Ministry Update

Dear Friends,

Let me begin by thanking you for your support and participation in this worshipping community – especially over the last eight months. Your generosity, your kindness, and your support for one another during these complicated times has been inspiring. Early on in the pandemic, Pastor Kelli gave a sermon reminding us how difficult it was to find solid ground when fear and worry for tomorrow swirl around us. Thank you for helping each other find that solid ground in Christ together. We will weather these storms together.

Last month, many of you filled out a survey to help the church council and staff understand the myriad of positions with regards to worshipping/gathering as a community. Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. The results of the survey were as you would expect – we are all located on a spectrum that moves between all online ministries to returning to meeting in person.

Here is a summary of the information you provided:

1)      90 people responded to the survey

2)      85/90 have joined for online worship

3)      60/90 have joined for outside worship

4)      Returning to in-person at 10% capacity (30 people)

a.       32/90 NO

b.       32/90 YES

c.       26/90 Maybe

5)      Your self-reported considerations in responding were the importance of mental health, being in community together, your physical health, and the desire for an effective vaccine.

As you can see, making decisions with this information is extremely complicated. As a whole, our community continues to have different risk tolerances and differing needs for our holistic health. While some are able to endure the changes brought on by the pandemic with daily human contact, other members of this community find themselves increasingly isolated and struggling with loneliness. We hear you all.

Since the gathering of this survey information, there have been some significant decisions by your Council. In addition, the current manifestation of the Covid-19 pandemic has shifted in a more challenging direction.

The Mount Calvary Church Council – in conversation with the staff – have made the following choices:

1)      Mount Calvary staff are allowed to do weddings, funerals, and baptisms with an attendance cap of 25 people.

2)      In-person Sunday morning worship is off the table until at least January 2021. Covid-19 has been determined to spread through an aerosol of virus droplets. The HVAC system in the sanctuary is dated – having been built in 1978. We are awaiting the arrival of more effective filters.

3)      Mount Calvary staff have been given the opportunity to host small-scale gatherings of no more than 25 people for 20-30 minutes to address the needs of members experiencing isolation and acute mental/spiritual health crises. These may include music/devotional times in the sanctuary.

4)      All non-Mount Calvary groups – with the exception of the Alano house – have been suspended indefinitely.

5)      Regular ministries have been moved to an online forum (Bible study, confirmation, etc)

6)      Masks are required for all in-person indoor activities. The staff has been provided with the proper PPE.

We have been working hard as a leadership group to move beyond the simple dichotomy of either open or closed. Instead, we are working hard to make allowances to meet the needs that are most pressing, while also not making decisions that jeopardize the health of either the staff or members of this community. With this being said, our local school districts have made the decision to move to an entirely online setting for middle and high school students. The infection rates and new case counts continue to increase at an alarming rate. The arrival of a vaccine and the end of the pandemic are still on the far horizon. Our choices grow ever more complicated.

From the beginning of this pandemic, we have said that we would heed the wisdom of our public health experts. It is clear from the rising case counts, the increase in community spread of Covid-19, and the specter of harder days to come, that simply opening the doors of the congregation and returning to “normal” is not going to happen in the immediate future.

Our Council and staff are turning our attention to what we CAN do as we navigate the coming months. As you can see, we will be working hard to safely attend to some of the pressing needs of the congregation. We will be beginning to incorporate resources from Luther Crest Bible Camp for our children and families. We will be performing the primary rites of our community – weddings, funerals, and baptisms. Additionally, on November 15th, we will have our first drive-thru communion distribution! We will be finding ways to gather safely outside and we will look for ways to gather those starving for the gift of human presence. We will be gathering our financial pledges on November 15th to plan for another year’s ministry. We will be praying for one another. We will make it through these days and months together.

As always, please know that our leadership decisions are made from a deep love for each other and the community around us. Please pray for the Council and the staff. Know that we appreciate your questions, your responses, and your participation.

With Love and Gratitude

Pastor Tom (On behalf of the Staff and Council)