Peace Lutheran Church - Great Falls, MT

Special Announcement: All Activities at Peace Suspended

COVID-19 RESPONSE

The Board of Elders of Peace Lutheran Church had a special meeting on March 17 to discuss the appropriate response to the COVID-19 in keeping with the federal government’s recommendations and for the safety and wellbeing of our Peace Family.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are living in some pretty unusual times. Before the coronavirus made its appearance in Asia, many of us did not know what a pandemic was, much less ever been a part of one. It can be a very scary experience. And yet as wild as these times might get, as God’s people we rest in the promises of God and the fact that He remains in control of all things.

The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 46, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”

As the people of God, we do not have to be afraid, even when it seems as if the world is falling apart around us. God is our place of refuge in the frightening times and our strength when we feel weak.

And St. Paul reminds us that we can be sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

As Christians, we have confidence. Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we can be sure that nothing – not even the worst disease or plague – will ever separate us from the love of God. While the world is practicing “social distancing”, there is no divine distancing. God is always with us. As frightened as we may be, let us not practice spiritual distancing, either.

We have a great opportunity to speak words of comfort and hope into a world that is on edge and anxious. We also have a responsibility to care for one another during these tumultuous times. To that end, the following activities will take place:

All congregational activities have been suspended effective immediately for 15 days, as per the federal government’s suggestion. This includes all worship services, Bible Studies, Sunday School, quilters, and meetings. After 15 days, this decision will be reviewed.

Pastoral care will still continue. We are committed to caring for you all the time, but especially during this time of need. We will still bring you Word and Sacrament ministry when requested. If you are someone who is in need of spiritual or physical care please contact us and we will find ways to meet your needs. We are exploring ways to continue offering the Lord’s Supper in smaller groups during the week.

Just because we can’t gather together physically doesn’t mean we can’t get together. Technology gives us a lot of opportunities to stay connected.

We will be offering a weekly service streaming every Sunday at 9:30 am.
We will also continue our Midweek Lenten Series “Follow Jesus” every Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
To access these worship services, go to our church’s website (www.peacelutherangreatfalls.org) and click on the icon in the upper right hand corner which says “Live Streamed Services in American Sign Language” and has a picture of the sign for Jesus. Then click on the icon which says, "Streaming Worship" here you will find services for both Peace Lutheran Church and Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf listed by date.
We’ll look for other ways we can use technology to continue to offer God’s word during this time. Other resources will be released as they are developed.

Please note: None of these are permanent replacements for gathering together around God’s Word and His Sacraments, but they are good temporary measures to keep people healthy and safe.

We need to Come together to care for each other

During this time, it is important for the body of Christ to act like a body and care for one another
Please check in on those who are especially vulnerable (the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, etc.). Consider offering to get them groceries or other supplies so that they don’t have to go out.
If you are in need of something, please call Pastor Schlund at the church office or your elder.

Don’t forget in the coming weeks our need for offerings and support to operate the ministry of Peace continues. Please continue to be faithful in your support by either dropping off your offerings at the church office (which will be open normal hours) or by mailing them in.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to care for you during this time! God will continue to sustain us no matter what happens! We can rest securely in that promise.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Steven Schlund