First Lutheran Church Fall Hybrid Plan  UPDATED 9/9/20
The FLC Council reviewed and approved the following plan with the goal of slowly opening in the building activity starting on Tuesday September 8th.  We will continue our on-line ministry as well, so these are proposed enhancements.  We will also require the wearing of masks and the use of sanitize stations.  We are suggesting that Sunday School begin with at home packets in September, with in building offerings starting on October 4th.  This will allow time to see how things are working in the schools and give us time to plan for a safe approach to this ministry.
WORSHIP:     Sunday Mornings:  Our Worship Online will continue as normal.  And we will keep the 9:30 am Parking Lot Worship in place.   
Funerals and Weddings:  We will follow the same protocol as above including the number of people who may attend.  70 person total, social distancing and masks are required.  No food or fellowship time before or after.  For funerals at this time we will not have a time of visitation here at the church prior to the service.
What to Expect at Worship in the Building:

• No congregational singing at this time
• Assigned seating
• Offering will be collected as you enter in a drop box
• Communion will be distributed as you are ushered out at the end of service     

                       
Education:   Sunday School.  We will begin the year in September with distance learning using both packets and on-line videos that go along with each weeks learning.  Starting in October classes will occur simultaneous to worship so that families can be in the building at the same time.   While we acknowledge and support families worshiping together, at least as we begin coming back, it isn’t practical to have students worship and be in education.  Again, if we find in October that the schools are able to be fully into the building we can adjust our education model.  We will also offer distance learning for families that choose to remain attending worship on line, or would choose to worship as a family and do education through the distance learning material.  The Education Committee will be setting up an online survey to gage the preferences of families.
Servant Leadership Academy (Confirmation).  We had been planning to make this move prior to CoVid, and what we have created is a bit of a scaled down version.  We will gather Wednesdays at 6:30 pm starting September 9 using the CLC, the lower rooms connected to the Adult Ed room, and the Youth Room together with Fellowship Hall.  Students will go directly to their assigned rooms. Pastor Mike, Pastor Becky, and Holly will each lead a group.  Masks will be required.  
Confirmation Sunday 2020:  As of now we are planning on doing special Confirmation Services on Sunday October 25th.  The services will take place that afternoon and we will communicate with families as to how many people each confirmand can have attend the service.  Once again, if the situation changes and we are able to be in a more normal setting by then we will adjust this.
10 am Pericope. Starting on September 8 and 10 we will again offer this in person but in the CLC and properly distanced.  Masks will be required. We will limit each class to 10 participants.  We will set up an online reservation system using: https://reopen.church/r/sjvDJ6bV 
for those unable to reserve online, they may call the church office to reserve their place. 
 
Groups/Building Use:  We have always felt like our facility is more than just an asset of FLC it is a community asset.  It allows many different groups to come in and use a space to meet their needs.  Right now as we watch the case numbers in our county it is in our best interest to limit the use of the building to larger groups.  We welcome smaller ones of 10 or less, but feel that large groups that come from a distance 


Those concerned about making their weekly gifts to First are encouraged to sign-up for Simply Giving, you can call the church for information on how to sign-up, or you can drop off you gifts during the new office hours of 8 am - Noon, or you may mail in your gifts.

---

If you would like to be able to keep your weekly gift coming to First you can use your smart phone to make it happen!  
​
Simply turn on your camera and capture the QVR code to the left.
​It will bring you to a secured link that is connected to our Vanco/Simply Giving account.  You can set up your gift to come using your Debit Card/Credit Card, or also directly from your bank account.

---

Office Hours during this time    
Monday - Friday 8AM - Noon


Directions to First Lutheran 304 Elm Street South Sauk Centre MN 56378

(320) 352-3623

Email : firstlutheran@mainstreetcom.com