2020 Holiday Season Update

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).
 
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14).
 
Dear friends in Christ,
 
We enter a season of cheer, warmth, and happiness plagued by the ongoing challenges of the Covid epidemic. The past weeks have seen a significant surge in positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. The city of Chicago has recently reinstated stricter rules on dining out, nonessential work, and social gatherings.

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While the new stay-at-home advisory explicitly excludes houses of worship in their regular worship gatherings, I wanted to write to you in order to outline our plan for ministry this unusual holiday season, as well as to ask for enhanced vigilance from you to help protect your brothers and sisters in Christ and allow us to provide continuous ministry through the new year.
 
Our Sunday worship schedule will remain unchanged. Our in-person occupancy for worship remains at 50 per service. We will continue to live stream our 11 a.m. service on Youtube every Sunday—you may tune in live or watch the archived recording.
 
In addition to our regular Sunday worship, our holiday schedule is:

​Thanksgiving Vespers	​Wednesday, Nov. 25 @ 6p
Advent Evening Prayer	Wednesday, Dec. 2, 9, 16 @ 6p
​Christmas Eve	Thursday, Dec. 24 @ 4:30p, 11p
​Christmas Day	Friday, Dec. 25 @ 9:30a
NYE	Thursday, Dec. 31 @ 6p
Epiphany	Wednesday, Jan. 6 @ 6p

​All special services will also be live streamed on our Youtube page. For notifications, please subscribe by clicking this link:
 

We will continue to observe the same healthy practices as we have since returning to in-person worship, including social distancing and enhanced sanitary precautions for the distribution of the Lord’s Supper.
 
I am also asking for you to take some additional measures to help ensure that we can continue to provide uninterrupted in-person worship.
 

1. If you are sick or feel sick or may be sick, please stay home.
2. If you have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid, please stay home for 14 days.
3. If you travel for the holidays or attend a holiday gathering with people outside your immediate family, please stay home for the following 14 days.

 
In addition to these enhanced precautions, please note the following concerning in-person attendance:
 

1. If you attend in person, please continue to maintain social distancing standards.
2. Please begin to wear your face covering the ENTIRE time you are in the building.
3. In-person attendees MUST sign in so that we are able to contact persons who may have been exposed to Covid at worship.

 
In addition to this, beginning in December I will be available on Wednesdays from 4:30p–6:00p to schedule brief individual and family communion services for higher risk members who wish to avoid public exposure. You must register at least 24 hours in advance.
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Register for individual/family communion

We are hoping to provide some additional opportunities for virtual holiday fellowship and cheer. Please keep an eye on our print and digital communications for more information.
 
Finally, your financial support is crucial during this time. Please continue to express your generosity by contributing in person when able, by mail, or by setting up a recurring gift on our online giving page.
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online giving

 
Despite our present challenges, I remain convinced that God works all things for good for the sake of those whom He has chosen. This holiday season we will remember to give thanks in all circumstances as we prepare to celebrate our Lord’s incarnation in order to bear all our burdens.
 
In Christ,
under the cross,

​Pastor Ehrhard