Category: Church Office

We have been waiting for this day for some time. All of us have been watching as Lancaster County went from the “red” to the “yellow” and finally into the “green” status. It was impossible to consider any sort of reopening until the green phase was achieved.

Now that it has happened, we are looking forward to being back together.  Being able to meet does not mean going back to the way things were in January.  There will be no slacking off from making sure that our building and more importantly, you, can worship as safely as possible. Therefore, when you come to worship this summer, things will look and happen differently.

It starts with entering the building. There will be one set of doors dedicated for entrance, and another set dedicated for exit.  Everyone is to bring a face mask to church. If you forget to bring one, there will be a supply available for you to use and take home.  Hand sanitizer will be everywhere.

Inside, distancing will be followed. Every other pew will be roped off and not used. Tape will be on the floor, six feet apart, to guide us. There will be no coffee time or lemonade socials this summer.

Paper bulletins will be available, however the weekly bulletin will be also be emailed through the Ministry Minute network. You are encouraged to use your electronic device to view the order of service.

Liturgically, the service will be shortened, but we will still follow our historic pattern of gathering/word/meal and sending. Passing the peace will be different as we will stay at our place and wave. Other liturgical changes , including the distribution of the Holy Communion will be part of the pre-service announcements and printed in the bulletin.

The most noticeable change in the liturgy will be that there will be no singing or chanting. Allison is preparing some familiar music for you to tap your feet to, and even hum.  And the number of spoken congregational responses are reduced.

And the room will be airy!  The glass doors will be opened, and other doors as well will be open to promote fresh air. We are fortunate that the architecture of our building lends itself to being very open.

We grieve not be able to do those things we are familiar with. But remember: worship is what we make it and the effort that we put into it. God will be honored. Jesus will be praised. The Holy Spirit will be supporting us in our effort.

It may take a little time for some of you to feel comfortable returning to worship. That’s OK.  And if you are sick or just getting over an illness, do not come to worship.  We pray that our area will not fall back into the yellow phase. We pray that we will be able to worship in person.  Those prayers will be answered by our persistence in our collective love for the neighbor. A command which comes to us from Jesus himself.

 

Clean your hands often

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

 

Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.

 

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

Throw used tissues in the trash.

Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

 

Due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus and the mandates of the government and public health officials, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church has closed its doors and cancelled all worship services and activities that occur on our church campus.  This closure is in effect until April 30, 2020 at a minimum. It could extend further into the future. Because of this closure and the uncertainty of when we will be able to return to normal operations, as well as concern for the well-being of the community, we have postponed this year’s Community Yard Sale until Saturday, September 19, 2020.

We appreciate the early response we received to this year’s sale.  We will keep all the applications we have already received and apply them to the September sale.  We will also accept additional applications throughout the spring and summer.  If this new date conflicts with other plans you have already made or is otherwise not convenient, we certainly understand.  Should you need to withdraw from the Yard Sale, please email the church at holyspiritluth@gmail.com and we will refund your fee as soon as the church office reopens.

Thank you for your continued support of our annual sale.  Stay home, stay safe and stay healthy. We look forward to seeing you on September 19

Holy Week Services

Maundy Thursday- April 9th at 7:00 pm:   This is the day when Christians remember the Last Supper.  At the close of the service the altar and the sanctuary will be stripped in preparation for Good Friday

Good Friday- April 10th at 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm: This is the day when Christians around the world commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

Easter Vigil- April 11^th at 7:00 pm at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church: This service is sometimes referred to as the Paschal vigil and is celebrated the evening before Easter Sunday.  It is considered to be the first service of Easter. As always we worship with our friends from St. Paul, Millersville and Concordia, Columbia.

Easter Sunday- April 12^st at 9:30 am:  This is the day that we as Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Healing Service

On Sunday, April 26^th at 4:00pm there will be a Healing service at Holy Spirit.  If you have never attended one of these services please consider doing so, it is a very moving service.