Trinity Lutheran Church

Letter from Your Church Council May 28, 2020

On March 17, the following email was sent to members and adherents. Please use the link at the bottom of this post to see more information on the ELCiC website.

Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Lutheran Church,

On  Monday,  March 16, the ELCIC National  and Synod Bishops issued a letter where they “encouraged congregations to, suspend public worship services and other gatherings effective immediately”.  The letter in its entirety is below.  A link can also be found on our TLC website (www.tlcstarbuck.com).

As I stated on Sunday,  Council would follow the recommendations of Government bodies, federal and provincial,  and the ELCIC.  Monday evening Council voted to follow the ELCIC’s recommendations.  As a result,  it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the immediate  suspension of all church activities until further notice.

We encourage all members at Trinity to stay connected as best they can i.e. phone calls, emails, checking our website etc.  With all the news painting a daunting picture,  it is more important than ever for us to support each other.

We will update the congregation with all pertinent information and hopefully soon, a plan to restart church activities.

If you have any questions or concerns,  please contact me at ksvovchuk@gmail.com or 204-390-1129, or Pastor Debra at 204-735-2503.

Respectfully submitted,

Kevin Vovchuk

Vice-Chair TLC Council

March 16, 2020

Dear friends in Christ,

As coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continues to escalate domestically, so does the requirement that we continue to review and adjust our current practices. With new information being received daily, we have received requests for further communication, specifically with respect to the most recent pastoral letter issued March 13, 2020.

With the information we have today, we feel it is both prudent and responsible that our congregations suspend all public worship services and other gatherings effective immediately. Some of you have already made this decision. It is our hope that we will all be strongly encouraged to do likewise.

We understand how difficult some of these unprecedented decisions may feel. These important considerations reflect a deep concern for those most vulnerable – particularly elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

At the Synod and National offices, we are looking at how we can make alternative arrangements for upcoming meetings and gatherings. Questions we are asking ourselves include: can these meetings be held differently (via web conference), or do they need to be postponed or cancelled?

Your congregation members may be asking a lot of questions right now. We all have a lot of questions. This is uncharted territory for us all. Please know that your synod office is available to contact and support you in your work.

While social distancing may be required at this time, we must do all we can to avoid social isolation. Each of our synods are looking at what this means within their own context and will communicate with you as there is more information to share.

Please continue to be vigilant in your prayerful support of those who are ill and those who are most fully engaged in the public health efforts that are underway across the country and around the world. May God grant us generous gifts of courage, faith, and compassion.

Blessings in your ministry during this time.

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Susan Johnson, ELCIC National Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Greg Mohr, ELCIC British Columbia Synod
The Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer, Synod of Alberta and the Territories
The Rev. Dr. Sid Haugen, Saskatchewan Synod
The Rev. Jason Zinko, Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod
The Rev. Michael Pryse, Eastern Synod

http://www.elcic.ca/news.cfm?article=550