Peace, Friend. 

What a pleasure it is for me to finally say welcome home! I am delighted to announce that St. Peter’s will resume weekly in-person worship services Sundays at 10AM beginning September 12, 2021. The gathering is open to each and all without pre-registration but is limited to a capacity that allows for physical distancing in the sanctuary.

We feel strongly that worship should be as inclusive and safe as possible.  

Here are some things you need to know:

*People entering the building to attend an event will be screened. The screening questions are per COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Ver 8):

1. Are you currently experiencing one or more of the symptoms below that are new or worsening? Symptoms should not be chronic or related to other known causes or conditions. Do you have one or more of the following symptoms?

• • Fever and/or chills
    • Temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius/100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
  • Cough or barking cough (croup)
    • Not related to asthma, post-infectious reactive airways, COPD, or other known causes or conditions you already have
  • Shortness of breath
    • Not related to asthma or other known causes or conditions you already have
  • Decrease or loss of smell or taste
    • Not related to seasonal allergies, neurological disorders, or other known causes or conditions you already have
  • Fatigue, lethargy, malaise and/or myalgias
    • Unusual tiredness, lack of energy (not related to depression, insomnia, thyroid dysfunction, or other known causes or conditions you already have)
  • Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
    • Not related to irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, menstrual cramps, or other known causes or conditions you already have

2. In the last 14 days, have you travelled outside of Canada AND been advised to quarantine (as per the federal quarantine requirements)?
3. Has a doctor, health care provider, or public health unit told you that you should currently be isolating (staying at home)?
4. In the last 10 days, have you been identified as a “close contact” of someone who currently has COVID-19?
5. In the last 10 days, have you received a COVID Alert exposure notification on your cell phone?
6. In the last 10 days, have you tested positive on a rapid antigen test or a home-based self-testing kit?
7. In the last 14 days, has someone in your household (someone you live with) travelled outside of Canada AND been advised to quarantine (as per the federal quarantine requirements) in the last 14 days?
8. In the last 10 days, has someone in your household (someone you live with) been identified as a ”close contact” of someone who currently has COVID-19 AND advised by a doctor, healthcare provider or public health unit to self-isolate in the last 10 days?
9. Is anyone you live with currently experiencing any new COVID-19 symptoms and/or waiting for test results after experiencing symptoms?

*Everyone will need to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth for the whole time, in accordance with the municipal by-law.

*What about my vaccine status?
If you’re vaccinated – that’s great!  We won’t be asking for this information at church and masks still need to be worn. We are encouraging everyone to get both doses of the vaccine before they attend gatherings.  Please take your vaccination status into consideration as you decide whether to attend in-person or not.

*We will encourage “no physical contact” greetings including during the sharing of the peace.

*All in person children’s programs are suspended.

*We will not be singing…yet
Scientists and public health have determined that singing is a high risk activity that has the potential to spread more droplets into the air that could potentially cause infection. We have decided to use instrumentalist(s) and/or singer(s) who will offer musical praise on behalf of the congregation. In future when pandemic conditions allow, congregational singing will slowly be reintroduced into worship.

*Regarding Holy Communion
It will be distributed differently and be in one kind only (bread). Please follow the direction of the worship leader.

*Washrooms are available for you to use
Only one person is allowed in the washroom at a time. If there is someone ahead of you, please wait next to the sign in the hallway-allowing the person ahead of you plenty of space to leave the washroom.

*We cannot congregate in the narthex/lobby but…
Fellowship can happen after the service, outside with masks on. Socializing indoors is the biggest risk factor for the spread of COVID19, both at home and in places like churches. Provincial COVID-19 legislation under the Reopening Ontario Act (Step 3) has a 25 person cap on indoor social gatherings associated with worship services so we could not invite everyone to an indoor fellowship.

*To maintain physical distancing, please sit only in designated areas in the sanctuary.

*Please maintain physical distancing (2 metres) when on St. Peter’s property.

*We will not be serving coffee or tea…yet!

*We encourage high-risk individuals to NOT come to the building, but continue to worship via CTV or stpeterskw.ca

*Worship duration times (excluding the CTV Broadcasts) will be reduced to no longer than 40 minutes.

In a keynote address at our recent Synod Assembly, one speaker used the “liturgical” name Coronatide to describe this season. It will also be a season of continued experimentation. This is a complex time for everyone. For as many people who will rejoice to return to in-person worship, just as many may feel anxious and more cautious. We will need to continue to experiment as we discern how best to sustain community, ministry, virtual and in-person congregations. Anything that can be accomplished virtually – various meetings, for example – will continue to be accomplished virtually.

Ultimately, it is the safety of staff, volunteers, members, guests, and those we serve that guides our decisions regarding building use and activities. The COVID-19 Operational Planning, Worship and Arts, and Board Teams remain unwavering in their posture to not look for ways to creatively get around or alter public health directives and guidelines and to stay up to date on all government and public health directives and adhere to them.

Updates will be offered via eMessenger and website; this is a fluid situation. This is a challenging time, and one that we can continue to meet with “dexterity, generosity, and deep faithfulness. […] May God continue to bless us with abundant gifts of hope, forbearance and patience as we navigate the significant decisions and choices that will need to be made going forward” said our Bishop some time ago. We couldn’t agree more.

Onward,

Pastor Mark