Here are some of the things you can expect, starting on September 13.

Worship / Attendance

As before COVID19, there will be a traditional service at 9:00 am and a contemporary service at 11:00 am.

According to provincial guidelines, services will be limited to 50 people per service.

People will be asked to “register” to attend (so that we don’t exceed the 50 person limit). Each Monday morning, an electronic registration sign-up for the following Sunday will be sent out by e-mail along with the “Hope for Today” Bible verse. (Alternatively, people can register by phoning the church office.) While the 11:00AM service may fill up by mid-week, people are reminded that the 9:00AM service may still have space.

The services will continue to be streamed on the HLC Facebook page for those that, for whatever reason, would prefer to worship using the online service option.

For the month of September, Holy Communion will not be offered during the service, but will continue to be held with the “Communion by Appointment” and “Communion at Home” options. As we see how things are going, we hope to offer Holy Communion on our regular schedule during the month of October, but with an adjusted practice and appropriate cautions in place.

As you enter the building, place your offering in the offering plate in the narthex, and wait for an usher to escort you to a seat.

Initially music will be pre-recorded and people are encouraged to sing along softly with their mask in place.

There will no Oasis for now. However, socializing after the service is strongly encouraged – outdoors only with distancing in mind.

Safety / Distancing / Sanitization

Exterior and sanctuary doors will be left open (i.e. no need to touch) and fans will be utilized to improve air ventilation (bring a sweater in case of cooler weather).

We ask that people come 10 to 15 minutes early for the service as it will take longer to seat everyone so that distancing can be maintained. (Those people that need to sit can approach an usher for immediate seating instead of waiting in line.)

If necessary, people will queue up outside, remaining 6 feet apart, and will be seated on a first come first served basis (except for those that need immediate seating).

Masks will be required. When you wear a mask it protects others and when others wear a mask they are protecting you. As such, masks are to be worn to enter the church and stay on throughout the services until you leave the church.

Hand sanitizer will be provided and is to be applied upon entry to the narthex.

Distancing will be required inside the sanctuary, so that everyone is 6 feet apart. People will be seated front to back by an usher in social “bubbles” (family) – one “bubble” per pew, or possibly individuals at each end of the same pew. People will be seated in every second, or perhaps every third, pew to maintain physical distance from each other. People at the 11:00AM service will sit in different pews from those at the 9:00AM service.

People are encouraged to use the church washrooms only if necessary, and one person at a time.

Ushers will guide people out after the services from the back to front, so please remain seated until asked to stand and exit.

A sanitization machine has been purchased so that the entire sanctuary and washrooms can be sanitized before and after each service. [The machine sprays fine electro statically charged disinfectant that looks like a fog. It adheres to all surfaces and will very quickly kill all bacteria and viruses on all surfaces. We estimate it will take only 10 – 15 minutes to do the entire narthex, sanctuary and washrooms.]

For the safety of all, please do not attend a service:

• If you are ill or have any symptoms like: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, loss of sense of smell or taste, etc.
• If you are subject to a health order by a territory, province or local public health.
• If you have been out of the country in the last 2 weeks – until you have been in isolation for 2 weeks and have no symptoms.
• If you have been in proximity to someone recently diagnosed with COVID19.