OUR SAVIOR’S SHARED JOURNEY
Some Things You Need To Know (and Pray) About
Worship. Our Savior’s is still, as of this writing, planning to return to two “in-person,” “in-building” worship events each Sunday in September, beginning September 13 (8:30 and 10:45, just like the old days). That decision is rooted in the ongoing decline in positive cases of COVID 19 in Carlton County. An increase in those numbers could trigger a return to “online only” worship. We will continue to offer an enhanced online experience, recorded live on Sunday Mornings and edited to be posted on YouTube later in the week. We will continue on WKLK and CAT 7 as well. See Pastor Karen’s article later in this Messenger for more information and helpful, inspirational thoughts about what will be different when we gather.
Youth Ministry. See Jennifer Hamilton’s (Children Youth and Family Ministry Director) message in this Messenger. Working with Zion for Senior High and Middle School activities and ministry continues, shaped and modified by pandemic limitations.
Confirmation. Working with Zion on this shared ministry, we have planned a variety of contingencies for the coming season. Confirmation is open to those students entering 8th grade or older. Our Savior’s has been offering the younger starting option for the last two years. There will be an informational meeting in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30. Please plan on physical distancing and wearing a mask for this meeting. It will be for new students and families and those returning for a second year of faith formation. Confirmation Sunday for those who will have completed their confirmation requirements, is scheduled for October 4; this may be a service for families only at an afternoon event.
Sunday School. There will be relevant and helpful resources shared with all Our Savior’s families with children in the Sunday School age group. See the Christian Education article in this Messenger for more information.
New Horizons Preschool. Thera and Angel are excited to welcome new and returning students to the preschool this fall. As of this writing, there will be 10 students each day, with some students coming all day, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. See the Preschool’s article in this Messenger for more details.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study. Pastor Karen and I are hopeful we can once again gather “in-person” for this study, but we are aware that a number of our usual attendees will not be able to attend. We hope to gather starting September 16 at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall to allow for necessary physical distancing. We anticipate the group to be smaller than 10, as required by Our Savior’s Reopening Guidelines. Masks will be required.
Food Distribution Ministries That Use Our Spaces. Nutritional Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) continues their 1st Wednesday of the month distribution. 2nd Harvest Mobile Food Bank (3rd Thursday of each month) will continue to use our parking lot. This has proved to be a much-needed and appreciated program. Ruby’s Pantry has had to use our parking lot (4th Wednesday of every month) since being restricted from the Armory. We will continue to receive a special Food Shelf/Bank Offering on the 1st Sunday of each month at worship.
Other Community Groups. CUL, Gamblers Anonymous, Golden Kiwanis have all returned to limited meeting sized meetings at Our Savior’s.
Other Our Savior’s Church groups and ministries are considering their options and working on plans for ministry and fellowship.
We make these plans, today, with an even greater sense of unknowing as to whether they will work out. I am reminded in all this that this uncertainty has always been true. We can plan all we want; things have always had the tendency to change right out from under us. That change can render our best plans, at worst, useless, or at best, needing to be adapted. There will be many lessons to be learned from these Corona/COVID/Pandemic times; that will probably be one of them. During all this, I keep hearing a promise from the Sunday lessons we have been using: God’s promise to be with us on that journey. As long as God is, well, then…
I am on that journey with you.
Pastor Chris