Fall 2021 Ministry Updates
Hello Friends,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and finding ways to stay hopeful. This summer has certainly been another stretch of a unique time in our lives. At the beginning of summer, those that had been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus enjoyed a bit of a reprieve after the previous year. I hope that you were able to use this time to reconnect with family and friends, to be out in the community in ways that had been impossible in 2020, and to catch your breath. As a staff, we are extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to worship outside all summer – as well as to finally worship inside with some of you again. It is such a gift to see you and to have your participation in the life of Mount Calvary.
Now, our attention is turned towards the fall and our next 2-3 months of life together. Unfortunately, the beginning of school and the return to our normal schedules continue to be greatly impacted by the current spike in cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19. As we consider how this new variant complicates our plans, the staff and the church council remain committed to the same principles that have guided us through the last 18 months. First and foremost, we are committed to making decisions that protect the physical health and wellbeing of all who are part of this community. It has not always been easy and we would certainly love to be able to do more together. However, we do not want to put any single one of you at risk. Second, we are committed to working as hard as we can to stay connected through these ever-changing times. This means that our staff will be working on plans to help coordinate these connections – whether that is in-person or virtual. Lastly, we are committed to providing opportunities for worship and service that meet the needs of as many people as possible.
With all of this preamble, I would like to highlight a few of our plans for early fall ministry. Thank you in advance for your patience and your participation.
Worship - We will continue to offer in-person worship at 8:30 and 10 a.m. (Following CDC and MDH guidelines). We will continue to live stream the 8:30 a.m. worship service.
Confirmation – We will begin this year’s program by meeting outside on Wednesday evenings in September from 6:00-7:00 p.m. We will use this time for relationship building and to have some fun together.
Bells and Choirs – Our Joy and Alleluia choirs will not meet until FDA approval of the Covid-19 vaccine for children 11 and under. Sanctuary Choir and adult/high school/middle school bells will meet for rehearsal as long as current CDC and MDH protocols can be followed.
Sunday School/Faith Formation – Liz Lindner and our CYF team are planning to offer Sunday morning faith formation activities beginning September 12. These will be outside and following our 10 a.m. worship service. This outdoor ministry (Think: Bible camp) will be offered as long as weather and participation cooperate.
Adult Bible Study – We will continue to offer a virtual Bible study on Monday mornings at 9:30 a.m. We will augment this with other virtual and on-site in-person Bible studies outside.
What’s on Hold? – We will continue to suspend Wednesday Night Suppers, indoor CYF ministry, and most indoor ministry activities. We are all looking forward to the days when these activities can once again take place. In the meantime, we will remain committed to the health of you and the surrounding community.
Masks and Vaccines – The ability to trust science while remaining faithful is one of the calling cards of being Lutheran. We are able to trust biblical promises while believing in the best possible medical advice at any current time. Research has shown the overall efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine in mitigating the effects of even the most virulent strains of the virus to date. We continue to highly recommend that as many of our community be vaccinated as possible. This is not only for our individual lives or the lives of our friends and families, this is also a protection of the lives of the people in the surrounding community. Likewise, we continue to mask while doing ministry inside. We believe that both of these actions are a concrete way for us to show our love for our neighbors.
As with all of the pieces of communication that I write, I am sure that I have left some things uncovered and questions unanswered. I hope that you know that I – along with our staff – am always willing to have a dialogue about these decisions. I hope that you know these decisions are made from a place of genuine love for you all. This does not mean that we are infallible. Grace and kindness cover an abundance of shortcomings.
In conclusion, thank you once again for being part of what we do in this place. I am confident that God will continue to walk with us as we navigate the days, weeks, and months to come. I am grateful to be in this with you all.
With Love and Gratitude,
Pastor Tom Jenkins (On behalf of the Staff and Church Council)
Lead Pastor
pastor.tom@mtcalvary.com
(651) 454-2344 (ext. 12)