Welcome to The Lakes Lutheran Church!
Peace be with you.
You are invited to worship together in-person this Sunday, October 25 at 9:30 a.m. We will commemorate Reformation Sunday, the 503rd anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran movement.
A few things to consider for this weekend. Things will look, sound, and feel different than when we were last together. Please read this letter before deciding to attend worship in-person this weekend. Some of this may look familiar as a portion of it was sent out with last weekend's newsletter, however, there have been some updates.
The Congregation Council and Re-Opening Committee invite you to self-screen before coming to worship that morning using the following guidelines:
· Do you have a new cough that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
· Do you have new shortness of breath that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
· Do you have a new fever (100.4°F or higher) or chills that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
· Do you have any two of the following symptoms: Fatigue, Congestion, Runny nose, Sore throat, New loss of taste or smell, Headache, Diarrhea, Muscle or body aches, Nausea or vomiting?
· Have you come into close contact (within 6 feet) with someone who has a laboratory-confirmed
COVID-19 diagnosis in the past 14 days?
If any of these apply before attending worship, please watch the service online, so as to not risk the health of others attending worship in-person.
While gathered for worship, all are required to wear a face mask or cloth face covering (if you do not have a face mask, one will be provided for you), practice social distancing, by refraining from hugging, handshaking, or other signs of physical affection and keeping at least six feet from another person, at all times. Located throughout the church building are several hand sanitizers stations, please feel free to use them.
Additionally, to keep fresh air moving through the sanctuary, the side doors and the doors of the church will remain open during the service. This may cause the sanctuary to be a bit cooler. Please consider bringing and wearing a sweater if the weather outside is cool.
Due to social distance requirements, we are limiting attendance to 60 persons. If we have more than that who would like to attend service, the congregation council will make arrangements for an alternative service.
During the worship service, the congregation is permitted and encouraged to make responses to the liturgy; however, there will be no congregational singing. Once you enter the sanctuary of the church and find your seat, you are asked to remain there for the duration of the service. The worship service has been considerably shortened to allow for those who may not be able to sit for a full service.
Ushers will not collect the offering. You are invited to place your offering in two blue offering boxes located by the entrance doors of the church. Thank you for supporting your congregation.
Communion will be served using pre-filled, sealed, communion cups with bread and grape juice. You are invited to take a communion cup as you enter the church, or you may pick one up as you depart. People will not be invited forward to receive communion. At the time of communion, you will be invited to open your pre-filled communion cup at your seat and commune there.
For those who are not planning to attend the in-person worship service, you are invited to view the service through the church’s Facebook live stream, or on YouTube later in the day. If you would like to receive communion, but not attend the service, please contact me. There are several options to receive communion safely and we can select the best one to meet your needs.
Our general rule of thumb for the continuation of weekly in-person worship services is that you can expect there will be church the following week unless notified by email, Facebook, etc. The re-opening team and the congregation council are carefully following case numbers, hospitalizations, and positivity rates for the Las Vegas area to do what we can to keep the congregation and the Las Vegas community safe and healthy
You may also find more information by reviewing The Lakes Lutheran Church Health & Safety Reopening Plan located here: http://www.thelakeslutheran.org/uploads/1/1/0/7/110776863/tllc_reopening_plan_final.pdf
Thank you for your cooperation and we’re looking forward to gathering together again!
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Ron Poe
ron@thelakeslutheran.org
Updated 10/23/2020
