COVID-19
Administration | Rostered & Authorized Leaders | Administration | Congregational
(Listed in date order, from most recent to least)
Counsel on Religious Exemptions from Vaccines (August 26, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (August 10, 2021)
Bishop Note to Deans Re: Covid Delta (August 5, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (August 3, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg – Transition to August, Marking Milestones (August 2, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (August 2, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg – July Work Continues: Update on Covid-19 (July 30, 2021)
CDC: New Guidelines on Vaccinated Individuals and Masks (May 13, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (March 3, 2021)
Wisdom from Texas Lutheran University re: Singing Together (January 30, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (January 25, 2021)
Message from Bishop Gronberg (January 1, 2021)
Sermon for Christmas Eve / Day 2020 – To view: https://youtu.be/UsXP1Uqx7rs | To download: https://vimeo.com/user118660328/download/490947835/18e3de45e7 (December 14)
Sermon for the First Sunday of Christmas 2020 – To view: https://youtu.be/_Q9RnhJZO2I | To download: https://vimeo.com/user118660328/download/490967100/f41ada1f2f (December 14)
Holiday guidance in English and Spanish from the Dallas County Public Health Committee. You may also download these here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php. (November 17)
Pastors, Here’s Why Everyone’s So Mad At You Right Now (October 28)
Considerations for safely reopening by Church Mutual (August 20)
Guidance on Remote Meetings English y Espanol (July 29)
Department of Health and Human Services FREE Face Cover Ordering, in lots of 500 (June 12)
The Holy Trinity Sunday (June 7) resources from ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton (May 31):
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- The video is available now on YouTube (view) and Vimeo (download).
- Worship resources, including texts, readings, prayers, and song suggestions, are available to download in PDF (view) and DOC (download) formats.
The Coming Pastoral Crash – includes strategy recommendations and links to more resources (May 20)
From the ELCA: Considerations for Returning to In-person Worship (May 14)
New guidance on PPP from SBA (May 13)
Navigating the Next Steps with a Paycheck Protection Program Loan (May 13)
Consideraciones para el regreso a los servicios de adoración en persona (May 12)
From Minneapolis Area Synod: Dr. Michael Osterholm on the pandemic and reopening in-person worship (May 6)
From the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Chorus America, Barbershop Harmony Society, and Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA): A Conversation: What Do Science and Data Say About the Near Term Future of Singing (May 5)
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- For downloadable resources mentioned in the webinar, please visit the NATS COVID Resource Page: https://www.nats.org/cgi/page.cgi/_article.html/Featured_Stories_/NATS_COVID_Resources_Page
Bishop Gronberg’s May Leader News Note: Resources for You (May 5)
MEF “Good Faith Loans” Relief Fund (May 5)
Ethics and Caring for Neighbor (May 2)
Coming Back Together Update/Una actualización para el rencuentro (April/Abril 28)
The Economy vs. The People (April 27)
Religious Freedom, Public Health, and COVID-19 (April 26)
From Knowledge Base: Strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communication (April 23)
COVID-19 Gathering Guidelines and Worship Resources (Ingles y Espanol) (April/Abril 22)
From DBU’s The Graduate School: Recording of “Pastors Turned Producers” webinar (April 22)
From Forbes: 3 Coronavirus Facts Americans Must Know Before Returning To Work, School (April 21)
Impact Diamonds: Societal Chaplaincy and COVID-19 (April 21)
From the Faith Formation Team at 1517 Media: We are developing a FREE 8-episode series called Family Sunday School (FSS) by Sparkhouse. FSS is an at-home Sunday school video that families can enjoy together without parents having to step into the learning faciliator role they may be exhausted by after the week’s e-learning. Each episode runs about 13 minutes and includes a Bible story from the lectionary, songs, and activity ideas. Churches can send families some activity page PDFs. They can also ask families to post photos of their Family Sunday School adventures on their Facebook page. We will post a new episode every Tuesday through the lesson for Trinity Sunday on June 7. We hope this series helps support faith formation ministry during these challenging times. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N9GjcsO1tRQ#menu (April 21)
Reopening Congregations in the Time of COVID-19 (April 20)
Stewardship and COVID-19 (April 20)
From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (updated April 16)
From Dr. Naomi K. Paget, BCC, one of the leaders in the field of disaster spiritual care, crisis management, and traumatic stress: Ministry During Pandemic: From Awareness to Implementation (April 15)
From tithe.ly: Church After COVID: 7 Predictions for How the Church Will Change by 2025 (April 15)
