November 17th, LCUMC COVID Update 

Greetings Church,

We have been through many different worship experiences in 2020, which has truly been a year unlike any other. We have shifted into an online worship mode for the first time, developed an amazing outdoor worship experience, and returned to our sanctuary last month for spirit-filled, socially distanced worship. Through the pandemic our worship times, formats, and mediums have changed - but no matter what we have continued to worship each and every Sunday and proclaim that God is good!

This week we are making another shift in our worshipping life together. Beginning this Sunday on November 22nd we will be pausing our in-person 10:45 AM worship in the sanctuary and returning to online-only Sunday worship at 9:00 AM. The LCUMC Lead Team and pastors met on Monday night and agreed that this is appropriate given the unprecedented rise in COVID cases in our community and our state. Although it is a difficult decision that comes with some sadness, it is one that we make out of love and care for our congregation and our community.

As we have learned more about COVID we know that some activities like large indoor gatherings carry more inherent risk than others. We recommend any group who is able to meet online would do so to care for their members, but other ministries may continue to meet in-person in this time.

Previously, we had stated that we would pause indoor worship if and when Delaware County went to a Level 4 (purple) health advisory. Even though we haven't yet reached that marker, our decision to pause indoor worship now comes after consulting with local health experts and our district and conference leadership in the past week as cases have risen exponentially in our area. Our best guidance from all of these sources is that it is the proper time to take this step.

Please know that our church's leadership will be continually re-evaluating the situation and discerning when we will resume in-person worship at LCUMC. We will also be discussing plans for our Christmas Eve services and communicating those to the congregation when they are made.

We have learned to be flexible and adaptable as a worshipping community this year and we will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead. Therefore, we pray for grace, patience, and understanding as we seek to provide the safest and most meaningful worship experience that we can. With such wonderful news this week about potential COVID vaccines we have growing optimism for the future, but before we reach that point where normalcy resumes we will continue to do our best to care for our congregation in mind, body, and soul to the best of our abilities.

As Moses prepared Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, he said these words in Deuteronomy 31:8, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Be encouraged that wherever we may be and wherever we may go, however we may worship, that God will indeed be with us.

In Christ,

Rev. Matt Yoder, Lead Pastor
Rev. Phil Rode, Associate Pastor
Chet Cox, Lead Team Co-Chair
Rick Dunlop Lead Team Co-Chair