UPDATED FEBRUARY 28, 2022
Over the weekend, the CDC shared new Covid-19 mask and social distancing guidelines. If county rates in your area are considered low, community members may go without masks and social distancing indoors. Currently, Dakota County is considered “low” due to the decline in positive Covid-19 cases, as well as the reduced strain on local hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Beginning Monday, February 28, 2022
Masks will be optional during Sunday Morning and First Wednesday worship services
Masks will be optional during Sunday and Wednesday children’s and youth programming
FLC Staff and the Reopening Committee continues to monitor case numbers and hospitalization rates in our area. It is possible that masks will be required again for larger worship services such as those during Holy Week and Easter. As we have throughout the pandemic, we will continue to take care of our neighbors and do our best to gather together safely.
UPDATED JANUARY 13, 2022
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, FLC will be adding precautions to worship and programming to help reduce the spread of the virus.
Beginning Sunday, January 16, 2022 masks will be required for everyone 2 years or older, regardless of vaccination status. This includes all events held within the church building. Masks will be available if needed.
In addition to masks, we’re asking all worshippers to please socially distance when possible. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the gathering space and sanctuary as well.
As we have learned throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, this is a continually changing situation and FLC Staff and the Reopening Strategy Committee appreciates your patience and understanding.
UPDATED JANUARY 11, 2022
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic FLC has advocated looking out for our neighbors, and we will continue to do that whenever possible. As COVID numbers continue to rise, and healthcare workers and educators need support, we want to do our part to help our community stay safe and healthy.
As many of you have heard, our local school district (ISD 192) is planning to shift to virtual learning beginning later this week. FLC students and adults are experiencing a very high rate of COVID absences and exposures. FLC staff and the Reopening Strategy Team have been in communication and have decided that programming for children and youth will be cancelled this week, January 12. This includes Wednesday School, Confirmation and KOIN.
Adult choir will also be cancelled for tomorrow, January 12.
Adult bell ringers will still meet at 6:30pm in the sanctuary.
Adult spiritual growth, including OWL’s and Book of Faith will still meet at their regularly scheduled times.
As we have learned throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, this is a continually changing situation and FLC Staff and the Reopening Strategy Committee appreciates your patience and understanding.
Check out Farmington Lutheran’s Facebook page or YouTube channel tomorrow night for a devotion.
UPDATED DECEMBER 16, 2021
As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise, FLC’s Reopening Strategy Team continues to make decisions based on the guidance of the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health.
As we hear those who work in hospitals asking for support as they care for such a high number of COVID-19 patients and lack room for patients who need care, we will be asking all worshippers to wear masks at Christmas Eve Worship Services.
Children’s and youth programming will resume in the new year, and while the school district is moving to optional masks at that time, FLC will continue to require masks for everyone during programming times for youth age 3 through 8th grade on Wednesday evenings and during Sunday FLCTime.
This is an everchanging situation, and our Reopening Strategy Team, Staff and Council, will continue to have discussions on any changes to this policy.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you again for your support and understanding.
Updated November 10, 2021
With the continued increase in COVID-19 cases, as shared by the Minnesota Department of Health this week, we thought we would take some time to review our current COVID-19 policies at Farmington Lutheran Church. Throughout the pandemic, FLC has followed the local school district (ISD 192) policies to ensure consistency in our response. We continue to do so and have shared that information below. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us any time.
The following policies are currently in place:
Masks are required for everyone during Sunday Morning FLCTime (children’s programming), Wednesday Evening FLCTime, Confirmation, and All Music Programming
Masks are encouraged but not required during Sunday Worship
If at any time you are feeling ill, we ask that you please stay home
If a person is exposed to COVID outside of the home:
it does not require them to stay home (vaccinated or not)
if they develop one or more of the more common symptoms (fever, cough, loss of taste and smell) they need to stay home and test negative or have an alternative diagnosis before returning to programming (vaccinated or not)
if they have two or more of the less common symptoms, they need to stay home and test negative to return to school, or have an alternative diagnosis (vaccinated or not) - at this time all non-vaccinated persons have to remain home until the symptomatic student tests negative
If there is a positive COVID case in a household:
all unvaccinated persons need to stay home from 14 days of onset of the positive person’s symptoms (with or without symptoms)
vaccinated persons, if they are showing no symptoms, can continue to attend programming, no test needed
if vaccinated persons show any symptoms they are required to stay home and test negative before returning
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 20, 2021
As Children and Youth programming is ramping up to return this week, our Reopening Strategy Team has been in communication with one another and staff to ensure we have a safe and fun year together!
