“The six-month mark in any sustained crisis is always difficult,” writes Dr. Aisha Ahmad, political science professor and Director of the Islam and Global Initiative at the University of Toronto.
At home... (Pr. Craig Mueller)
There are many losses that I grieve in not being together in person for the multisensory liturgy that we treasure. At the same time, these next months and years will be an opportunity for us to see our homes as a locus of ritual and spirituality. I envy Jews for the rich ritual experience centered in their homes: Passover seders, lighting Chanukah candles, and of course, the weekly Shabbat meal that ushers in the Sabbath. Throughout the day faithful Jews recite blessings, connecting faith and their everyday lives.
Online Liturgy with Communion + Sunday, August 2 + 9:30am
How shall I prepare for communion in my home?
Set a table as if you were hosting a special guest, which in this case is the Risen Christ. Put out a tablecloth or piece of fabric. Choose a small plate and a wine glass or cup. Light a candle. Place other sacred items on the table such as a bible, icon, or flowers.
BREAD. One option is to purchase a small baguette or dinner roll. Or consider baking bread, which is a holy experience in and of itself. Though any recipe for bread is fine (even without yeast), you may want to make the Holy Trinity communion bread recipe, perhaps making half of the recipe. You could freeze some of the loaves for future services.
WINE/JUICE. You may use a bottle of wine and drink the rest of it over the next few days. Some wineries (such as Sutter Home) make small 187 ml bottles. Grape juice (or another kind of juice) is fine, too.
Communion In A Time of Pandemic: A Pastoral Message from Lead Pastor Craig Mueller
Urgent Need from the Lakeview Pantry
Volunteers Needed: Since the COVID-19 outbreak hit the city, visitors to Lakeview Pantry, Chicago’s largest food pantry, including all of the Pantry’s food programs (physical sites, Online Market and Home Delivery) have increased by over 80%. To help keep up with demand, and offer a safe space for volunteers to help sort and pack food, the Pantry will be setting up and managing a temporary satellite food distribution center on the main concourse at Wrigley Field. They are in need of more volunteers to meet demand, visit lakeviewpantry.org/volunteer/ to learn more and sign up. Can’t volunteer? Consider making a donation to help those in need.
Church and COVID-19
During these days of COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns, there are several best practices that we can undertake to protect each other, especially the most vulnerable among us, from illness as much as possible:
Come to church as long as you are free of symptoms and have not been in conscious contact with persons and places of known exposure to the virus. If you are sick, please stay home from worship. This is a practice of “thinking beyond ourselves” and caring for all members of our community, particularly the most vulnerable. More and more we are offering livestreaming of services and sermons and service recordings are posted on Mondays.
Wash your hands often. Soap and water are your best defense. Wash your hands long enough to say the Lord’s Prayer. Hand sanitizer is always available for your use before receiving communion. Your pastors will wash their hands immediately before communion and those who administer the wine will use hand sanitizer before receiving the cup.
Consider a no-touch sharing of the peace. A simple bow is a wonderful no-touch way to recognize the presence of God in each other at the peace. It is always a best practice to ask before touching one another during the peace at any time (read more about consent culture in the church here).
Drinking from the common cup is the most sanitary way to receive the wine at communion. Intinction (dipping the bread in the wine) is discouraged. AT HTLOOP, because we don’t have separate cups for common cup and intinction, we ask you to REFRAIN FROM INTICTION and either drink from the common cup or receive only the bread. Receiving the bread or gluten-free wafer alone is a full and complete reception of communion.