Here are some of the things you can take advantage of to
help you worship on Sunday, March 15.
Worship Service Livestream
The 10:45 service will be streamed through YouTube. There is
a link on the church webpage, and here is another:
Hudson Local Television
You can watch our services (it is either at 1 or 2 on Sunday
afternoon) on Hudson Local T.V. They also stream their programming. Here is a
link: https://www.hudson.oh.us/103/Hudson-Community-TV
Worship at Home
I have put a liturgy with links to hymns and sermons that
you can use for worship at home. It is online on my blog page. I will adapt
this to fit the upcoming weeks’ services.
Daily Devotions
With the fears and anxiety of these days, this is a good
time to turn to the Lord in prayer. I am working on some daily devotions to
help us individually and as families to gather around God’s Word and prayer. I
hope to have hardcopies early in the week, but they will be online soon.
Holy Communion
If you are not going to come to worship and want to receive
the Lord’s Supper, please communicate with me. We will make arrangements to
commune you.
Worship Services
We will have worship services tomorrow. I expect that
attendance will be light, and that’s okay. If you come, please follow the
appropriate precautions of hand washing, social distancing, and other common
sense precautions. We will have chairs set in the narthex to provide more space
for people to spread out. If needed, the service can also be watched in the
Luther Room. A hand sanitizer dispenser has been installed in the narthex, and
we will ask the ushers to provide hand sanitizer as folks come forward for
Communion. We also will commune is smaller groups at the altar so we can spread
out there.
Freedom in Christ and Duty to Neighbor
It is rather difficult to navigate this situation. On the
one hand we have freedom through Jesus to confidently stay away from church for
a while, resting in his love and forgiveness, and knowing that he will meet us
in his Word in other areas of our lives. On the other hand, we should not think
that what happens when we gather around the Word and Sacraments is not
essential. It is essential. Remember that we deliver Jesus’ forgiveness, life,
healing, reconciliation, and salvation. While the health concerns we have are
very important, and for some of us the coronavirus is potentially a matter of
life and death, the message we proclaim delivers eternal life and saves from
eternal damnation. Not only do we deliver Christ’s gifts to one another as
members of Gloria Dei, we are one of two congregations in Hudson whose services
are broadcast for the community – and that is important, too.
God’s peace be with all of us as we make decisions based in
our current health, our stage of life, and our vocations as to how to best
display our love for God and our love for our neighbors.
Blessings,
Pastor
Comments