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the Reopening Strategy Team has followed the guidance of our local school district concerning our children, youth and family events. At this time, we will be requiring masks for everyone during programming times for youth age 3 through 8th grade on Wednesday evenings and during Sunday FLCTime.
We are recommending facemasks regardless of vaccination status. Facemasks will continue to be recommended but not required for all ages during Sunday worship services.
If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you again for your support and understanding.
UPDATED JULY 2, 2021
Thank you to everyone who took time to complete the facemasks and worship survey. We are excited to share that over 250 individuals replied with their interest and comfort levels of attending a variety of indoor and outdoor worship services.
The Reopening Strategy Team continues to meet and discuss the next steps of FLC’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As Dakota County is reaching a 70% vaccination rate the team has decided to move forward with loosening the mask requirements indoors. At this time, FLC will no longer require facemasks for those who are fully vaccinated. In a continued effort to protect our neighbors, particularly those who are not yet able to be vaccinated, facemasks are strongly recommended for worshippers who are not fully vaccinated. Those who are more comfortable wearing facemasks indoors are welcome to do so.
Again, we thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to evaluate this ever changing situation.
UPDATED JUNE 3, 2021
The Reopening Strategy Committee (RSC) met recently to discuss recent protocol updates and prepare the next steps of FLC’s reopening process. The committee continues to watch local trends and follow the guidance of public health officials.
At this time, public health officials believe community settings that serve people not eligible for vaccines (children under 12 and immunocompromised) or those at high risk of severe disease if infected should strongly consider continuing to mask. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic FLC advocated looking out for our neighbors, and we will continue to do that. FLC will continue to wear masks at indoor events through July with the hope that the RSC will be able to reassess protocols sooner when Minnesota reaches a 70% vaccination rate.
You will notice that several worship additions have made their way back to the sanctuary including hymnals, storybook bibles, children’s offering fishbowls, bushel baskets of instruments, as well as the opening of the family room. We are making progress restoring all the amazing highlights of our FLC worship services!
Here is more information on new guidelines related to worship:
Masks will be required at indoor worship
Pastors, lay readers, and other speakers can choose to remove their masks if they are comfortable when speaking from the pulpit and altar area
Outdoor worship does not require masks, but we do encourage social distancing
We will continue to support those who wish to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, for as long as they would like to do so.
No personal contact at this time- passing the peace will be with a wave, peace sign, etc.
No food or luncheons indoors currently
Offering baskets will continue to be made available outside the sanctuary
As we have learned throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, this is a continually changing situation and the Reopening Strategy Committee appreciates your patience and understanding.
UPDATED MAY 18, 2021
In this time of the mask mandate being newly lifted, FLC has made the decision to continue requiring masks at all worship services. While many older adults have had the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we still have many folks who haven’t been able to, as well as many of our youth who are either just recently eligible or not yet eligible. This past weekend, we had four confirmation services where large groups gathered and where many of those in attendance were not yet vaccinated.
Our students will continue to wear masks in schools through the end of the year and will still have to quarantine if exposed. In these next few weeks, students are concerned about missing graduations, proms, spring sports and activities, playoffs, etc. We want to support our youth in ending their school year on a positive note, and wearing masks is a simple way we can do that.
While masks continue to be required, we will no longer be asking worshippers to sign up in advance for indoor worship.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility in this continually changing situation.
We ask that you DO NOT attend worship if you answer “yes” to any of these questions:
Have you been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the last month?
Have you had close contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19 in the last 2 weeks?
Have you developed any of the following symptoms in the last 2 weeks?
New or worsening cough or shortness of breath?
Sore throat?
New loss of sense of smell or taste?
Do you have a fever of 100.4 degrees or more and/or have you taken medication to reduce a fever in the last 24 hours?
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea?
Offering
An offering basket will be available for you to drop off your offerings as you arrive or leave worship. You are also welcome to continue giving online. For more information on online giving, click here.