Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
For the last two weeks, we have had to “meet together” quite differently – as we did in March through August. With the ongoing, wider community spread of COVID-19, we have seen the need to make further alterations to in-person worship, in order to minimize the risks of transmission inherent in gathering together.
This urgent update will cover:
Building Status
Suspension of In-Person Worship
Resuming In-Person Worship
Building Status
Due to Michigan’s extended emergency epidemic order, Messiah’s building will continue to be closed through Sunday, December 20. Here is what this means:
Sunday School is cancelled until January 2021.
The annual voters' meeting will be held online on Sunday, December 13 at 3 pm. An announcement with documentation has been sent to members regarding this meeting; this is also available at our website. Please contact me at rick.krueger@messiahgr.org immediately if you have not received an email.
Preschool will continue on weekdays as scheduled until Christmas break (starting Monday, December 21), resuming in January 2021.
Board and committee meetings will be held remotely.
LifeLight classes will restart in January 2021.
Staff and volunteers will only be onsite for basic operations (worship preparations and services, preschool sessions and preparations, financial work and recordkeeping, drop-offs for volunteer efforts, trustee projects, etc.) To contact staff members, please continue to call the church office; the phone will be answered remotely.
Suspension of In-Person Worship
At their December meeting the Board of Elders prayerfully reviewed and updated their Guidelines for In-Person Worship. We realize that not everyone will agree with what follows, and respect the reasons they do so. We are doing our best to serve our Lord and you. Jesus Christ has brought us together as members of His Body, the Church, at Messiah; we pray that He will keep us unified in Him through His Word, whatever the twists and turns of the days to come. Please do not hesitate to contact your Elder with any questions, concerns or responses.
In order to insure that in-person worship can be held on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Elders chose to continue the suspension of in-person worship through Sunday, December 20. These upcoming services will be presented via YouTube livestream:
Wednesday, December 9, 7 pm
Sunday, December 13, 11 am
Wednesday, December 16, 7 pm
Sunday, December 20, 11 am
(The preschool children are recording their Christmas service in class this week. Watch for information on how to view it on YouTube coming soon.)
Resuming In-Person Worship
The following precautions will be in place for in-person worship from December 24 onward:
Please exercise personal discernment when it comes to your health. If you are feeling sick, waiting for COVID-19 test results, in recommended quarantine or isolation from COVID-19 exposure, in a high-risk category, or not comfortable or ready to attend in person, please stay home. Services will continue to be livestreamed as noted below.
You will be welcomed in person at the sanctuary door as you enter. All inner doors will be kept open.
To minimize potential spread of COVID-19 in this public setting, wearing of face coverings (fabric masks) will be required at all services, from when you enter the building to when you leave. If you forget a face mask or don’t have one, please don’t let this keep you from attending; we will gladly provide you with one.
To assure social distancing during worship, advance RSVPs will be required for all services. Sign-up options will be available by phone, email and Internet. 26 spots for families or individuals will be available in the nave of the sanctuary for each service.
Worshipers will sit on the opposite ends of alternate pews. Designated seating will be clearly marked for “8:30 (1st service)” or “11:00 (2nd service)”; other pew entrances will be roped off to assure social distancing.
After the first service of each two-service day, worshipers will leave through the side door of the narthex, using the classroom hallway and exiting the building through the exterior doors in the fellowship hall foyer.
Following announcements, dismissal by families will begin from the back of the church. Please maintain social distancing and, weather permitting, wait until you are outdoors to greet others.
We will resume in-person worship with the following Christmas services:
Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service, Thursday, December 24, 5 pm
Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service, Thursday, December 24, 7 pm (also streamed)
Christmas Day Communion Service, Friday, December 25, 10 am (also streamed)
To insure that as many people as possible can attend Christmas services, we respectfully request that you only sign up for one of the three services available. The 7 pm Christmas Eve service is one of our best-attended services every year, and available spots may fill quickly; please prayerfully consider attending one of the other services.
In-person Sunday worship services will resume on Sunday, December 27 at 8:30 and 11 am. Video of the 11:00 am service will continue to be livestreamed, then archived on YouTube.
If you want to receive Holy Communion, but do not feel comfortable attending these services, please call (734-645-4353) or email (revjpeterson@yahoo.com) our vacancy pastor, Rev. Jason Peterson, to make arrangements to receive the Lord's Supper by individual weekday appointment, either at the church, at home, or another location that meets your needs.
General guidelines for sanitation and other current practices (complete service bulletins, simplified giving of offerings, Holy Communion protocols, nursery and kitchen closures, restroom availability, post-Sunday sanitizing) will remain in effect. Please see the full version of our Guidelines available at Messiah’s website or Welcome Center for complete details.
Despite the hazards and obstacles behind and before us, we continue to journey together – because God the Holy Spirit has called, gathered, enlightened and made us holy in Jesus Christ and kept us in the one true faith. As we receive and share the Father’s grace and peace, may the anthem of Advent, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” be our anthem as well:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Yours in Him,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
