ST. ANDREW'S WORSHIP SERVICES
Indoor Worship Sunday, Oct. 18th, 9:00 a.m.
See Guidelines Below
Online Worship Link Will Continue To Be Available
Feel Free To Continue Worshipping Safely From Home-Scroll down for the link
A Message From Pastor Kari
Sunday Worship Announcement for October 11th 2020:
Parents for whom Sunday morning online worship has been a battle of epic proportions since March... you are seen and you matter!
The council of St Andrew's Lutheran Church is moving our weekly outdoor worship service back indoors starting this Sunday. We realize that for many of our members, meeting indoors and in-person is not possible. That's ok. We are still encouraging those who are able to take advantage of our online and in-home worship mailers. It's still real worship! Online and in-home worship mailers will continue to be provided for the foreseeable future. (Please contact Nicole if you are not getting the e-mails or would prefer to get weekly content via snail USPS). For those who are feeling able to join us for in-person worship, we hope to see you at St Andrew's at 9 AM.
What to expect:
Our motto during this time has been simple and sustainable. These first few gathering will be a bare-bones back to basic service so we can determine what worship components we prioritize in a shortened worship service.
Face masks are required - Our sanctuary is stunning! It's also small, providing an intimacy we love with proximity that makes spreading viruses when we gather a real concern. Every little effort to reduce spread matters. Thank you for loving your neighbor in this simple way.
Social Distancing - Ushers will help us space out as another effort to keep our gatherings as safe as possible for those who do not get out often. You will be seated with your family or whoever you arrive with.
Making eye contact with those you have missed in the space you love! Praying together.
Pastor Kari trying to preach a short sermon (pray for her).
A new plexiglass shield on the pulpit.
No indoor fellowship but lots of space outdoors to space out and catch up if you are comfortable doing so after worship.
Important components that will be incorporated into the service as we work out our new pattern:
Communion – We have prefilled communion cups ready to go. It’s a matter of timing and logistics.
Christian Education (Sunday School, Confirmation, Adult Ed) – If you have kids and are planning to be in person regularly, please let us know so we can get a rotation set up. Sunday School teachers will be contacted to see if they are willing to participate.
Music – We will have a piano accompaniment. The CDC and the National Choral Association have made us aware that singing speeds up the number of particles with the potential viruses we spread. The ELCA advises no in-person singing, but your council and I are committed to learning from the experts in this field how best to tap into that spiritual component that so many of us Lutherans live for.
There will be aspects of transitioning back to indoor worship that are familiar and life-giving, but as you gathered from what you just read, worship will look and feel a bit different. That’s OK. St Francis of Assisi led his early congregation in a cave for years! Scandinavian Christians had to wait weeks at a time to worship under overturn boats and whisper their prayers. Christian imprisoned for their faith had to worship alone with only the prayers and the few scriptures they could remember. We are also asked in this strange season of life to worship fulling in less than ideal or desired ways. But the beauty of faith is that it is resilient. Faith is not dependent on robust liturgy (though we love it) Or how loud singing (though we crave it!) or amazing coffee and cakes(... deep sighs). Faith is a force of the Holy Spirit that will carry us through these barren and bizarre times. Feeling sorrow or disappointment after worship does not mean that worship was not effective in giving praise to God. Nor does it mean it won't work to feed your soul. It means we must be convicted to continue to keep our eyes of Christ. Even if we go many more months before we can confidently be all together this Christian fellowship will not be scattered no matter the forces that oppress, or the despair that surrounds.
Give your spirit and your muscle memory time to adjust to our new in-person norm. Your council is continuing to determine the best way forward. We are all going to have to learn to pivot from week to week.
Finally, I offer my heartfelt appreciation to the members of this parish (both congregations). You have given your elected leaders your trust in speaking about your grievances and hopes. You have shown great respect to the advice of the ELCA to worship apart in this time. You have honored me as your pastor with your continued efforts to seek God at this time. One week in person worship may feel the right choice for you. The next few it may not. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are in this together and by the grace of God, Christ will carry us through.
Humbly,
Pastor Kari
Parents for whom Sunday morning online worship has been a battle of epic proportions since March... you are seen and you matter!
The council of St Andrew's Lutheran Church is moving our weekly outdoor worship service back indoors starting this Sunday. We realize that for many of our members, meeting indoors and in-person is not possible. That's ok. We are still encouraging those who are able to take advantage of our online and in-home worship mailers. It's still real worship! Online and in-home worship mailers will continue to be provided for the foreseeable future. (Please contact Nicole if you are not getting the e-mails or would prefer to get weekly content via snail USPS). For those who are feeling able to join us for in-person worship, we hope to see you at St Andrew's at 9 AM.