From One License: Licensing Options for Gratis Accounts after April 15 (April 13)
Easter 2 resources from Bishop Gronberg: (April 10)
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- Full service: https://youtu.be/LD17wocID1Q
- Gospel and sermon only: https://youtu.be/tbe5nteE_Mc
- Bulletin: https://www.ntnl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Easter-2-NTNL-Service-of-the-Word.pdf
- Sermon in Spanish from Pastor Moises Carrasquillo (Sermon para el Segundo Domingo de Pascua: Tomas cree): https://www.facebook.com/302551990568351/videos/622372081945786/
From the ELCA: Paycheck Protection Program video (April 9)
Accompaniment: Our Partners in ELCSL in the time of COVID-19 (April 8)
The Difficult Truths of Holy Week (April 6)
From Trinity, Fort Worth: Worship Video Guidelines (April 6)
From ELCA legal counsel: Paycheck Protection Program FAQ (April 6 update)
From Carl Hughes, associate professor of theology at Texas Lutheran University (TLU): Learning from Luther what to do in COVID-19 pandemic (April 5)
Societal Chaplaincy: Preparing for the Storm to Come (April 4)
Considerations for Remote Council and Congregation Meetings During the COVID-19 Pandemic (April 3)
CARES Act Provisions Guidance for Congregations and Schools (April 3)
Triduum Resources from Texas/Louisiana Bishops (April 3)
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- Spanish translation of Bishop Gronberg’s sermon: https://www.ntnl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Easter-2020-sermon-Spanish-Bp.-Erik-Gronberg.pdf
From NPR: A Must For Millions, Zoom Has A Dark Side — And An FBI Warning (April 3)
Los Tres Dias – Recurso para la casa (April 2)
For the Love of God (and Neighbor), Don’t Gather for Worship (April 2)
From Red River Worship: 11-part video series to offer some basic best practices, tips & tools to help you shoot videos, get your church online and connect with your church well (April 2)
From TechSoup: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Tips for Zoom Video Conferences (April 2)
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Cleaning and Disinfection for Community Facilities (updated April 1)
Staying connected to faith through Facebook (April 1)
The ELCA bishops of Texas and Louisiana have prepared sermons for the Triduum, both in video and written format. Those can be found at https://gulfcoastsynod.org/resources-during-the-pandemic. Other resources will be coming overtime. (March 31)
April 1 Leader News Update: Assembly, CARES Act Resources, Triduum Sermons (March 31)
From ELCA legal counsel (March 31): There have been questions about the CARES ACT and how it might benefit our communities. Our Churchwide Legal Team has developed multiple resources available at https://www.elca.org/publichealth, including updates and Resources on COVID-19-related Benefits for ELCA Congregations, Synods, Other Ministries and their Employees (https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/COVID-19_Relief_Summary_033020.pdf) and a summary of Cares Act Provisions (https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/CARES_Act_summary_033020v2.pdf).
Love For Neighbor (March 29)
More from the ELCA (March 27):
The churchwide office is launching a comprehensive Covid-19 response across the ELCA beginning today. We have three new approaches designed to provide several levels of support for our most vulnerable congregations and ministries. These three approaches are Daily Bread Grants, Here to Serve, and the Covid-19 Response Appeal.
DAILY BREAD GRANTS
ELCA World Hunger is announcing the immediate launch of Daily Bread Matching Grants. Through these grants, ELCA congregations can raise funds for their feeding ministries using an online fundraising platform and will receive a grant of $500 from ELCA World Hunger. Up to 100 Daily Bread Matching Grants are available for ELCA congregations on a first-come, first-served basis, with the possibility of more grants becoming available in the future. Apply or donate here.
HERE TO SERVE
The churchwide organization is inherently a resource in support of the members, congregations, synods and partners of the ELCA. During this time, Domestic Mission will pivot to a project-based, service-oriented structure so this church knows we are here to serve. By the first week of April, we will launch a chat function on ELCA.org along with an 800 hotline for prayer, support and questions that will be answered by our staff. As soon as these channels are live, we will let you know.
COVID-19 RESPONSE APPEAL
It’s more important now than ever to support our church across the country through these difficult times. We will begin to raise funds to support our congregations, ministries and synods. This effort will launch the week of March 30 via email and social media with a special form online to donate.
In addition to our new three-pronged response, our work continues in providing and updating resources on ELCA.org/publichealth. We are also still at work in the world. Our global mission work continues and grows in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are working with our global companions to provide support where we can.
