May Newsletter
Click on the image to see The Voice Newsletter for May 2021.
Lot’s Going On!
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Easter season runs through most of May. In the meantime, there is much going on at worship:
- Sunday, April 25 — Care of Creation Sunday & Preschool Singing
- Celebrate God’s wondrous creation this Earth day
- The preschool will share a special song with us via video
- Sunday, May 2 — Blessing of the Quilts & Lutheran World Relief
- Bring donations through April, to be blessed & sent out to help a needy world
- Sunday, May 9 — Confirmation
- Our 8th graders reaffirm their baptismal promise to be followers of Christ
- Sunday, May 16 — Ascension of Our Lord
- Occurs on May 13th, we celebrate this on Sunday
- Sunday, May 23 — Pentecost
- Wear red and celebrate the sharing of the Holy Spirit with all God’s people
- Sunday, May 30 — Holy Trinity Sunday
- We hope to move to a single outdoor worship service this Sunday (weather permitting)
Lent 2021 Schedule
Here is what you need to know, as we resume in-person worship:
Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021
- Drop-in imposition of ashes from 1:00-6:00pm in the sanctuary
- In-person worship service in the sanctuary at 6:30pm
Sunday’s During Lent (beginning February 21)
- Drop-in communion from 9:00-11:30am
- With meditative music and scripture readings on the half-hour
- All are welcome; this is a very low-risk way to receive the sacrament
Wednesday’s During Lent
- In-person worship service at 6:30pm
- A quiet, meditative worship service that includes communion
- This will be about 45 minutes and have minimal congregational interaction
Online Worship
- Our Wednesday service will be live streamed and available on our YouTube page for viewing at any time
COVID Precautions
- We continue to monitor numbers and safety
- You may find our COVID policies here: https://www.ourredeemerlives.org/covid19/
Lenten Theme
- Our theme this year is the Stations of the Cross
- A complete copy of Pastor Arne’s announcement can be found in our newsletter, here: https://www.ourredeemerlives.org/newsletter/february-newsletter-2/
What’s Going On at Church?
Worship schedule:
- Sunday’s at 9:30am
- Wednesday’s at 6:30pm
We are doing our best to provide the important service of worship and sacraments, while navigating the pandemic. See our COVID-19 Plan here for protocols. If you are sick, vulnerable to COVID, or otherwise feel as though you should not come to worship, please stay home and be safe! We will continue to offer online worship; you can tune into here.
• Confirmation classes for 6-8th grade students will resume (email Pastor Kendra for details).
• SafeHouse (high school youth group) and KidzEd (grades K-5) are resuming Wednesday evening from 7:15pm – 8:00pm (later for HS kids). Contact Jackie or Liz for details.
• Plans for high festival days are underway. We plan to release a special video of Lessons & Carols with scripture readings from congregation members and special musical and virtual choir performances from our ensembles. This will be released on Thanksgiving Day.
• Most outside groups that use the church are on hold. However, we are currently working with special groups (such as Helena Food Share and the Scouts) to facilitate their use of the building in a safe manner.
• Every day, Pastor Arne sends our Your Daily Encouragement emails to offer hope, strength, and the Word of God to those in need. Please contact Jason to be included on the email list.
• Private communion service is offered monthly at Touchmark. Email Pastor Kendra for details.
• If we can reach out to you, if you are in need, have questions, or help, please reach out to one of our pastors.
We are doing everything we can to keep our community of believers and spread the Word of God, during this difficult time. God be with you and stay safe!
Worship Re-Opening
We will resume on-site worship on June 14th. There will be two services, one at 9:00 and one at 10:30.
- Entrance to the building will be through the doors on the East end of the building.
- Worship will be live-streamed at 9:00am and uploaded to our YouTube page.
- Masks will be required. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you.
- Physical distancing must be maintained.
- There will not be KidTime or nursery services at this time. Provisions will be made for families to sit in the Great Room. The service will be projected in the monitor in the Great Room.
- We will have communion at each service.
- The congregation will be asked to follow usher instructions.
- Congregational singing will be allowed.
- We will resume bringing communion to shut-ins when we enter “Phase 3” of the state’s reopening protocols.At that time, we may also begin bringing communion to those who are not comfortable coming to worship at the church.
- There will not be a coffee hour
in establishing this plan, we have carefully and prayerfully considered the conditions in Helena at this time. We utilize CDC guidelines to help preserve the health of our most vulnerable members and to mitigate our congregational liability.
