In Person Worship Fully Returns June 12

Our Return to Worship Task Force has determined the health markers exist and the science is reassuring for us to move safely into “Phase 3” beginning June 12-13. The positive health markers we are seeing include a COVID-19 test positivity rate as low as the early months when the pandemic started in spring of 2020, the growing number of residents in Linn County now immunized with their first shot, the efficacy of the vaccine, and a continued downward trend in cases/100K and hospitalizations.

Phase 3 allows us to ease capacity restrictions. Phase 3 also allows the reintroduction of other worship practices over time such as passing the offering plate, passing the peace/greeting after the service, kneeling for communion, offering coffee and hospitality following the service, and resuming meals following funerals, SEMP, and other special events.

We strongly encourage all worshipers to continue to wear a mask for the safety of our children and others who are ineligible to get the vaccine. For people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, masks will be optional, mirroring the CDC’s guidelines.

Unvaccinated individuals should continue to mask. As we have said throughout the pandemic, we ask those who are not feeling well to stay home.

Some pews will be reserved for families with young children where masks will be required.
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Special Filtration Installed
After the recent renovation our church took the extra steps with the new Heating and Cooling systems. We’ve added equipment with ultraviolet technology to kill pathogens and ionizing electrostatic filters to scrub the air that passes through. Our new Inline air purification filters pathogens from the air going into the sanctuary at a 99.9% effective rate.

Online worship will continue to be offered on Sunday mornings for all members, and especially those who want to wait until all can be vaccinated before returning to in-person worship.

​Our Return to Worship Task Force wants to thank everyone for your support and patience as we have worked through these steps to reopen in a safe and measured manner. Our team will continue to monitor the numbers and reconvene if needed and act quickly to ensure everyone’s safety. The goal of our Task Force from the beginning and continues to be to work towards "a team consensus of a safe, phased return to in-house worship with regard to public health and minimizing risks to our congregation."

Worship With Us LIVE Online @ 9 & 11 a.m. Sunday

The worship team and A/V team will LIVE stream worship each Sunday at 9 & 11 a.m.  featuring scripture, a contextual sermon, live music, and up-to-the-minute prayers.  During & after worship you can visit the “virtual narthex” to chat (just eat your own donut holes at home).  We begin live streaming at 8:45 a.m. Sunday.  You can join us here: Link to Online Worship

Worship Over the Airwaves

We expect a great deal many new listeners to our 30 minute radio worship service of beautiful music and a contextual message broadcast at 8:30 am every Sunday on KMRY Radio at 93.1 FM and 1450 AM.

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Devotions By Mail

If you’d like a physical devotional book to help you through this time, please call the office at 365-1494 or email tammyh@firstlutherancr.org and we be glad to drop one in the mail to you.

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