Mount Hope Lutheran Church
Daily Devotions
Updated: March 23, 2020
Daily Devotions are now available! Click on the Daily Devotions tab, or subscribe to our email news and have devotions delivered daily to your inbox.
Livestream Worship
Updated: March 28, 2020
Here are the links for the next stream for Sunday's service at 9:30 a.m.:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/
It will also appear on the church's Facebook page. If you search either Facebook or YouTube, please be aware that you must search using the whole name - Mount Hope Lutheran Church - and be aware that there are a few others with that name. Look for the picture of the church. We plan to do another service Wednesday, and something during Holy Week, so stay tuned. If you can't join in the livestreams in time, the videos will be available for viewing later.
Prayers
God, our peace and our strength, we pray for our nation and the world as we face new uncertainties around coronavirus. Protect the most vulnerable among us, especially all who are currently sick or in isolation. Grant wisdom, patience, and clarity to health care workers, especially as their work caring for others puts them at great risk. Guide us as we consider how best to prepare and respond in our families, congregations, workplaces, and communities. Give us courage to face these days not with fear but with compassion, concern, and acts of service, trusting that you abide with us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gracious God, it is good for us to gather as your beloved in community. We treasure your presence with us in word and meal, song and prayer. Be with us in these days when gathering together as often as we would like is not possible. When we must be apart for reasons of safety, we trust that you surround us with your sheltering wings. Encourage us in connecting as we are able, reaching out to our neighbors in need and being persistent in prayer. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our constant companion. Amen.
Mt. Hope's Response to the Coronavirus
Updated: March 17, 2020
Keep in mind that this is a very fluid conversation so situations and plans may change but here is where we stand today:
- All worship services, Sunday School, Confirmation classes, and other activities / events are postponed until further notice.
- Mt. Hope’s building / church offices will be closed, likely for several weeks, but we will need to reassess that as things progress.
- Staff will mainly work from home and occasionally onsite. Voice mail and email messages will continue to be checked frequently.
- Sunday School and Confirmation classes are postponed. We hope to work out an online or streaming option for confirmation.
- The Golden Easter Luncheon is postponed, as well as all other activities taking place at Mt. Hope at least until the end of the month, perhaps longer if necessary.
- The Hope Closet and Pantry will be closed. Clients will be contacted and food will be delivered to them as needed. Contact Hope Closet: Donna Jonasen at 414-690-8371. Contact Hope Pantry: Linda Helminski at 414-321-3194.
- The other groups who utilize space here have been notified and will not be allowed to hold their activities here.
- And, that brings us to worship. We will suspend worship in person until such time as we feel it is reasonable to resume. In the meantime, we are working on, at the very least, recording a worship service that can be posted to the website, or a livestream that can be accessed via Facebook or YouTube.
- Constant Contact email communications will be frequent to keep everyone on top of the current status and concerns. You must be subscribed to receive the emails. Subscribe to our email news on the home page of our website: www.mounthopelutheranchurch.org or contact Donna Ihlenfeld at donna@mounthopelutheranchurch.org to subscribe.
- Homebound visits will be curtailed. Those visits will become phone conversation. We are also looking for people who would like to make phone calls, not just to those who are sick, but those who are homebound by the restrictions of the facilities where they reside. If you are interested in being a designated caller, please contact Pastor Kathy.
- So that Pastor Kathy might remain mindful of her own health for the sake of serving the congregation, she will not be making home or hospital visits with the exception of emergency/death calls. For pastoral care contact Pastor Kathy at 262-939-7533 or kathy@mounthopelutheranchurch.org.
- Of course, there will still be a building that needs to be heated and maintained, staff that will need to be paid, so we’d appreciate your continued financial support through this difficult time. Offerings can be mailed in or you may opt to sign up for electronic giving by contacting Mary at 414-541-9500 or mary@mounthopelutheranchurch.org
- Lastly, but certainly not least, we need to stay spiritually connected with one another, hence the phone calling. You don’t need to be a designated caller. If you feel the urge just pick up the phone.
- In addition, however, we thought it would be great if we could remain in spiritual solidarity as a congregation by setting aside time every Wednesday (since it’s Lent) between 6:00 and 6:30 in the evening to pray. That doesn’t mean you need to pray the whole half hour, but just think of how nice it would be to know that we are lifting up intercessions to God at the same time. Below, you will find two prayers that you might find appropriate, but simply pray as the Spirit moves you.
Until we are able to meet again face to face, may God grant you comfort, blessing, peace, and good health. Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands!
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