Healthy Practices, Adjusted

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord (Psalm 4:5)


Adjustments to Our Healthy Practices at St. John’s

Dear friends in Christ,

The past 9 months have been a rollercoaster ride, to be sure. As we have discovered more about the novel coronavirus (and about ourselves!), we are able to adjust our practices with more information and with care and concern for our neighbors. After observing trends in our attendance since reopening and in conjunction with new research regarding some practices common to worship, I have decided the time is right to adjust our practices in order to best serve our congregation the gifts of God while also maintaining the best practices to protect against the transmission of disease. 

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What is not changing

• Face coverings will still be the norm inside the building, please continue to wear them for unless you are seated with only your family members at a distance farther than 6 feet from others
• Members are encouraged to wash their hands frequently and utilize hand sanitizer as they enter the church building
• Members who are ill, experiencing any of the known symptoms of Covid-19, and especially those with an elevated temperature must stay home and are urged to seek the care of a physician
• Socializing is encouraged outdoors; congregating in the building is discouraged
• Worship will continue to be live-streamed Sundays at 11 a.m. on Youtube
• Bible study and other non-worship activities remain suspended and/or offered remotely

What is changing

• The organ will accompany worship at all services (the piano has been more convenient for recording purposes and for smaller groups at worship)
• The 8 a.m service will remain an “at-risk” service with minimized singing; 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. will offer a fully sung liturgy according to the settings in Lutheran Service Book*
• I will offer a brief service of Holy Communion (~15 minutes) on the first Wednesday of the month at 4:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. for those who wish to continue to minimize their exposure to large groups. The service will be limited to ten attendees, who must register at least 24 hours in advance at stjohnschicago.org/communion.
• Hymnals and pew Bibles will be available; the entire service will continue to be printed in a disposable worship folder
• Offerings will be presented at the altar, but will still be collected as you enter church; touchless e-giving is encouraged

At-risk service (8 a.m.)

• Liturgy will be mostly spoken
• Singing will be conducted by either the pastor or a kantor
• Members are invited to sing along at a low volume and are encouraged to wear their face coverings while singing*
• Communion will continue to be distributed continuously while maintaining social distance

Expanded services (11 a.m., 6 p.m.)

• Singing is expanded with additional hymns and liturgy*
• Attendees are asked to maintain social distance while seated
• Communion will be distributed at the altar while maintaining social distance

*A preliminary study on singing and viral transmission indicates that singing in a worship setting is best done by a kantor or song leader because it maximizes social distance. Congregants who sing can also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others by wearing a face covering. A more recent study indicates that singing produces no significant increased risk of spread at the same volume (though this study has not been peer reviewed). Consequently, our at-risk service will focus on songs led by a soloist. Members at all services are encouraged to sing at a volume at or below normal speech and to wear a face covering during these times.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7330568/
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53853961#:~:text=Singing%20does%20not%20produce%20substantially,yet%20to%20be%20peer%20reviewed.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we trust You for protection and guidance as we offer right sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to You. You have sanctified not only our hearts by also our minds to make responsible decisions and we pray that our precautions will protect our neighbors, especially those who are most vulnerable. Continue to guard us against disease and plague, that we may continue to sing Your praises. For the sake of Your Son Jesus and in His name we pray. Amen.

-Pastor Ehrhard