Area churches opened the doors to in-person services Sunday, with one church, St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, saying goodbye to its pastor.
Pastor Gary Klatt delivered his last sermon May 31 to a socially spaced congregation of 75 people, about a quarter of normal church capacity.
Klatt retires after 35 years serving in the ministry, 18 years in Luverne.
Parishioners worked to develop a plan to safely congregate under new coronavirus guidelines that limited the number of people attending each service and a cleaning regimen to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Efforts have members adjusting to a new routine.
“It was nice to get back to normal, whatever that is now,” said Tom Fick, St. John Lutheran Church congregational president.
Since late March, congregations like St. John Lutheran, have stayed at home viewing services virtually as religious leaders spoke to a handful of people who operated the recording equipment.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, St. John Lutheran was one of the first churches in Rock County to conduct in-person services.
More churches have since reopened with measures in place to limit people’s potential exposure to the virus.
At St. John Lutheran, members call the church office to make service reservations in order not to exceed the 75-person limit, a number that allows families to sit the recommended six feet apart from each other.
“Hand sanitizer is available everywhere in the church,” Fick noted.
Handshakes, hugs or the gatherings for coffee and socializing before or after services are discouraged.
The wearing of facial masks and protective gloves are encouraged and, at some churches, ushers spray hand sanitizer on each person’s hands as they enter the building.
Many church services are now conducted without the congregational singing and communion is administered individually, with parishioners serving the rite to themselves.
At St. John Lutheran, parishioners plan to honor Pastor Klatt and his wife, Sharyn, at a gathering this fall, when current public gathering guidelines are expected to loosen.
Until then, Fick said St. John Lutheran would continue in-person services under the new virus guidelines through a rotation of vacancy pastors.
Saturday night services will continue to be recorded and played Sunday morning as the second weekend service is conducted live.
Fick said all permanent pastor searches are on hold within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod as the pandemic continues.
Congregation members are determined to keep health measures in place to prevent the return to virtual services.
“You don’t realize how much you miss it until it was gone for awhile,” Fick said.