Dear members and friends of St. Luke,
On Sunday night, Gov. Whitmer announced new measures designed to limit the surge of COVID-19.
Our congregation will be in alignment with the new measures as we continue our regular Sunday schedule, with both in-person and online worship at 10:00 am, and Bible studies at 9:00 am.
If you’re interested in the nature of our alignment, please see a paragraph from the new measures below.*
I encourage you to worship online in the event you believe that is the safest choice. I encourage those who desire to worship and attend Bible study in our building to do so with extra awareness of the need to be socially distanced. I have observed over the past few months that this is not being done very well when we are gathered on Sundays. You can’t “elbow bump” with someone and remain six feet apart. You can’t converse with your heads together and remain six feet apart. When you’re praying with someone, pray six feet apart. We must – we will – practice this spatial distancing.
We are doing well with other safety measures, and we’ll continue to do them well, and improve them as is necessary.
In the event there are changes in our education hour on Sunday mornings, your group leader will contact you; in the event you have questions, please connect with him/her.
Our Thanksgiving Eve service will be held in our building on Wednesday Nov. 25 at 7:00 pm. This service will also appear on YouTube as we normally provide it for Sunday services.
This is the passage of Scripture that came to my mind this morning, which I share with you:
“One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.” – Ps. 27:4-5
We will communicate new developments as the need arises. Please feel free to connect with me, jsproul@stlukeaa.org or 314.795.9539 if you desire a conversation, have questions, or are looking for further clarity. I know your SLC, Elders, and staff are also open to being contacted for the same reasons.
This is “for now, not forever,” and I encourage you to be in God’s Word, prayer, and to reach out to each other during this season. The Lord will bring us through this, just as he has carried us in his arms in the face of danger throughout history. This is the time to hold fast to his promises, and to face the day with the courage, resolve, and unity that is our heritage as Americans.
God bless you today.
Pastor John
* Order Nov. 15, 2020 Article 10, d. “Neither a place of religious worship nor its owner is subject to penalty under this order for allowing religious worship at such place. No individual is subject to penalty under this order for engaging in religious worship at a place of religious worship.”
