Updated December 8, 2020:

Congregation Vote Results:

Seminary 46, Field 17

December 8, 2020

Dear Trinity Lutheran Church member,

On Wednesday, December 2nd and Sunday, December 6th the congregation voted to decide on whether to Call a pastor from the field or from the seminary. The votes from those two days were combined and the results are as follows: 46 (Seminary) to 17 (Field). This is a complete turnaround from our vote from earlier this year.

Therefore, we will be relying on the Seminary to assign a pastor to us who will become eligible upon graduation this coming spring. They would select a pastor for us based on what our needs and wants are. It is very important to note that there are many churches around the country who are currently looking for a pastor and the simple truth is that there are not enough candidates to go around. Having said that, the reality is that we may not be able to secure a pastor by going the seminary route. Obviously, we would, then, be back to where we are today.

Along these same lines we may also consider Calling someone who is presently serving another church as a vicar, which is generally a one year period of time. A vicarage is usually done during the 3rd year of a 4 year program at the seminary. We also can consider someone who is currently in a deferred vicarage program meaning they would be serving a church as a vicar, but this wouldn’t be until their 4th year in the seminary. In either case our members are welcome to submit names of anyone that they might know of who is currently serving in either capacity. You then would submit a nomination form which can be found on the table located in the Narthex.

Whether we Call a seminarian or a vicar, the process from there could very well be a lengthy one. Once again, we ask for your continued patience and prayers. Please have faith in our God that He will eventually find our next pastor who will prove to be the perfect fit for Trinity Lutheran Church. 

In Christ’s love,

Ron Lobner

Chairman

715-459-1503

rlobner@charter.net

Face Masks are Required for Ages 5 and Up

If you have a medical condition that prevents you from a wearing a mask, you are exempt.

May 20, 2020 – Updated July 31, 2020

Dear Trinity Lutheran Church Member,

I’m happy to report that we, the Church Council and Board of Elders, have met recently to decide on when to resume our church services. The date that we agreed upon is Sunday, June 7, at the regularly scheduled time (9:00 a.m.). Keep in mind that this date is subject to change as we will continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases around the country, the state and in particular, the county. Any drastic spike in the number of cases in these geographical areas could result in the postponement of the reopening of our church.

As you might expect, several changes will need to be made, and precautions taken, to help assure the safety of our members and to keep from spreading the Coronavirus outside of our church family. These changes/precautions, for the time being, will be included in, but not limited to, the list below.

  • Church services: Sundays @ 9:00 a.m. Doors will open no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Also on Wednesdays @ 6:00 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
  • We will not be limiting the number of people who will be allowed in the building at one time. We will, however, be limiting the amount of people that we would like in the Sanctuary. Should we have any overflow, we will utilize the Narthex where you will be able see and hear the service. As a last resort we also have the church basement available whereby the service will be heard over the speaker system that we currently have in place.
  • Face masks are required.
  • Signs will be posted at the entrances asking the congregation to refrain from coming to church if they are experiencing any symptoms or if they’ve had any possible exposure to COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
  • We ask that you don’t use the coat racks and consequently, the hangers will be removed ahead of time. Therefore, we would prefer that any coats, hats, etc. be taken into the church service with you.
  • Hand sanitizers will be located at all entrances for anyone to use.
  • The bulletins will not be distributed by the Ushers, but will be located on a table in the Narthex for you to help yourself. It is advised that you use the hand sanitizer prior to taking a bulletin.
  • All furniture will be removed from the Narthex and replaced with folding chairs to accommodate any overflow that might occur.
  • We request that people not congregate in groups outside the Sanctuary, but merely take their seats immediately whether it be in the Sanctuary, the Narthex or the basement. We don’t want congestion in the Narthex as people are arriving for the church service.
  • Ushers and Elders will be on hand to escort you to your seats in an effort to keep with social distancing guidelines. You will notice markings on the floor of the aisles indicating six foot distances. These will come into play during the distribution of Communion and when exiting the Sanctuary.
  • We will utilize every other pew and the alternating pews will be blocked off to help maintain a distance of six feet from non-family members where possible.
  • Church services will be reduced to approximately 45 minutes in length and the number of hymns to 2 per service, both of which will be printed in the bulletin each week.
  • Pens, hymnals, bibles, and other paper resources will be removed from the pews because they are too difficult to sanitize.
  • The passing of the offering plates will be discontinued in favor of having one plate located in the Narthex for you to deposit your offering as you leave the church. The “We Care” cards are temporarily being discontinued.
  • We will have Communion every Sunday for the time being. This will be conducted differently than in the past as we will be resorting to a self-service means of receiving the Sacrament. I will address the congregation prior to the service to discuss the details of how this will be done.
  • When exiting the church, we plan to do this in an orderly fashion as the pews will be dismissed one at a time by an Elder or Usher. Again, we ask that you continue to practice social distancing as you leave.
  • Once you reach the Narthex please exit the church as soon as possible knowing that others will be following behind you. Once again, we need to avoid congestion in this area.
  • The church will be sanitized as much as possible during the week prior to each service.

Please keep in mind that these guidelines are meant to help members of Trinity stay healthy and prevent the spreading of COVID-19 to others. Remember that there is still a risk involved in contracting the Coronavirus for anyone who attends a public worship service. All those as defined by the Department of Health Services as being vulnerable may want to consider staying at home for now.

Lastly, in closing, know that we will get through this together, as you’ve heard said numerous times. Trust that our Lord will guide us and allow us to make our decisions regarding the reopening of our church according to His Will. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Ron Lobner, Chairman