Just a day after figuring out how Trinity Lutheran Church could fulfil her God-given duty to serve as a dispensary of the Word and Sacraments under Illinois Governor Pritzker’s earlier order and the White House/CDC directive limiting gatherings to ten persons, another more restrictive executive order from our governor was issued. This time not only are all Illinois residents told to “shelter at home,” but all non-essential businesses and operations are curtailed until Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Due to this order, congregational gatherings will be cancelled during this timeframe. Nevertheless, Pastor Henson will still be available by phone and other electronic means. We will use our website(trinityh.org) to publish services, Bible studies and other helps on-line. The availability of these offerings of the Word will be announced by email and on our Facebook Page(@TrinityHerrin).

The intent of our Governor’s order, established by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, is to slow or stop the spread of the coronavirus, protect the public health, and preserve our healthcare system’s ability to serve those who are sick in Illinois. Although I violently disagree with classifying the delivery of Word and Sacrament as non-essential, we will wholeheartedly follow our Lord’s will that we obey the governing authorities as God’s servant “for good” (Romans 13). We will continue to pray for Governor Pritzker and those affected by the coronavirus. And I will continue to provide our congregation with as much of the medicine of immortality and the bread of life as I possibly can. “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Dt 8:3, Mt 4:4).

A video or audio recording of our Book of Concord study and a Divine Service based on this Sunday’s readings will be available this evening at our web site(trinityh.org), under the tab, "Sermons."  Members are reminded to continue to follow “Our Family Daily Prayers,” and use the Lutheran Herald. Both are available at our web site, under the tab, “Daily Life.”  Pandemic-Response-Letter-March-19-2020-edited.pdf