We are excited to experience worship together again as a church community!
Attending church will be different and something we will need to get used to as we strive to do all we can to lower the risk of spreading infection. Here are some frequently asked questions by those who wonder what attending an on-site worship service will look like:
Do I need to pre-register?
• At this time there is no need to pre-register
Do I have to wear a mask?
• We require wearing a mask while you are inside the church building, as required by the City of Edmonton Temporary Mandatory Face Covering Bylaw 19408
• Exceptions to this are children under 2, and those that have an exemption under the bylaw
• Other exceptions as per the bylaw are for those leading worship, singing on stage, or preaching, with appropriate physical distancing
• We consider wearing a mask a matter of loving our neighbour and not a matter of our personal freedom!
What other measures are you taking to ensure a safe environment?
• Please maintain physical distancing of 2 metres at all times.
• You will be entering and exiting our building through the main front doors.
• You will be seated row by row by our ushers at the beginning of the service and released row by row by our ushers at the end of the service in the effort to avoid crowding.
• We have numerous hand-sanitizer stations available in the foyer as well as in the sanctuary.
• Please use the hand sanitizers provided prior to entering the sanctuary.
• All door handles and frequently touched areas will be disinfected regularly.
• No offering plates or worship folders will be handed out. Tithing envelopes can be dropped off into a designated box in the foyer.
• Parents, please keep your children close to you.
• Only 2 people are allowed in the washrooms at one time.
• Socializing before and after the worship service is outside, while keeping a 2-meter physical distance or wearing a mask and weather permitting.
• The church building is not open for any other programs at this time so we can limit the areas needing cleaning and disinfecting.
Thank for your continued support, your understanding and cooperation. We could not do this without you. We also understand that not everyone is ready to attend an onsite service yet for various reasons. Please continue joining us for our livestream services and staying in touch with us.
If you have any questions and concerns, please contact the church office at (780) 433-8706.
Before you arrive:
• We encourage you to use the Alberta Health Services (AHS) online screening tool prior to the service. Please don’t attend if you are feeling unwell or have common symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat). Individuals who have traveled internationally or who have had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days are prohibited by law from entering.
When you arrive:
• Please arrive 10 – 15 minutes early to ensure a smooth and staggered entry procedure.
• Optional – check in at the front table. An attendance record is kept for potential contact tracing in the unlikely event of a COVID outbreak, and will be destroyed after 2 weeks.
• We require attendees to wear a face mask. There is a limited supply at church in case you don’t have one.
• Please make sure to maintain a 2-metre physical distance from others as you enter and exit the building. Our ushers will direct traffic flow to allow for proper distancing while seated. Avoid handshakes and physical contact with people outside of your family unit or “cohort”.
• There will be hand sanitizer stations for your use.
• Parents are encouraged to keep children under close supervision before, during and after the service.
• Regardless of your perspective, please be respectful and gracious toward others who may not share your feelings. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Declaration
I confirm that I am not presenting any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 identified by Alberta Health Services:
• fever
• new onset of cough or worsening of chronic cough
• new or worsening shortness of breath
• new or worsening difficulty breathing
• sore throat
• flu-Like Symptoms
• runny nose
I verify that I have not returned to Alberta from any country outside of Canada whether by car, air, bus, or train in the past 14 days and to my knowledge have not had close contact with someone who is confirmed as having COVID-19.
I understand that Alberta Health Services requires individuals to maintain physical distancing of at least two meters.
I understand that the Edmonton Church of God is required to ensure that extra precautions are available for “higher risk” congregants, including people over 65 years of age and people with chronic medical conditions. To protect this higher risk group, the Edmonton Church of God requires that all attendees wear a non-medical mask while in the building for a service. Masks will be provided for those who do not have access to one. If you have people in your household who are immune compromised, please use discretion in terms of your decision to attend.
While we want to do our part to limit the spread, please pray for God’s protection and blessing for this church service. Thank you for your cooperation.