Recently, I received an email from Rev. Cody Sandahl. Cody is the pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Littleton. He shared with me a letter to his congregation which includes things to consider before they might move forward with in-person worship. With his permission, I am sharing the note he sent to his congregation along with the plan for in-person worship First Presbyterian Church of Littleton is using. Feel free to adapt it for your church’s use.
_____________________
COVID-19 In-Person Worship Plan for
First Presbyterian Church in Littleton
A Note from Pastor Cody
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We all know that our experiences influence how we see situations. So I want to share with you some of my experiences that shape my recommendations for FPCL during this COVID-19 disruption.
First, I know people who have died. Several people. One of the epilepsy families in our area thought they had all recovered successfully...until their daughter with epilepsy suddenly died after being released from the hospital. My wife works at one of the memory care facilities that has experienced an outbreak. Many patients in that facility who had survived rounds of flu in the past are now dead. Another family we know were all infected around the same time. With the dad in the hospital and the mom incredibly sick as well, their son with autism had to get himself to the hospital when he had a bad reaction. The son and mom recovered. The dad, who was about my age, is now dead. So in my experience, this disease has more reasons to be concerned than just a normal flu.
Second, our son with epilepsy experiences extreme negative reactions to the tiniest sicknesses. We have been in the ER due to otherwise minor colds or unspecified viruses. His seizures skyrocket. His sleep disappears. We have no clue how his body would react to this largely unknown virus, but based on our past experiences it could be devastating for him. And knowing a child with epilepsy who died certainly heightens our anxiety. So in my experience, families with young children (especially with special needs) have reasons to worry about this disease more than a normal virus.
Third, I have witnessed so many examples of the people in our church being more Christ-like during this disruption than they even were before. I mentioned quite a few specific examples of people going above and beyond in my sermon from May 10. I also know from our church’s history that in 1963 we were able to recover from a ten week building closure due to a gasoline leak from the filling station across the street. So in my experience, we can be the hands and feet of Christ in our daily lives even if we can’t worship together in the same building for a while.
These are some of the experiences that shape my perspective on how our church should approach re-opening during this time. You may disagree with my conclusions. I expect that. I welcome it, because those conversations are necessary to make the best possible plan. But before I lay out our options for re-opening, I wanted you to know some of the big things that are shaping my perspective.
Thank you for indulging me for a few minutes, and I covet your prayers for wisdom as we try to honor Christ as best we can while we traverse these uncharted waters together.
In Christ’s Service Together,
Pastor Cody
Click here for sample worship plan.