And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:21-25)

Dear CLC Faith Family, 

Mark’s gospel admonishes us to, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.” Your Council has heard your cries to reconsider the worship policy presented in last month’s newsletter. The measure has been re-evaluated, and the answer is different.  We will return to in-person worship in the Sanctuary, effective this Sunday, November 14th with a few protocols in place.  The main protocols are that folks must remain masked at all times, and folks must not attend if they are feeling ill.  We will have someone recording attendance at the door for contract tracing, should the need arise, but there will not be an RSVP system or attendance cap.  We will allow masked communal responses and singing. It is our intent, that by offering this option, and by continuing to offer live streamed worship on all our current platforms, that we can best serve the needs of all members of our congregation.  

One might wonder, what has changed since the last time we offered in-person worship?  Well, the response is, a lot.  Vaccines and boosters are now widely available for most any age for those who want one.  Folks have demonstrated time and again they will do the right thing: wear masks when asked, socially distance, and refrain from attending when unwell.  We understand more about the way in which Covid-19 is spread and can make informed decisions for ourselves and our attendance at communal events. Regarding present change: the county case rate is now less than half of what it was last month.

While we certainly don’t feel we have been hiding the light of Christ under a bushel, we recognize we can reflect that light more fully and faithfully by allowing those who want to gather in-person to continue to do so in these cold months inside our warm, well-ventilated sanctuary. And those who continue to feel most comfortable joining us from home are welcome to do so.

We love and appreciate all of you. We thank you for your patience with us, for your constructive feedback to us, and for your continued service in the ministry we share.  

-CLC Church Council