Dear church,
Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, the One who promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age.
As I write this to you, our region is experiencing an alarming spike in Covid-19 cases. The days are becoming darker. Winter is upon us, and with that means more time indoors. The election has us all feeling anxious. This is a trying time. And thankfully we know a God who promises to be present and active precisely in times when our plans unravel and our stamina is faltering.
As we journey through this pandemic, we lament all that we have lost, and we continue to remain open to the ways God is stirring new imagination among us, even amidst realities that none of us would choose. This time is calling us to be creative, flexible, and forgiving as a faith community. We continue to try new ways of worshiping, new ways of reaching out to the larger community, and new ways of convening disciples for connection and community-building. Thanks for riding the waves with us, and for being a church that is open to experimenting and learning right alongside us.
I write today with an update on our worship life together. Based on the state of the virus, and the most recent recommendations from public health experts and our synod, the Church Council in its October meeting voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation of the Worship Resiliency Team, which is to continue to hold weekend worship services virtually through the end of the year. While we know this decision causes great sadness and grief for all of us, we believe it is the most responsible, faithful choice.
Most of our Sunday services will continue with the pre-recorded format that we’ve been using the last several months, but we have also scheduled a few Sunday mornings to gather for worship “live” via zoom like we did this past week, so that we can see each other’s faces and worship together at the same time. Throughout the next couple of months, we also hope to offer some ways for disciples to come together in-person for small worship services, both indoors and outdoors. Below you can see those opportunities listed. We share these with you in hope that they can happen, but we will re-evaluate when we get closer to each date whether it is safe to convene a group. We will communicate any changes or cancellations through email or text, so please make sure to watch for those messages as we get closer to each date.
As for Christmas Eve, we are still in the process of solidifying our plans, and we will communicate them to you as soon as they are set.
Church, it’s step by step, day by day, week by week. For the planners among us, myself being one of them, the uncertainty of tomorrow is difficult and exhausting. My prayer is that we will continue to place our trust in a God who leans in close, who understands our sighs before we’ve even put words to them. I pray that we can also lean into one another, and intentionally find ways to show Christ’s love to each other. Send cards in the mail, pick up the phone and check in on someone, pray for a fellow disciple and let them know that you did, and, through it all, extend grace. Every person is carrying a lot these days; may we offer all the grace and gentleness that we can.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or to any of our rostered or Council leaders if you have any questions or concerns.
With you in the wilderness,
Pastor Sarah, along with Pastor Paisley, Deacon Heather, and the Church Council
Contact information:
Church Office Phone: 630.584.2199
Worship Opportunities for November and December
Nov. 1- All Saints Day
- Virtual pre-recorded worship sent out Sunday morning
- Walk of Remembrance, 5:00-7:30pm – come to the church property to walk alongside a path of luminaries in honor of all the saints who have gone before us.
Nov. 8 and 15
- Online pre-recorded worship – continuing with “Unraveled” theme
Nov. 22, 2020 – Bread for the World Offering of Letters
- Live zoom service at 9:30am
Advent – “Those Who Dream” worship series and midweek services
About our Advent series: The opening lines of Psalm 126 read: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” This theme is for the dreamers in all of us – those who dream of a deeper connection with God and those who dream of a better world. It’s for those who dream of comfort and for those who have given up on their dreams. This Advent we will dream alongside the prophets and angels, Mary and the shepherds, even God, for the sake of the world God loves.
Advent Sunday Services
Nov. 29 – First Sunday of Advent
- Pre-recorded virtual service led by Metropolitan Chicago Synod Staff
Dec. 6 – Second Sunday of Advent – “Those who dream”
- Live zoom service at 9:30am
Dec. 13 – Third Sunday of Advent - “Those who dream”
- Pre-recorded virtual service
Dec. 20 – Fourth Sunday of Advent – “Those who dream”
- Live zoom service at 9:30am
Advent Midweek Services
During Advent, we will also offer midweek prayer services on Wednesday mornings
and evenings for the first three weeks of December – on 12/2, 12/9, and 12/16. The morning services at 10am will be held inside the sanctuary and will also be available live via zoom. These services will be limited to 15 people. (We will record these morning services and send them out to the rest of the BLC community every Wednesday evening.) The evening in-person services will be held outside around a campfire in the church’s backyard and limited to 10 people. Sign-up will be available on our website for all of these services. Pre-registration is required.
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Wednesdays at 10:00am – Service of Prayer and Meditation in Sanctuary/Zoom
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Wednesdays at 7:00pm – Service of Prayer and Meditation around the campfire
