Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
Dear members and friends of St. John Lutheran Church,
As I hope everyone who knows me knows by now, I think that worship is important and especially at a time such as this. It is an act of faith, a witness to trust in God, to gather with fellow believers, to receive the Means of Grace, to offer prayer, praise and thanksgiving, and to be empowered for ministry to the world for Jesus sake. So, God willing, I will be present to lead worship in ministry of Word and Sacrament on the Lord’s Day. I do not anticipate cancelling the Sunday worship services of St. John Lutheran Church.
Having stated that, we will also be taking some actions to reduce our risks of sharing any illness that may be among us. I will review these on Sunday morning, but changes will be made in our greeting of one another, the sharing of the peace, collecting offerings, and distributing of communion. Each individual’s practice of common-sense and personal responsibility, along with such community changes can reduce the risks we may face from infection.
Therefore, with regard to your attendance at worship, I trust your discretion. Much as I have said regarding travel on snow and ice days, “Use your best judgement.” You know where you have been that may have exposed you to a communicable disease. You know how you are feeling, whether you have a fever or other symptoms. You know if you are immunocompromised, or have other health issues that would make contracting an illness especially dangerous. You know how great your fears may be, but please remember as well the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who overcomes death for the life of the world. I respect your ability to make your own choice about attendance at worship.
If you remain home, please view our worship service on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. (one week delayed) on JATV, Janesville cable channel 994. On-demand recordings of the worship will be posted on our web-site, www.sjlc-elca.org and we will be working on other options for broadcast as well. Please remember to support our ministry, and if you need pastoral care, please contact the congregation office.
Fear not, God is with you.
+ Pastor Bond