What to expect:
Our motto during this time has been simple and sustainable. These first few gathering will be a bare-bones back to basic service so we can determine what worship components we prioritize in a shortened worship service.
Face masks are required - Our sanctuary is stunning! It's also small, providing an intimacy we love with proximity that makes spreading viruses when we gather a real concern. Every little effort to reduce spread matters. Thank you for loving your neighbor in this simple way.
Social Distancing - Ushers will help us space out as another effort to keep our gatherings as safe as possible for those who do not get out often. You will be seated with your family or whoever you arrive with.
Making eye contact with those you have missed in the space you love! Praying together.
Pastor Kari trying to preach a short sermon (pray for her).
A new plexiglass shield on the pulpit.
No indoor fellowship but lots of space outdoors to space out and catch up if you are comfortable doing so after worship.
Important components that will be incorporated into the service as we work out our new pattern:
Communion – We have prefilled communion cups ready to go. It’s a matter of timing and logistics.
Christian Education (Sunday School, Confirmation, Adult Ed) – If you have kids and are planning to be in person regularly, please let us know so we can get a rotation set up. Sunday School teachers will be contacted to see if they are willing to participate.
Music – We will have a piano accompaniment. The CDC and the National Choral Association have made us aware that singing speeds up the number of particles with the potential viruses we spread. The ELCA advises no in-person singing, but your council and I are committed to learning from the experts in this field how best to tap into that spiritual component that so many of us Lutherans live for.
There will be aspects of transitioning back to indoor worship that are familiar and life-giving, but as you gathered from what you just read, worship will look and feel a bit different. That’s OK. St Francis of Assisi led his early congregation in a cave for years! Scandinavian Christians had to wait weeks at a time to worship under overturn boats and whisper their prayers. Christian imprisoned for their faith had to worship alone with only the prayers and the few scriptures they could remember. We are also asked in this strange season of life to worship fulling in less than ideal or desired ways. But the beauty of faith is that it is resilient. Faith is not dependent on robust liturgy (though we love it) Or how loud singing (though we crave it!) or amazing coffee and cakes(... deep sighs). Faith is a force of the Holy Spirit that will carry us through these barren and bizarre times. Feeling sorrow or disappointment after worship does not mean that worship was not effective in giving praise to God. Nor does it mean it won't work to feed your soul. It means we must be convicted to continue to keep our eyes of Christ. Even if we go many more months before we can confidently be all together this Christian fellowship will not be scattered no matter the forces that oppress, or the despair that surrounds.
Give your spirit and your muscle memory time to adjust to our new in-person norm. Your council is continuing to determine the best way forward. We are all going to have to learn to pivot from week to week.
Finally, I offer my heartfelt appreciation to the members of this parish (both congregations). You have given your elected leaders your trust in speaking about your grievances and hopes. You have shown great respect to the advice of the ELCA to worship apart in this time. You have honored me as your pastor with your continued efforts to seek God at this time. One week in person worship may feel the right choice for you. The next few it may not. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are in this together and by the grace of God, Christ will carry us through.
Humbly,
Pastor Kari
ONLINE WORSHIP LINK FOR SUNDAY, OCT. 18th
Bird's-Eye View of St. Andrew's
Thank you, Julie and Ben Safrafrowich, for this unique view of St. Andrew's.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! We'd love for you to join us!
Contact Norene Paulson at 641-527-2284 if you or someone you know is in need of prays. All requests from members and non-members are welcomed.
Thank you for taking time to visit our website. We hope that after getting to know a little about us, you'll come and visit. Everyone who worships here is considered family. Whether a first-time visitor or a returning member, you are WELCOMED! We look forward to sharing worship with you soon.
To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.
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Check Us Out
If you are interested in finding a church home or worshipping more regularly, St. Andrew's family welcomes the opportunity to help you strengthen your spiritual relationship with God. Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Click on the above tabs to learn more about us. We'd love to see you here.
"Small but Mighty"
St. Andrew's is a member of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). First established in 1870, St. Andrew's has been ministering to generations of area families for over 144 years. Although a small, rural church, we are "Mighty in Mission." Just as Martin Luther wrote, "Faith is a living, creative, active, powerful thing," so is St. Andrew's a living, creative, active, powerful faith family. |
