
Once Council adopted the Regathering Plan in the Fall, we have been working that plan. Thanks be to God for the worship, faith formation, and service we have done together as Christ’s church in this place. Again, I am grateful for everyone’s hard work.
Three weeks ago, as we were moving into the next Phase of our Regathering Plan, the CDC and Governor Walz announced unanticipated and dramatic changes to the COVID guidelines and recommendations including mask wearing, social distancing, and contact tracing. Our Return to In-Person Ministry Team responded quickly to read through the documentation behind the sound bites. They continue this work.
After consulting both the Council and staff, the Return to In-Person Ministry Team is making the following adjustments to our Regathering Plan. For our outdoor worships/events, folks can socially distance at their discretion, choose to wear or not wear a mask, sing as a group, and share in food fellowship. For our inside worship (which starts on June 6), we will provide an area within the sanctuary for those choosing to wear their masks. Outside this area, the wearing of masks is at the discretion of individuals. Seating within the entire sanctuary will be marked for social distancing. We encourage non-vaccinated persons to mask for their safety but will not require it as the vaccination efforts in our community have lessened the danger of widespread infection.
These changes bring us into full alignment with the latest CDC and state guidelines/recommendations. It also recognizes that folks are at various comfort levels regarding in-person gathering.
We will continue to work the plan, making needed adjustments, until the pandemic is but a painful memory. Since the very beginning of our COVID response, I have encouraged folks to be patient and prayerful. We need to continue practicing these spiritual values as we work together as Christ’s church in this place.
I look forward to waving to you in the coming days at the end of Sunday worship whether that is at our Drive-In (8:00 a.m.), Livestream (9:30 a.m.), or In-person in the Sanctuary (starting June 6 at 11:30 a.m.).
In Christ’s Light,
Pastor Walt