We have set a date of SUNDAY, June 7th at 10am, to regather together for worship.

I spoke with the La Crosse County Health Department last week, consulted the plans of other churches, and have begun to make plans for our first re-gathering for Sunday, June 7th. (We will continue to make adjustments as necessary.)

For some of you this is a welcome prospect, for others this may cause uncomfortability and stress. In looking through the survey that was sent out earlier this month over 80% of responses indicated that returning (even with precautions) is important and almost 20% not sure or will wait a couple of weeks before returning.

In keeping with best practices for our worship re-gathering:

• There will be designated in and out doors to minimize contact and volunteers will be available to hold open the exterior doors to our facility.
• Along with thorough cleaning, there will be hand sanitizer stations located throughout the facility.
• The kitchen, fellowship hall, and kids wing will be closed off for a time.
• There will be no coffee or treats provided, but feel free bring your own coffee, etc. (You know I will.)
• We will have designated rows in the sanctuary for seating with skipping and alternating available rows.
• At this time there will be no Nursery, or Coulee Life Kids. We encourage families/households sit together in the available seating that we have.
• Initially, to reduce exposure in our facility, we will have a shortened worship gathering (roughly 45 minutes) including Marcus engaging our children, my message, and some singing.

When we are out in public there is exposure to whatever pathogens that are present, there is no getting around that. If you would prefer to wear a mask, you are greatly encouraged to do so, but it will not be required. If you or anyone in your household can answer “yes” to any of the following questions at any time prior to attending a worship gathering, please plan to join us online instead of attending in person:
• Are you showing any flu-like symptoms?
• Have you had a fever of 100 or higher in the past 14 days?
• Have you had prolonged exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19?
• Is there any medical reason that you should not be around others? 

We will continue to record the message and post it online, it will not be a live stream, but posted later in the day.

In the wake of the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling yesterday our county has issued updated guidance.  While they have not extended the “Safer at Home” like other counties have, they suggest that we all continue the same protocol. We have been blessed to have few known incidences of COVID-19 in our area and no deaths. If cases worsen, they may issue an order.

With this being the case we will continue our online format for the next few weeks to allow us time to ready our facility and procedures to safely gather again as well as give time for our county to assess the progress of our area as more businesses open up.

There is talk in the media about what life will look like when our businesses, schools, and churches reopen as some parts of our country are beginning this process. Because of this we want to let you know our process:

1. We have begun and will continue a conversation with two Coulee Lifers that are a part of the healthcare field. They are two individuals in which we have great trust and respect, and we will allow them to speak into our reopening process.

2. We will follow our local officials in their guidance. We will also get recommendations from them on time frames and procedures that will ensure the health of our congregation we when we do come back together. However, we will make our own decisions about re-opening based on what we believe is best for the physical and spiritual well being of our church family. They have released guidance for local retail and other businesses as they reopen. We will be reaching out to them for guidance for churches.

3. We will put together practical plans for cleaning, sanitation, social distancing, etc. It may take more volunteers in order for us to accomplish this. We will also look to the best practices of other churches that are able to reopen before we are.

There are many opinions about what this situation looks like, how to deal with it, and the best plan forward. Over the past few weeks we have looked at Philippians chapter 4 where Paul encourages us to rejoice in God, not to be anxious, and to approach him in prayer. We hope that you are taking those to heart and finding ways to practice it in your own life.

The Wisconsin governor has extended the “Safer at Home” order through May 26th. Because of this we will continue our online worship gathering each week until at least May 24th. We will update if there are any significant changes.

As we discussed on Sunday we knew that this day would come, but we did not know how quickly it would. Even though we are not able to meet all together in the same place, we are still the church. And as the church we are to continue to spread the message of salvation and hope that is found in God. It will just look a little different…

This Sunday there will be online teaching from both myself and Marcus. We will also link to the Coulee Life Kids take home papers, so that parents can continue to engage with their children. Everything will be on a more universal platform (Youtube, or Vimeo) knowing that not everyone is on Facebook.

There are discussions on what ministry looks like in the coming days, weeks, and months. It is unknown how long our current reality will last, but we need to take hold of the opportunities that God lays before us to minister to those that are hurting, afraid, and in need. Our Easter Egg Hunt and our Easter Celebration will likely be different. More information will be sent out later this week as decisions are made.

The church will continue to have facility costs, payroll, and ministries locally and around the world that are dependent upon consistent financial support. We ask that you prayerfully continue giving your tithes and offerings to help sustain the mission of the church. This can be done in several ways…

• Online: https://www.couleelife.church/give
• Mail: N5761 County Road SN, Onalaska, WI 54650
• In Person: The office should be open during the week in the afternoons

Isolation is not good for anyone, so if you begin to feel lonely, or need to talk with someone, please reach out. There are people in our congregation that are willing to talk and pray with you. If you have other needs (financial, physical, etc.) please message me and we will do what we can to help meet those needs. There are ideas in the works to be able to pair needs with volunteers.

I am praying for you, that God will speak to you during this time of uncertainty. Be open to what God is telling you and take hold of every opportunity that you have to share his love and peace.

Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

We can take comfort in the fact that God is in control, but we should not be arrogant by assuming we will be unaffected by the current pandemic. Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has not yet reached our local area, however it is our responsibility to minimize the spread by taking necessary precautions in order to protect those who are most at risk.

At this time, our Sunday morning worship gathering, nursery, preschool, and elementary, will continue as normally scheduled, pending further notice.

We are closely monitoring all information and guidance from officials with the La Crosse County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We will prayerfully determine on a day-to-day basis whether further steps are needed and update accordingly.

Take Precautions  
For Sunday mornings, we caution you to practice the standard, flu-season safety precautions that we are already familiar with, including:

• Cough etiquette and hygiene
• Thorough and regular hand washing and sanitizing (particularly after touching your face)
• Social distancing (limiting physical contact with others)

Risk-Related Guidance for Sunday Morning Participation   
Based on guidance from the CDC, we recommend caution on attending our Sunday morning worship gathering, nursery, preschool, and elementary if you are in any of these at-risk categories:

1. Older adults (especially with compromised immune systems)
2. People who have serious chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease
3. Immunosuppressed individuals (people with recent or upcoming surgeries; people on autoimmune treatments, including steroids; people with impaired heart, kidney, or liver function; or people going through cancer treatment)
4. Direct caregivers of at-risk individuals (non-medical personnel)

Additionally, we request you do not attend our Sunday morning worship gathering, nursery, preschool, and elementary if you meet any of the following conditions:

1. Have had flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, vomiting) in the past 14 days
2. Have traveled recently to areas that have been highly affected by the coronavirus in the past 14 days
3. Have been in close contact with someone with flu-like symptoms in the past 14 days

Elevated Sanitization Protocol
We have increased our cleaning and sanitation procedures. The following precautions are in place for the foreseeable future:

• We will make all efforts to supply hand sanitizer at the Welcome Center, in restrooms, and in the nursery, preschool, and elementary rooms, pending very limited supply availability
• Communion will be delivered in contained cups and packaged crackers
• All doorknobs, trash cans, and non-porous surfaces will be sanitized frequently with CDC-approved cleaning products

We will continue to monitor the developing situation and update you all when there are changes. May God’s peace and His presence be with you as we continue to help individuals and families in the Coulee Region experience full life in Christ.