Safety Practices

Safety Practices for Worship in the Sanctuary

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Worship will Feel Different

Initially, worship will feel different.
While there may be an organ prelude and postlude, the congregation will not be singing.
This will be a spoken worship. The music shown in the worship booklet if for the pre-recorded service.
Sharing of the peace will be done vocally or with other appropriate gestures.

Holy Communion will be served using pre-packaged individual communion servings.
You will pick up your communion cup as you enter the Sanctuary, carry it to your seat,
and consume it at the proper time in the service.

Seating capacity is limited to 30 people in the Sanctuary.
Let Pastor Tom know if you are worshiping from home or from the parking lot.

God's Work.

Arrive Early

This will help minimize large groups of people mingling in the foyer

Masks Required

Bring your own face mask. A limited supply is available if you forget your mask.

Enter through the Front Door

Practice social distancing. Movement on the first floor is limited to the foyer and rest rooms.

Temperature Checks

Your temperature will be taken when you arrive

Sanitize Your Hands

Hand sanitizer will be available for use before entering the worship space

Pick Up Your Bulletin

Ushers will not be distributing bulletins for your protection

Give Your Offering

Collection plates will be on display as you enter the Sanctuary for your offering and Record of Attendance cards.

Sit in Designated Pews Only

Seating per pew as follows:

1 family per pew

2 couples per pew

3 individuals per pew

Remain Seated

It is easier to practice social distancing if you are not moving!

Depart after the Closing Hymn

Avoid gathering in groups after worship

Others sin on the right hand. They are much too rash and reckless, tempting God and disregarding everything which might counteract death and the plague. They disdain the use of medicines; they do not avoid places and persons infected by the plague, but lightheartedly make sport of it and wish to prove how independent they are.

They say that it is God’s punishment; if he wants to

protect them he can do so without medicines or our carefulness. That is not trusting God but tempting him. . . .

No, my dear friends, that is no good. Use medicine; take potions which can help you; fumigate house, yard, and street; shun persons and places where your neighbor does not need your presence or has recovered, and act like a man who wants to help put out the burning city. What else is the epidemic but a fire which instead of consuming wood and straw devours life and body?

You ought to think this way: “Very well, by God’s decree the enemy has sent us poison and deadly offal. Therefore I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid persons and places where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence.

If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above. See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash

nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

- Martin Luther's writings on the 1527 Plague

St John center lutheran church
called by god to share the good news of jesus christ