In-Person. Outdoor Worship Has Begun at Messiah Lutheran Church
Members and friends,
MLC will conduct an in-person, live, outdoor service of worship starting Sunday, September 20 at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot of MLC.
The pre-recorded service will continue to be available at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning on www.mlutheran.org
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUNDAY OUTDOOR SERVICES
The service will be broadcast on a limited range FM signal (98.5 on your radio dial). Attendees can choose to sit in their cars and listen to the service or bring an FM radio and lawn chairs to sit in the area designated. If you are going to sit outside, please enter and park in the RFCU lot off of Lawson’s Ridge Rd.
Updated Note About Parking and Seating:
The front parking lot closest to the church entry will be reserved for those in chairs and worshipers with handicap permits. If you have a large vehicle and plan to remain in your car, please park farther back in the lot so that you will not obstruct the view of smaller cars behind you. Please be patient and understanding as we learn and adjust to having an in-person outdoor service.
What is being done to make distribution of the Lord’s Supper as safe as possible?
- Pastor sanitizes hands, then pours out a freshly opened sealed ‘tube’ of Holy Communion wafers on to the paten (plate) without touching them.
- The paten with the wafers is then slid into a large never before used zip-lock bag. When Pastor speaks the words of institution the Communion wafers are in this sealed bag.
- When Pastor distributes the Communion bread with his mask on, he will extend his hand to above the open, extended cupped hands of the masked person receiving Communion and drop the wafer into her/his hands.
- The person receiving does not consume the wafer yet, but carries it to a nearby table which will have the small disposable Communion cup with wine to pick up. Then the wafer and wine are carried a safe distance away to be consumed. (This may be back to one’s chair, or vehicle, or be done outside away from others.) The disposable cup may go into a can on hand to collect them for disposal.
- About the Communion wine in the cups: Only one person will fill Communion cups. This person will be wearing a mask and disposable gloves when filling these cups.
Bulletins will be available for viewing or printing on www.mlutheran.org A limited number of paper copies will be available from the ushers.
Masks are required for everyone outside of their cars or if sitting in the car with the windows down. Please abide by the 6 ft. physical distancing rule and any additional instructions that are given by the ushers. Access to the church building for use of the restroom will be limited to one person at a time. Please plan accordingly. If you are not well, please stay home. If inclement weather is expected, please check www.mlutheran.org for any updates.
Pre-recorded Sunday Services will continue even as we start worshiping in-person outdoors. Please continue to be patient as we learn how to effectively do outdoor worship. Take care and take measures to protect yourself and others from the spread of Covid-19.
Grace and peace, Pastor Scott Peterson