bethel evangelical lutheralutheran chu n chun church and s
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Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical
LutheraLutheraLutheraLutheran Chun Chun Chun Church and Srch and Srch and Srch and Schoolchoolchoolchool Pastor Benjamin Tomczak Principal Glenda Knuth www.bethelwels.com
A member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
1801 S. Valley View Rd. Sioux Falls, SD 57106 605-362-8231
Sept-May – Divine Services on Sunday (8am, 10:30am) Sunday School/Bible Class – 9:15am
Summer Schedule (Memorial Day-Labor Day): Divine Services on Wednesday (7pm) and Sunday (9am)
March 26, 2020
Covid-19 Pastoral Letter #3: Maintaining the Divine Service in a Time of Sickness
“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to
prayer.” – Acts 2:42
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ ~
Christians gather around the Word of God. It’s what we do. The psalmist said, “I rejoiced with those
who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). Martin Luther put it this way, “When
I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian” (Brief
Exhortation to Confession, para. 32). When the Spirit implants faith into our hearts, he implants a
desire to hear more about Jesus and to receive his gifts through preaching of the Word, Baptism,
and Holy Communion. The severe outbreak of covid-19 compels us adjust the ways we gather
together and worship and receive these gifts.
As we contemplate how we will offer God’s gifts to his people in the Divine Service, we live at the
intersection of the third, fourth, and fifth commandments. We desire to honor preaching and the
Word, to submit to governing authorities, and to love our neighbors and protect them.
Keeping all three commandments in mind, we have decided that for at least two weeks (through
April 13), this is how gathering around the Word and Sacrament will look at Bethel:
1. We will Livestream the Main Divine Service Each Week
a. We will livestream the appointed main services on Bethel’s YouTube page
(www.youtube.com/c/bethelwels.com) with a skeleton crew: pastor, audio/visual,
organist, and a small “studio audience” for hymn singing and liturgical response.
These services will not be open to the public.
b. You can watch live or anytime you wish, since the services are archived.
c. We will livestream the following Services: Sunday, March 29, 8am; Wednesday, April 1,
7pm (Midweek Lent); Sunday, April 5, 8am (Palm Sunday); Friday, April 10, 7pm (Good
Friday Tenebrae); Sunday, April 12, 7:30am (Easter Dawn)
2. We will provide opportunities for people to hear preaching and receive the Sacrament
in person, by appointment
a. It’s important for us to meet to pray, hear the Word, and receive the Sacrament.
b. I will meet with any who wish in groups of 9 or less.
c. These times are set aside for devotional services (think: mini-Divine Services):
i. Sunday, March 29, 9:30am-1pm
ii. Tuesday, March 31, 3pm-7pm
iii. Thursday, April 2, 3pm-7pm
iv. Sunday, April 5, 9:30am-1pm (Lord’s Supper available)
v. Tuesday, April 7, 3pm-7pm (Lord’s Supper available)
vi. Thursday, April 9, 3pm-7pm (Lord’s Supper available)
vii. Sunday, April 12, 9am-1pm (Lord’s Supper available)
d. Call or text me at 214-687-8316 to schedule a time.
e. These appointments will run in 30-minute increments (3:00-3:30, 3:30-4:00, etc.).
f. You may come to more than one during the week if you wish and spots are available.
g. I am always available to talk and pray with you, even apart from these scheduled
times, and I am daily praying for you, my dear spiritual children.
3. How does this impact Holy Week?
a. Palm Sunday: Livestreamed at 8am. Personal appointments from 9:30-1pm follow.
b. Maundy Thursday’s Divine Service will be replaced with personal appointments on
Tuesday and Thursday from 3-7pm with the opportunity to receive the Sacrament.
c. Good Friday’s Tenebrae: Livestreamed at 7pm with a studio audience.
d. Easter Dawn: Livestreamed at 7:30am with a studio audience.
e. Easter Festival will be replaced by personal appointments from 9am-1pm.
Other Updates and Reminders:
1. Bethel Lutheran School remains closed through April 12. Distance learning continues.
2. Sunday School and Adult Bible Class have been suspended through Easter (April 12).
3. Public School Catechism will meet online for class on April 1 and April 8.
4. Adult Choir has been cancelled for April 1.
5. Sunday School Teachers Meeting for March 30 has been cancelled.
6. If you’re on Facebook, check out the “Our Daily Bread” devotions that I’ve been preparing.
7. Please use Bethel’s online giving option to continue offering your gifts of love to God:
http://www.bethelwels.com/give/, or mail in your gift.
8. For the latest info, go to Bethel’s Covid-19 page: http://www.bethels.com/covid-19-resources/
What about pastoral care?
If you need assistance, or get sick, call or text me (214-687-8316).
If you need help (financial, emotional, physical, childcare, deliveries), contact Rebecca Davis
(406-223-8763, [email protected], or message her on Facebook).
John Ham is our coronavirus point-man. Contact him or me with questions or concerns.
“Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another –
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25
God’s love be with you!
