A Warm Greeting to You,

This past Sunday was the first Sunday with some of our church family gathered again for worship. It was so good to see many of you who could join us. We continue to miss those of you aren’t with us, but we want each to choose what is best for themselves. As mentioned last week, we desire to provide a live worship service for all who want to come, while continuing to serve those who are not yet comfortable to gather with a group. This last week went well, so the following plan will continue for the foreseeable future:

1) We will continue to livestream a worship service online at 8 am Sunday, an hour earlier than we have been doing for the past couple months. The recorded video of that worship service will then be posted on our site after that. Please feel welcome to worship with us in this way.
2) That 8 am service will be open for those wishing to worship with others in the church sanctuary. The number allowed in that service will be 50 people, with overflow in the church basement using a live video feed. If you choose to come to that service, please be patient with us if there isn’t room for you in the sanctuary.
3) We will also offer a second worship service at 10 am, held outside. Please bring your own lawn chairs for this, and practice social distancing recommendations. This outdoor service does not limit us to any specific number of people.  (In case of rain, this service will be in the sanctuary with the same practices as the 8 am service.)
4) We will try to follow the Green Lake County recommendations for best practice listed below.
-Please also note, We could use some help for an outside setup team on Sunday mornings. No experience necessary. If you would be willing to serve in that way sometimes, please contact the church office for further information. Thanks so much.

Recommendations for Best Practices
-We will limit capacity in the sanctuary to 50 people. Overflow will be a live video feed in the church basement.
-Feel free to bring a face mask. We will provide a face mask for anyone who doesn’t have one but would like to use one at church, OR to take with them to use wherever needed. (Thank you to the various ladies who kindly made face masks for our TS Church Family)
-If you are ill or have symptoms of illness, please stay home, for your good and that of others.
-If you have a health issue that puts you at risk, please do not come for the indoor service.
-If you are over 60 years of age, please take the precautions you feel comfortable with, as this has been a higher risk group.
-Please follow six-foot distancing when possible. Please avoid handshaking and hugging.
-There will be hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes available.
-There will not be any coffee or food provided for this present time (You are welcome to bring your own coffee if you need help staying awake:-)
-A thorough cleaning of the Church was done last week, with ongoing cleaning each week. Thank you so much to each of you who helped with this.
-Please do not congregate in the foyer. We understand and encourage the desire to fellowship, but please do so outside.
This week we are planning to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. For those who attend in person, please feel welcome to bring your own elements. We will provide the elements at church for those comfortable with that, while trying to take special safety precautions.

Do you remember that old joke, “My friend told me to ‘cheer up, things could be worse’; So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse!” ?  That seems to be the way of our nation these days, doesn’t it? Here we are smack in the middle of dealing with a pandemic, and we have another tragic racial injustice that occurs. Our nation responds in anger (which is one appropriate response to evil), which quickly led to hatred and revenge among some, erupting into violence and destruction! Thankfully, there are those who have demonstrated a different attitude; an attitude of standing against evil, hatred and injustice; an attitude of healing, and reconciliation. What is the source for love and justice in our world? You know it. It is the Lord God Himself and His message for humanity.
I am never disappointed when I look to Scripture for directions on how to live life. In reading through Romans 12 recently, verse after verse spoke directly to me about the attitudes and actions I need, you need, all of humanity needs, in this sin sick world. Without printing the whole section, let me just print the two verses that bookend this practical passage. Romans 12:9 & 21, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good….Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” And between those two verses lie the ingredients with which to accomplish this. Attitudes and actions like humility, zeal, hope, patience, prayer, generosity, hospitality, joy, and service, are all mentioned. It has been wonderful to see pockets of people practicing these things in the midst of the chaos, and where it happens, it brings a whole different outcome. I cannot choose for another, but I can choose for myself. And that usually must begin with a prayer something like this, “Oh God, forgive me when my attitudes and actions do not line up with your character. Please fill me with your Spirit, and produce in me and through me that which honors you. Thank you for Your great love, displayed clearly through your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”  May God be honored as He continues to grow us all individually, and corporately. Thanks for reading; have a great rest of the week.

Grace and Peace,
Gary