Grace United Church is open for ‘in-person service’. 

Update from the Emergency Response Committee:

The Emergency Response Committee (ERC) met earlier this week to evaluate our current situation with respect to COVID related measures at Grace. After careful consideration of the needs of our church community as well as changes made by our government, we recommend the following:

Effective July 10, 2022:

• You will no longer be required to show vaccination status or submit to a rapid test for entry to the building.
• Singing (with masks) is permitted.
• Masks will continue to be required in the church until July 23, 2022.
• Committee meetings may remain virtual or return in-person, as the committee prefers.
• Communion will remain individual for the foreseeable future.

Beginning July 24, 2022:

• Grace United is changing its mask mandate from “must wear” to “masks are encouraged at individual discretion”. This will apply to Sunday services as well as in-person meetings, groups and other events at the church.
• Staff members, clergy or the leadership of a committee, group or event may request that masks be worn based on the comfort level of the participants.
• Please respect any individual’s request or personal decision as it relates to these measures. All are welcome and loved at Grace, with or without a mask.

Basic public health measures will continue to be followed (eg. staying home if ill, COVID self-assessments, hand washing, respiratory etiquette), as well as routine cleaning and existing ventilation procedures (i.e. open windows or doors as weather permits).

As always, the Emergency Response Committee will continue to monitor our situation and can recommend changes to these practices if circumstances warrant.

With these changes, we acknowledge that our members and visitors may need to make different decisions about their participation in church activities. This includes choosing to attend Sunday services virtually, but could also mean for example, that people you currently sit near on Sunday may prefer to move closer to ventilation or to socially distance from others. We ask that you deliberately check in with people around you before making assumptions about their comfort level, and of course respect their personal choices.

Your Grace United Emergency Response Committee:

Dale Burkart (Clergy), Mark Goodale (M&P Representative), Stacy Goodale (Co-Chair), May Griffiths-Turner (Infectious Disease Expert), Janice Hatt/Carol Boyle (Worship Representative), Janice Martin (Outreach Representative), Heather McGavin (Co-Chair), Kathryn Munn (Property Representative), Susan Ward-England (Communications Representative)

 

We hope that you will come out and join us as we gather together again in the building.

The Communications team will continue to broadcast the live stream on YouTube for those who still would prefer virtual worship.   

Grace hopes that you continue to worship with us, in whatever way you feel most comfortable, for the months to come and that you continue to feel the power of God’s love in your life.