Pastor's Message
March 25, 2020
Dear Members & Friends of St. Paul,
Governor Evers posted Emergency Order #12 – Safer at Home Order (EO#12). After reading through the document, we feel that St. Paul is compliant with these new restrictions other than extending current policies through April 24. So, here is the update:
A. Per EO#12, all St. Paul events are cancelled through April 24. This takes us past Easter. We will have special services pre-recorded to celebrate Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter on their appropriate days. We will hopefully be able to put together a special service whenever we are first able to come together.
B. We had 60 clicks on the Vimeo service sent out Sunday morning. That is great! So far, the feedback has all been positive. We will continue to do this. We are looking into adding some hymn music as well.
C. We had 34 people come on Sunday for the Lord’s Supper, all in groups of less than 10. Per EO#12, Section 13 Essential Businesses and Operations, Letter h - Weddings, funerals, and religious entities, we can continue to gather for distribution of the Lord’s Supper if “fewer than 10 people in a room or confined space at a time and individuals shall adhere to Social Distancing Requirements as much as possible.” It worked out that we had four shifts on the half-hour (8:00, 8:30, 9:00 & 9:30). To better coordinate this process, if you plan to come, try to be here a little before those times. We will make sure that we are compliant with the law.
D. Pastor Golisch will continue to make himself available for private communion in the home or at church by appointment only. Five were communed this way last week.
E. Per EO#12, Section 13, Letter f – Child care settings, the daycare will remain open. Numbers have dwindled to less than a dozen, but for those families this service in invaluable.
F. We are looking into ways to meet the needs of the congregation in other ways since this Safer at Home order will continue for another month. Watch for more information in the weeks to come.
Again, we are doing our best to balance the physical needs of God’s people with their spiritual needs. On the one hand, the Safer at Home Order is meant to be just that: a way to keep us safer by staying at home. That remains my encouragement. Please follow the law and stay as safe as possible given the circumstance. At the same time, we understand the spiritual desire for things like the Lord’s Supper and personal encouragement among God’s people. We are doing our best to balance those two things. By offering the Lord’s Supper each week, we are hoping to keep the number of those attending to a manageable number. The peace of the Lord be with you!
“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5).
~ Pastor Ben Golisch
Dear Members & Friends of St. Paul,
Governor Evers posted Emergency Order #12 – Safer at Home Order (EO#12). After reading through the document, we feel that St. Paul is compliant with these new restrictions other than extending current policies through April 24. So, here is the update:
A. Per EO#12, all St. Paul events are cancelled through April 24. This takes us past Easter. We will have special services pre-recorded to celebrate Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter on their appropriate days. We will hopefully be able to put together a special service whenever we are first able to come together.
B. We had 60 clicks on the Vimeo service sent out Sunday morning. That is great! So far, the feedback has all been positive. We will continue to do this. We are looking into adding some hymn music as well.
C. We had 34 people come on Sunday for the Lord’s Supper, all in groups of less than 10. Per EO#12, Section 13 Essential Businesses and Operations, Letter h - Weddings, funerals, and religious entities, we can continue to gather for distribution of the Lord’s Supper if “fewer than 10 people in a room or confined space at a time and individuals shall adhere to Social Distancing Requirements as much as possible.” It worked out that we had four shifts on the half-hour (8:00, 8:30, 9:00 & 9:30). To better coordinate this process, if you plan to come, try to be here a little before those times. We will make sure that we are compliant with the law.
D. Pastor Golisch will continue to make himself available for private communion in the home or at church by appointment only. Five were communed this way last week.
E. Per EO#12, Section 13, Letter f – Child care settings, the daycare will remain open. Numbers have dwindled to less than a dozen, but for those families this service in invaluable.
F. We are looking into ways to meet the needs of the congregation in other ways since this Safer at Home order will continue for another month. Watch for more information in the weeks to come.
Again, we are doing our best to balance the physical needs of God’s people with their spiritual needs. On the one hand, the Safer at Home Order is meant to be just that: a way to keep us safer by staying at home. That remains my encouragement. Please follow the law and stay as safe as possible given the circumstance. At the same time, we understand the spiritual desire for things like the Lord’s Supper and personal encouragement among God’s people. We are doing our best to balance those two things. By offering the Lord’s Supper each week, we are hoping to keep the number of those attending to a manageable number. The peace of the Lord be with you!
“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5).
~ Pastor Ben Golisch