June 15, 2021
To our family and friends at Lord of All,
On June 13, 2021, the Church Council met to discuss and move forward on opening the church for worship this summer. We are excited to see that happen.
Our understanding is that, barring unforeseen changes, we will be moving into Stage 3 of the Alberta Re-opening Plan very soon. Based upon that, our goal is to be open for in-person worship on July 4. As we currently understand, Stage 3 lifts all restrictions on gatherings which will mean getting back to as close to normal as possible and we are planning for that. Should Stage 3 be delayed, we will still open the church for live services, however, all of the guidelines and restrictions in place for Stage 2 will apply including a limit on attendance.
Based on feedback received from members, it is almost unanimous that people want the church to be open and about 50 percent of people that responded seem ready to come back now.
Once a full opening occurs and there are minimal, if any government restrictions, our goal, as it has been throughout the pandemic, is to keep our people safe as we transition. These were some of our reflections in our decision making.
- People will vary in their level of comfort and should be encouraged to do what they need to do to feel safe at church. Some will be ready to come back, some may need time to feel ready.
- Masks, hand sanitizer and tissues will be available for any who wish to use them.
- All need to be mindful and respective of not judging others for varying viewpoints on safety.
- Coming back to church will be emotional and there will likely be a want by many to hug and shake hands, etc. Please be conscientious that not everyone will be comfortable with this. Before making any physical contact, we would encourage you to ask the other person what they are comfortable with.
- Our priority is to get live Sunday morning worship going again for the summer, while still maintaining online access for those unable or not yet ready to come back. Services will be streamed on the church’s YouTube channel.
- PD’s weekly live messages on Facebook will continue, but only once or twice per week as we move forward – likely Tuesday and Thursday at this time.
- Decisions regarding live Bible Studies, Thursday Evening Services and other activities will be made in the fall. +
- We anticipate there will be some new faces in our midst in the days ahead and there may be people whose names are not familiar to you. To help with that, we are encouraging everyone to wear a name tag as an act of hospitality. We will have them available at the church.
- Communion will resume on July 11 with no common cup. We will be proceeding carefully with all of these steps to make sure we are doing them wisely and well. As has been our policy in these past months, if you are not feeling comfortable coming to worship or receiving communion in worship, Pastor Dawn is happy to arrange for private communion with you.
- Even though we move into this re-opening, we also understand that Covid still exists in the community and there is not zero risk. As such we would ask anyone that is feeling unwell or has symptoms of Covid to stay home. We also still do not understand what contact tracing requirements we may still need to implement in Stage 3, so please be patient with us as we work to figure all of this out. There is still a possibility that we may require volunteers to assist with sign-in / temperature taking. Please reach out to us if you would consider volunteering in this capacity.
- As there is no Community Cowboy Breakfast and Service this year, on Aug 1, we will hold a regular worship service.
- We are looking at the possibility of having an outdoor service across the street in the park on August 22, along with a four evening Vacation Bible Camp for all, on the 23-26 of August. Details will follow.
As well, a word of thanks was extended to our worship team that have provided solid worship for the past 65 weeks (Yes, it has been that long), to Joe for his leadership, and to Pastor Dawn for everyone’s hard work and dedication to keep the operation of the church and worship moving forward. We also thank Linda for her hard work on so many fronts and welcome her back into the church office next week to her regular three-day schedule.
Thank you to all who have helped to keep our operating funds coming in. We are a bit behind where we usually are at this time of year and appreciate your generosity in helping us meet our obligations. Wishing all a wonderful and safe summer and looking forward to seeing all of you, either at church or out and about, in the days to come.
With Prayers of Thanksgiving,
Joe Elliott, Council Chairperson Pastor Dawn
A PRAYER AS WE MOVE AHEAD:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with thanksgiving for your presence and guidance to us through these unprecedented times. We have learned much, we have carried your name forward, and we have continued to respond to your call to bring light to the world in whatever ways we have been able. Thank you for the safety and provision we have experienced. Guide us now, as we move forward, to do those things that bring honour and glory to your name, caring for our congregation, our community, and the world. With confidence, we hold to the words of promise you have given us in Matthew 28: 20 - ”And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” AMEN
