CONCERNING PASTORAL CARE
-Divine Services: We have resumed our services at church. In order to keep us spread out for the sake of social distancing, we are offering two services—8:30 & 10:00 AM. For details about what you can expect and what will be expected of you, see this: http://lutheransubject.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-pastoral-concern-return-to-church.html
-Online Worship: You can join in our services via Facebook Live (Sundays, 10 AM). You can find it here, or by searching for "Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church." Make sure you click to the one in Novi.
-Archived Resources: We are posting our services on YouTube. A search for “Good Shepherd Novi” should bring up services. As always, sermon manuscripts are posted on the pastor's blog (www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com). You can use the search bar to find a particular date, day of the Church Year, or Scripture reference.
-Person-to-person care: Pastor Schroeder will be in his office to offer private devotions, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion to members in small groups or to individuals. You may come in without appointment at these times: Mondays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - Noon and 6:00 - 9:00 PM. You may also set up an appointment at any time. Visits by appointment can be done either at church or at your home.
-In case you contract COVID-19: Please contact Pastor Schroeder. He will alert the congregation so that your fellow members may pray for you, and he will keep everyone informed of your condition. If possible, Pastor Schroeder will visit you during your quarantine. At the very least, he will keep in contact with you and provide devotional materials. If you want to ask for intercessions for loved ones, we will certainly remember them in our prayers, too. If your loved one has no pastor, ask if they would like Pastor Schroeder to visit them.
COVID-19 AND MASKS AT CHURCH
As was noted in previous communications, we expect that people will wear masks in attendance at church. Are they annoying? Yes. Are they inconvenient? Yes. Are they an infringement on our freedoms or a method of preserving health? Well, opinions differ there, and that is part of our challenge as we come together to worship. Some feel masks are useless; others are truly bothered when they see people who do not wear masks. Now, put both of these people together in a church and you can sense the problem.
In consultation with the Church Council, here is what I am asking of all our worshipers: Please wear masks throughout your time at church. Even if you think a mask is a wasted effort, your fellow member in the row in front of you may not share your opinion. So, please endure the inconvenience out of love for all worshipers so that nothing would hinder people coming to hear God's word and partake in the sacrament together as the body of Christ.
