Back to Church!!
This will be a season of "information overload", so please be patient. I won't share everything with you all at once, but here is some basic information regarding our long awaited for return to church!
Finally have the "go ahead"
This week, the Diocese of Toronto gave us the final statement of permission to open for services on Sunday September 13th IF we are ready to do so. The "IF" depends on our being able to sign off on all the safety requirements that have been issued to us through the Diocese. Not all churches in the Diocese of Toronto will be ready to open on September 13th, but we are confident that we will.
Eucharistic Services that you can attend
Because we will have very limited seating, and because of all the cleaning and processes that each service demands we will be offering two service each week. One will be on Sunday mornings at 10 am and one will be on Wednesday mornings at 10 am. Both will be full Eucharist with music and sermon.
Limited Seating & Reserving your Seat
To comply with all requirements, we have enough seating for about 25 people. This takes into account that some of you will sit on your own and others with their partner or spouse. There are a couple of spots for larger groups when a family attends.
Due to this limited seating, we will need people to "book a seat" prior to Sunday or Wednesday. If we have more people that want to come on a particular day than we can accommodate, we may be asking you to come every other week.
Details on how to "book your seat" each week will be coming out soon.
Some of what you can expect when you come back to church...
Everyone will be wearing a mask. Even the clergy.
You will be asked to sanitize your hands before entering and will sign in for contact tracing purposes.
Though there will be no singing, humming and such with your mask on is completely feasible.
You might think you are in the military when it comes to receiving Eucharist, but all protocols are for the safety of everyone. Eucharist will be in one kind only, just the wafer.
The only thing you'll have to touch on a Sunday morning will be your bulletin that you will then take with you or immediately recycle.
You will be asked to bring everything you might need for the service with you - mask, water bottle etc.
Communication, communication, communication....
Since communication is so essential at this time, please do not hesitate to send your questions to Ruthanne (ruthanne@ascensionportperry.com OR 905-935-7278, ext. 22). If you are wondering about something, probably someone else is too. Let us know.