Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”    He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’    This is the greatest and first commandment.    And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’    On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22: 36-40
March 13, 2020

Dear Pastors, Deacons, SAMs and Lay Leaders of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, 

As you all know by now, COVID-19 is having a major impact on all of our lives. The Governor of Wisconsin has closed schools through April 5. The President has declared a national emergency. We are in the midst of a pandemic. This is not a drill. The medical experts agree that the best way to protect against getting this virus is physical distance from others who may have it but show no symptoms or mild symptoms. Older people and those with underlying health issues are especially advised to stay away from large groups of people. So what does this mean for us, the church, who gathers in large groups every Sunday? 

What should we do about Sunday or Wednesday Lenten Worship Services? 
Out of an abundance of care for the health and well-being of the our neighbors   I encourage you to have a special meeting with your church council or at least a phone call with your congregational president and make a decision that is right for your congregation . Every context for ministry is different and my only counsel for you when you are making this decision is to ask, “How can we love our neighbor best in this situation?” What does neighbor love look like during a pandemic? Some of you will decide to cancel worship and some will decide to meet as usual. I would also strongly recommend that you revisit the decision and take into consideration any new information about the pandemic. The bottom line is do what is best to keep people safe. 

If you decide to hold Sunday worship, consider making these adaptations to prevent the spread of the virus. 
  • Discontinue the Sacrament of Holy Communion for a season; think of it as fasting from communion for Lent. Use Service of the Word.
  • Do not pass the offering plates. Instead put the offering plate by the door and ask people to place their offering in it on the way out of church.
  • Refrain from shaking hands when passing the peace, just say, “peace be with you;” or elbow bumps; waves; the peace sign…
  • Discontinue coffee hour for LENT
  • Do not use hymnals. We know the virus stays alive on surfaces for some time—someone using the hymnal at the next service could be exposed. One License is offering a FREE license membership to churches starting now-April 15. You can take advantage of this generous offer to put hymns on screens or in the bulletin.
  • Do not keep water in the baptismal font
  • If you feel ill in any way: do NOT attend church! 

If you decide to cancel Sunday worship consider ways to create virtual or home worship experiences. 
  • Live streaming parts or all of your service on Facebook on Sunday mornings.
  • Email your sermon to your members
  • Email a devotional and prayer suggestions for home worship
  • Email suggestions on how to do Dwelling in the Word or Faith Five with your family at home
  • Encourage small groups-Bible Studies-Prayer Groups to gather and meet using video conferencing like ZOOM. 
  • Ask: How can we continue to provide care for vulnerable members and neighbors? 
  • Consider creative ways of staying in touch with confirmation students and others who would normally gather on Wednesdays. 
  • Encourage members to continue to give to your ministry using online giving or sending a check in the mail. 

Explore new ways of being a spiritual leader during this time. We don’t need to all be in the same physical space to be the body of Christ, the church. This may be the reset button that we all need to deepen our relationships with God, each other and our neighbor in new and creative ways. Maybe this Lent we are fasting from doing things the same way we’ve always done them. 
 
In the midst of this crisis please remember, we are in this together as we continue to live out our synod’s mission statement: Walking Together for the Sake of God’s Mission in the World. 

Matthew 22: 36-40 Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”  37  He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  38  This is the greatest and first commandment.  39  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”


Take care of yourselves; take care of your people, take care of your neighbors.
You are all in my prayers,


Bishop Laurie Skow-Anderson


 
Please refer to the  Center for Disease Control , the  Minnesota Department of Health , the  World Health Organization , the  Lutheran World Federation , and  ELCA Public Health . All of these resources, as well as a compilation of other sources of information, will be available soon on the synod website.