Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

These past few months have been difficult as we all have had to adjust to our new norm.  But God has been an ever present source of strength and hope. The Lord has blessed us to be able to worship from a distance, but now it is time for us to regather and to lift our prayers and praises side-by-side in worship.

On May 26, various members from the LLB, Elders, Worship Assistants, Ushers, the Worship team, and I joined together to discuss and figure out a plan for us to regather for in-person worship. The following letter will outline our congregation’s plan so that we abide by safety and state given protocols.

First and foremost, if you are not comfortable gathering for worship yet, if you have a compromised immune system, or if you are feeling ill, you should stay home. Your decision to stay home will be respected and honored by the congregation. We will continue to provide online, radio, and TV broadcasts so that everyone will be able to connect and gather in some form. Secondly, the following plan may be changed as situations change and if it does, we will keep you informed through our regular means of Trinity’s office, Trinity’s website, the Radio and Video website, and social media.

Trinity’s Plan for Regathering:

1. We will allow in-person worship starting on June 7, 2020.
2. We will only worship on Sundays at 8:00am and 10:30am.
   a. The 5:30pm service will continue at a later date
3. Worship will be limited to 125 people.
   a. There will be no reservation system.
   b. Anyone who comes after we have reached our limit of 125 people
   will be asked to leave.
   c. We will be social distancing of at least 6 feet.
   d. Bags and coats will be kept with those who brought them.
4. Pastors, Ushers, Elders, and Worship Assistants will direct people to their seats at the beginning of the service, and will lead people out of the sanctuary at the end of the service.
5. Face masks are required for people over 2 years of age.
   a. Masks must cover both nose and mouth.
   b. Masks will be provided to those who do not have one already.
   c. If a person refuses to wear a mask, they will be asked to leave.
6. All people will be required to use hand sanitizer as they enter and leave the sanctuary.
7. Offering will be taken before and after the worship service at the front of the worship space.
   a. It will then be collected and handled by gloved counters.
8. We will continue to fast from the sacrament of the altar.
9. Congregation will not be able to sing.
   a.  We will have a volunteer choir who will provide songs of worship while abiding by health protocols.
10. We will not use worship bulletins or hymnals.
    a.  Service will be provided digitally prior to the start of the service.
    b.  The entire worship service will be projected on the screens in the sanctuary.
11. Fellowship is allowed, but is encouraged to take place outside of the building, maintaining social distancing of 6 feet, and while continuing to wear masks.
12. If possible, please use the bathroom at home before coming to worship.

The above protocols are in line with the current recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization. If people wear masks and use hand sanitizer, then we will not need to sanitize the entire facility after each service. The above protocols are designed and being implemented with the idea that we will be returning to regular worship soon, seeking to return to the way things functioned before this pandemic.

I am grateful that God has blessed our church in so many ways. Not only do we have the life-giving Gospel message of Jesus, but we also have such an ability to share that message far and wide through our radio and video broadcasts. Now as Governor Walz has allowed us to regather for worship, we will regather and rejoin for in-person worship.

In Christ,

Rev. Paul Rieger