From LEAD: Holy Week Liturgies (March 27)
Worship resources for Palm Sunday: Craft idea from King of Glory, Dallas. Visit this link for a video explanation, and the craft can be uploaded here. (March 27)
Fundraising in the Time of COVID: A TechSoup Roundup (March 27)
Facebook introduces new livestreaming features as demand skyrockets (March 27)
Set up online giving with one of the ELCA’s preferred vendors at a negotiated reduced cost for ELCA congregations: https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Congregations-and-Synods/Communication-Tools/Preferred-Vendors (March 26)
Acknowledging Grief and Telling the Truth (March 24)
Youth / Family resources: Puppet ministry idea (March 24)
Message from Bishop Gronberg: Pastoral and Theological Reflections on Holy Communion in the time of COVID-19 (March 23)
From Harvard Business Review: That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief (March 23)
A “Generational” Moment (March 22)
Facebook Live: If you’re considering using Facebook Live for worship streaming, please know that the feed is often a problem on Sunday mornings because churches overwhelm their bandwith (long before COVID-19), and Facebook is often zealous in cutting you off for violating copyright (even if you are actually following the rules). A workaround: record the service at an earlier time, share the recording as a “premiere,” and encourage some of your tech-savvy members to host watch parties and interact with others. At the very least, make sure you have a recording being made of the service. (March 21)
From the Chicago Torture Justice Center: Trauma Informed Practices During the Coronavirus Pandemic (March 20)
Guias para ofrecer Las Misas durante el COVID (March 20)
SW PA Synod call with an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh: Best Practices for Safe Ministry Gatherings (March 20)
The video and resources recommended can be found here: swpasynod.org/safe-gatherings
From Affinity: Apps free for 3 months, 50% off creative apps, and pledging to engage 100 creatives with paid work (March 19)
There’s a growing anxiety within clergy and lay leaders around giving and financial issues with worship being cancelled in most settings. I am available to have conversations with pastors and lay leaders about addressing current stewardship concerns in their congregation. I’m not charging a fee for these conversations. I have the time available at the moment since I’m not doing consulting with congregations right now. Our individual and congregational giving in a time of health and economic anxiety is something which will need to be addressed. I’m glad to assist in whatever way that I can. – Pastor Don Haven, President and Lead Consultant, Abundant Congregations, LLC, Phone: 916-770-7078, Email: don@abundantc.org, Website: www.abundantcongregations.org (March 19)
From the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Supporting Your Mental Health While Navigating Change (March 18)
Beware of ‘ZoomBombing:’ screensharing filth to video calls (March 17)
COVID-19 Guidelines, Recommendations, And Resources (March 17)
Leaders: COVID-19 Resources, ELCA Coaching, Worship Online, and more! (March 17)
Opportunities and Ideas for Service of Neighbor during COVID-19 Pandemic (March 17)
Bishop Gronberg recommends all rostered/authorized leaders read again The Use of the Means of Grace as a resource for decisions around communion practices and priorities. (March 16)
Message from Tim Wengert: Holy Communion Under Quarantine (March 16)
Portico Support During the Spread of COVID-19 (March 16)
From tithe.ly: How to Take Your Church Virtual (Fast): The Ultimate Guide to Church Live-Streaming During Crisis (March 16)
From Augsburg Fortress: Temporary Expanded Licensing for Streaming Worship Services (March 13)
From Google Hangouts: Gsuite customers have access to advanced features through July 1, including live streaming and recording. (March 13)
From Adobe Connect: Free 90 day subscription (until July 1) for web conferencing. (March 13)
From Loom: Dropping recording limits, trials extended to 30 days, plan price cut to $5 after that. (March 13)
From Parkland Hospital and the DFW Faith Health Initiative: COVID-19 FAQs (English) and COVID-19 Preguntas frecuentes (Español)
Caring for Community Amidst Public Health Concerns – March 13 letter from Bishop Gronberg
Limitations on Gatherings to Minimize COVID-19 (Seattle – updated March 13)
From the ELCA:
With the outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and around the world being classified as a pandemic, congregations and houses of worship need to be well-informed and well-prepared. We have developed resources that offer guidance as we minister to and engage with each other, and within our communities, as the body of Christ. Find these and other resources at ELCA.org/PublicHealth.
Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns
Adoración en tiempo de problemas de salud pública
Prayers for Times of Public Health Concern: COVID-19/Coronavirus
Congregational Planning Checklist for Public Health Concerns
How to stream your worship service — A starter guide
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.
From Faith and Leadership (March 12): Resources for Christian leaders during the coronavirus disease pandemic
COVID-19 Updates | Actualizaciones sobre el COVID-19 – March 11 blog by Bishop Gronberg
From the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty (March 10)
Maintaining a Healthy Church Environment (created March 10):
COVID-19 Bulletin Insert (Immanuel, Killeen)
COVID-19 Prevention & Mitigation Plan (Immanuel, Killeen)
COVID-19: Preparing, Educating, And Responding In Faith – March 6 blog by Bishop Gronberg
ELCA presiding bishop addresses concerns about COVID-19 (March 6)
Whether One May Flee From A Deadly Plague – Martin Luther
These resources are provided from Lutheran Disaster Response and the ELCA worship team that supply information for communities to prepare and be pro-active in their preparations:
Congregational Planning Checklist for a Pandemic (updated March 1, 2020)
Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns (updated March 1, 2020)
Addressing Anxiety about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – February 29 blog by Bishop Gronberg