Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ!

From the outset of the pandemic, as a congregation, we have followed recommendations from the CDC and Stay Safe MN. Our Return-to-In-Person Ministry Team used these guidelines to develop a comprehensive pandemic response, including a detailed phase approach for regathering. When recommendations changed, adjustments were made in our practice and policies.

On February 25, 2022, the CDC released its latest report advising a change in the metric used to track the virus. According to that document, the Community Level is a more helpful measurement tool that takes into account rates of vaccination, availability of boosters, and infection-induced protection among the unvaccinated. For each county, the CDC (using a variety of indicators) designates one of three levels (high, medium, and low).

The Return-to-In-Person Ministry Team decided to shift to this metric. We adjusted our Phase Regathering Plan accordingly, moving from four phases with six separate stages to just three that correspond with the CDC Community Levels. To see view our revised document (click here).

Currently, the Community Level for Scott and Dakota Counties is LOW.

This means a few important things for our life together:

At the LOW Community Level, we are able to gather in a less restrictive environment.
We have removed the social distancing ropes from the pews and the dividers in the narthex.
Adjustments in other practices will take more time to implement. Please be patient. For example, although we might be able to have communion at the altar at the LOW level, we need to recruit, train, and schedule communion servers as we have not used them for two years. This will take time and we need to prioritize this change among others.
We are still in a pandemic. Though the current Community Level is LOW, we might need to contend with another surge in the virus. For example, should the Community Level move to HIGH, we will need to return to social distancing (ropes) in the sanctuary and will once again strongly recommend masking. Flexibility and cooperation from all are important as we may need to resume restrictions.

I am appreciative of all the efforts that have been made over the past two years to keep our community safe. It has been out of Christian love for each other and the most vulnerable in our midst that St. James Lutheran has taken a cautious path in responding to COVID. While we continue to embrace these values, I am grateful for the current decline of the virus in Scott and Dakota counties, allowing us to return to a bit of normalcy. Though we are not out of the proverbial woods yet, we are at the closest point to the forest's edge that we have been in for the past 726 days since our first COVID related decisions.

Please know that whether you continue to wear a mask, or decide not to, I look forward to greeting you in worship on Sunday. We will continue to offer a variety of options for worship. At 8:00 a.m. we gather in the sanctuary or in the parking lot. At 9:30 a.m., we gather in the sanctuary or through livestream. You can worship online at anytime you choose using our YouTube archive.

In Christ's Light,

Pastor Walt