Pastor Benjamin J. Tomczak
Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical Bethel Evangelical
LutheraLutheraLutheraLutheran Chun Chun Chun Church and Srch and Srch and Srch and Schoolchoolchoolchool Pastor Benjamin Tomczak Principal Glenda Knuth www.bethelwels.com
A member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
1801 S. Valley View Rd. Sioux Falls, SD 57106 605-362-8231
Sept-May – Divine Services on Sunday (8am, 10:30am) Sunday School/Bible Class – 9:15am
Summer Schedule (Memorial Day-Labor Day): Divine Services on Wednesday (7pm) and Sunday (9am)
March 26, 2020
Covid-19 Pastoral Letter #3: Maintaining the Divine Service in a Time of Sickness
“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to
prayer.” – Acts 2:42
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ ~
Christians gather around the Word of God. It’s what we do. The psalmist said, “I rejoiced with those
who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). Martin Luther put it this way, “When
I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian” (Brief
Exhortation to Confession, para. 32). When the Spirit implants faith into our hearts, he implants a
desire to hear more about Jesus and to receive his gifts through preaching of the Word, Baptism,
and Holy Communion. The severe outbreak of covid-19 compels us adjust the ways we gather
together and worship and receive these gifts.
As we contemplate how we will offer God’s gifts to his people in the Divine Service, we live at the
intersection of the third, fourth, and fifth commandments. We desire to honor preaching and the
Word, to submit to governing authorities, and to love our neighbors and protect them.
Keeping all three commandments in mind, we have decided that for at least two weeks (through
April 13), this is how gathering around the Word and Sacrament will look at Bethel:
1. We will Livestream the Main Divine Service Each Week
a. We will livestream the appointed main services on Bethel’s YouTube page
(www.youtube.com/c/bethelwels.com) with a skeleton crew: pastor, audio/visual,
organist, and a small “studio audience” for hymn singing and liturgical response.
These services will not be open to the public.
b. You can watch live or anytime you wish, since the services are archived.
c. We will livestream the following Services: Sunday, March 29, 8am; Wednesday, April 1,
7pm (Midweek Lent); Sunday, April 5, 8am (Palm Sunday); Friday, April 10, 7pm (Good
Friday Tenebrae); Sunday, April 12, 7:30am (Easter Dawn)
2. We will provide opportunities for people to hear preaching and receive the Sacrament
in person, by appointment
a. It’s important for us to meet to pray, hear the Word, and receive the Sacrament.
b. I will meet with any who wish in groups of 9 or less.
c. These times are set aside for devotional services (think: mini-Divine Services):
i. Sunday, March 29, 9:30am-1pm
ii. Tuesday, March 31, 3pm-7pm
iii. Thursday, April 2, 3pm-7pm
iv. Sunday, April 5, 9:30am-1pm (Lord’s Supper available)
v. Tuesday, April 7, 3pm-7pm (Lord’s Supper available)
vi. Thursday, April 9, 3pm-7pm (Lord’s Supper available)
vii. Sunday, April 12, 9am-1pm (Lord’s Supper available)
d. Call or text me at 214-687-8316 to schedule a time.
e. These appointments will run in 30-minute increments (3:00-3:30, 3:30-4:00, etc.).
f. You may come to more than one during the week if you wish and spots are available.
g. I am always available to talk and pray with you, even apart from these scheduled
times, and I am daily praying for you, my dear spiritual children.
3. How does this impact Holy Week?
a. Palm Sunday: Livestreamed at 8am. Personal appointments from 9:30-1pm follow.
b. Maundy Thursday’s Divine Service will be replaced with personal appointments on
Tuesday and Thursday from 3-7pm with the opportunity to receive the Sacrament.
c. Good Friday’s Tenebrae: Livestreamed at 7pm with a studio audience.
d. Easter Dawn: Livestreamed at 7:30am with a studio audience.
e. Easter Festival will be replaced by personal appointments from 9am-1pm.
Other Updates and Reminders:
1. Bethel Lutheran School remains closed through April 12. Distance learning continues.
2. Sunday School and Adult Bible Class have been suspended through Easter (April 12).
3. Public School Catechism will meet online for class on April 1 and April 8.
4. Adult Choir has been cancelled for April 1.
5. Sunday School Teachers Meeting for March 30 has been cancelled.
6. If you’re on Facebook, check out the “Our Daily Bread” devotions that I’ve been preparing.
7. Please use Bethel’s online giving option to continue offering your gifts of love to God:
http://www.bethelwels.com/give/, or mail in your gift.
8. For the latest info, go to Bethel’s Covid-19 page: http://www.bethels.com/covid-19-resources/
What about pastoral care?
If you need assistance, or get sick, call or text me (214-687-8316).
If you need help (financial, emotional, physical, childcare, deliveries), contact Rebecca Davis
(406-223-8763, [email protected], or message her on Facebook).
John Ham is our coronavirus point-man. Contact him or me with questions or concerns.
“Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another –
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25
God’s love be with you!
Pastor Benjamin J. Tomczak