When Will We Re-Open, Pastor?

The above question is a great question, but it is also a complex and loaded question. Starting Friday, May 29, the state of Illinois will officially reach “Stage 3” in the fight against Covid-19. What does this mean? Honestly, not a whole lot of change, BUT Stage 3 does start the stopwatch to move congregations and communities to Stage 4 where and when churches like Gloria Dei and other Downers Grove churches can worship in groups of 50.

Why the opening question is “complex and loaded” is that, first, re-open will in no way be “back to normal” time for our Gloria Dei community. Below are but a few of the ways that our first steps to Re-open worship will not really be normal, whatever “normal” means:

The Church cannot and will not be full of people for months. (We will be limited to fewer than 50 per worship service till Stage 5). “Stage 5,” the final stage, is the only stage that allows for Gloria Dei to be “full.” Stage 5 happens only when there is a practical treatment (like AZT for AIDS) or, hopefully, an actual Covid-19 vaccine.

You may or may not be able to worship at your favorite worship time.
You probably will be asked to wear a mask.
You may be asked not to sing. (to not spread Covid-19; just Google Church choirs and Covid-19
Communion will be considerably different.
Some will not be willing or ready to join public worship before a vaccine.
Visits to the church office may need to be scheduled.
There will probably be many more adoptions and adaptations. Each week we will learn things. Each of the following weeks, adaptations will be implemented.
Patience is the overriding need as we continue to press forward.

Potentially, July 1st could be the start of Stage 4 (best case scenario), but there is no guarantee that July 1 will be the start of Stage 4.

When Stage 4 comes, the very first weekend will be a trial run/test worship service for the staff and technical support teams. We will broadcast that trial run service electronically, but the trial run service will not be open to the public. The first week’s purpose is to work out all the proverbial bugs so that when there are 50 people in the building the following week, we will have worked through all the bumps and hiccups and not endanger anyone’s health in the messy dry run. Ultimately, we want the first public worship back to be both the safest and most inspirational as possible.

On behalf of all the leadership and staff at Gloria Dei, I want to say a hearty and huge thank you for your patience, your prayers, your feedback, your generosity and, above all, your kindness and support.

We will get through this! But more importantly, pray with us that we will be better because of the struggle and creative solutions. (Romans 5:3-5)

Give ‘em Heaven!