Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Due to the updated recommendations from the CDC and the Minnesota Annual Conference, in-person worship and all Grace meetings, events, activities, and rehearsals are cancelled until further notice. Worship will be available online on Sunday mornings.
A message from Bishop Bruce R. Ough:
I believe those of us in the faith community should be the first responders when it comes to the spiritual, physical, and mental health of all of God’s people. Thus, I am asking all United Methodist congregations in the Minnesota Conference to suspend in-person worship through the end of March. Further, I urge the postponement or cancellation of all non-essential, in-person small group meetings or gatherings in our church buildings during this timeframe. Finally, I urge all pastors to exercise thoughtful discretion with regard to conducting funerals or other religious rites and pastoral visitations. Stricter recommendations are being announced almost daily, so I will revisit these recommendations by the end of March.
I do not take this action lightly. In more than 40 years of ministry, I have never recommended the suspension of worship, except in extremely bad weather. What might feel like overreaction today is likely the response needed to avoid a greater crisis tomorrow. For me, this is not an emotional, political, or economic response. This response is a matter of civic responsibility and spiritual leadership.
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