Thursday, June 4, 2020

Update from Good Shepherd (June 4, 2020)

Greetings!


WORSHIP DURING COVID-19
        Services will continue to be on Sundays at 10:00 AM for the foreseeable future.  Based on the responses from the most recent congregational survey, we will not be offering the 8:30 AM service unless the attendance demands it after the stay-at-home order ends.  For information on what you can expect when you come to church and what will be expected of you, see this link.
        Services will still be broadcast on Facebook Live, Sundays at 10:00 AM, and uploaded to YouTube.   Share our services and invite friends to tune in.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
         Services are posted on YouTube, usually in a few hours after the service.  When you go to YouTube, do a search for "Good Shepherd Novi" and they should pop up.  (The service from May 31 is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIqYJguTdok )   Feel free to share the videos.
         Bulletins for services can be downloaded from here (scroll down): 

BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS
If you or anyone you know would like to study the Scriptures and learn the basics of the Bible, please contact Pastor Schroeder for a Bible Information Class.  It will be done over Zoom (or in person if you are willing) at your convenience.

COVID-19 AND MASKS AT CHURCH
As was noted in previous communications, we expect that people will wear masks in attendance at church.  Are they annoying?  Ye
s.  Are they inconvenient?  Yes.  Are they an infringement on our freedoms or a method of preserving health?  Well, opinions differ there, and that is part of our challenge as we come together to worship.  Some feel masks are useless; others are truly bothered when they see people who do not wear masks.  Now, put both of these people together in a church and you can sense the problem.
In consultation with the Church Council, here is what I am asking of all our worshipers: Please wear masks throughout your time at church.  Even if you think a mask is a wasted effort, your fellow member in the row in front of you may not share your opinion.  So, please endure the inconvenience out of love for all worshipers so that nothing would hinder people coming to hear God's word and partake in the sacrament together as the body of Christ.

CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS
        General thoughts regrading the Church, its services, and pastoral care during a health scare such as the coronoavirus, I refer you to some thoughts I had written earlier.  You can find them at my blog here, under the title, "A Pastoral Concern: The Church Militant, Pastoral Care, and the Coronavirus."
        Regarding worship, particularly home devotions and prayer during this time of quarantine, you can refer to this letter which offers encouragement, advice, and resources for worship at home.  
        Home Devotions: A link to provide materials for home devotions and prayers is here.

CONCERNING PASTORAL CARE
        Online Worship:  Besides Facebook Live and YouTube, you can find the pastor's sermons archived on this blog.  You can use the search bar to find a particular date, day of the Church Year, or Scripture reference.
        Person-to-person care: As much as possible, Pastor Schroeder will be available for private devotions, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion to members in small groups or to individuals.  You may call to set up an appointment at any time.  Visits by appointment can be done either at church or at your home.
        In case you contract COVID-19:  Please contact Pastor Schroeder.  He will alert the congregation so that your fellow members may pray for you, and he will keep everyone informed of your condition.  If possible, Pastor Schroeder will visit you during your quarantine.  At the very least, he will keep in contact with you and provide devotional materials.  If you want to ask for intercessions for loved ones, we will certainly remember them in our prayers, too.  If your loved one has no pastor, ask if they would like Pastor Schroeder to visit them.  

PRIVATE COMMUNION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Private Communion is available by appointment at any time.
To limit the risk of contracting COVID-19 as much as possible, please review the protocol we will follow when you come in.  You can see it here.

OFFERINGS
While we may not be meeting for worship, we do have financial obligations to meet.  You may either mail your offering into Good Shepherd, or you can set up your offering to be transferred electronically from your bank.  If you are interested in the automatic transfer of funds for your offering, please contact the church at welsnovi@aol.com .

INTERCESSIONS 
Intercessions that are requested prior to the bulletin’s printing will be included in the bulletin.  Requests may be made prior to the service as well.
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In our prayers....
While we offer up prayers for specific requests in our services, petitions and intercessions can be offered up throughout the week for continued concerns.  Please continue to remember these in your prayers:
>  For the family of Jan Papson, called to eternal rest on May 15.
     >  For families in mid-Michigan effected by extreme flooding and evacuations
     >  For Jon Rumics, son of David & Diane Rumics, dealing with health concerns related to cancer treatments

OFFICE HOURS
The office hours at Good Shepherd are going to be fairly fluid as we enter the summer months.  If you want to contact Pastor Schroeder for any kind of meeting, call or text (248) 719-5218.

DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.  Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess.  Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

God bless you.


In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
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SUMMER SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM  (We will also stream on Facebook Live )

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE

Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
41415 W. Nine Mile Road
Novi, Michigan  48375-4306
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