Page 5 - My Story. Our Story. God's Story.

marshmallows gift in the comfort of our homes. Although singing traditional carols
in an unconventional setting felt unfamiliar, hearing others’ voices blend with our

own felt almost, if not quite, like Christmas.

The business of the church continued as the Congregational Council and various
ministry groups met virtually via Zoom. The 151st Annual Meeting of First Lutheran

Church took place in January 2021, with a virtual attendance of over 125
individuals on Zoom. With the validation of online voting by the Nebraska ELCA,
First Lutheran successfully carried out an online election of leaders.

Throughout 2021, we navigated the challenges of the pandemic, adhering to

safety guidelines, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, to protect our
congregation. Our return to in-person worship on Ash Wednesday, February 17,

2021, in the newly renovated Sanctuary was a significant milestone. Adhering to
safety protocols, we limited the Sanctuary occupancy to 25%, approximately 80

individuals, while continuing to offer livestream viewing. Despite the prohibition of
singing aloud due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus, this emotional
experience marked a long-awaited return to worshiping together in person.

On June 4, 2021, the following message was sent to First Lutheran members:

Drum roll, please...All COVID-related restrictions have been lifted at First Lutheran
Church! This is the time we have all been waiting for over the past 15 months!
WOO HOO! This means that masks are no longer required (even during worship),

there are no capacity restrictions, food and drinks are allowed (including donut
holes, coffee and juice on Sunday mornings!) and the full worship liturgy returns.

We understand that some may still feel uncomfortable with having no restrictions in
place so we ask everyone to practice kindness, patience and understanding as we

all transition into a more normal life and routine.

The sense of progress continued as we welcomed our new Lead Pastor, Erin
Heidelberger, on August 16, 2021. While we are grateful for the skilled and
caring leadership of Pastor Stephen Griffith and Pastor Bill Peterson during the

interim, the stability brought by our new Lead Pastor was reassuring. However, it