Greetings Village Green Community Church Family,
As you are aware, the Covid-19 virus is causing closings and schedule disruptions around the globe. Many communities are assessing the risks and making decisions in order to protect their people, especially the most vulnerable.
As we closely monitor the situation, we are following the recommendations of both the London Middlesex Health Unit and Public Health Canada with respect to large gatherings. Currently we are under a low threat level in London and the recommendation is to cancel gatherings greater than 2500, a threshold that we are well under.
Still, in light of this growing concern and because we care about your health and well-being, we felt it wise to make some adjustments to our Sunday morning services.
Our current plan is to move forward with Sunday mornings services at 10:00am with the following changes in order to protect everyone, especially those in our community who are at risk (the elderly), and those with compromised immune systems.
Further, this protocol will take effect immediately and be in place for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, the Elders will continue to monitor the threat level to our community and any changes to our schedule of meetings will be communicated immediately. Any updates will be communicated through all our media channels (Website, MailChimp, Facebook, etc.) and we are asking everyone to share the updates to make sure people stay informed.
- We are asking everyone who enters the building to disinfect themselves using the hand sanitizer dispensers. We have three available, one just inside the main doors of the building, one just outside the main auditorium doors, and one downstairs just inside the main door of Kid’s Connection.
- We are also asking that you refrain from greeting others with a handshake or a hug.
- Our Greeters and Ushers will welcome you as usual but will refrain from shaking hands. They will also open doors as people arrive and wipe door handles to keep possible infection to a minimum.
- We will not be passing the offering plates during the service but instead, have the ushers place them at each of the auditorium doors. You can drop off your offering as you leave the auditorium or consider using the PayPal option on our website.
- We are also going to review our Communion protocol. Our next Communion is not scheduled for another three weeks but depending on what the threat level is at the time; we will make modifications in keeping with our desire to minimize risk for everyone.
- Smaller gatherings such as Bible studies, Youth, and/or Life Groups are not presently affected by this protocol but will continue to be under review on a weekly basis by the Elders.
- We are also suspending the coffee ministry for now. Due to the high incidence of people touching the coffee dispensers we felt it best to limit this contact area.
- In light of these protocols, it may affect the number of volunteers available on a given Sunday which may require the church to adjust ministries accordingly. Please be patient with us. If you see a void in an area and are available to help in order to minimize ministry disruption, your service is very much appreciated.
If you or anyone in your family are feeling unwell, we ask that you stay home from church. We thankfully livestream our services. You can stream our services at www.villagegreenchurch.com. Should you have any questions or concerns you can contact the office at office@villagegreenchurch.com or me directly at leadpastor@villagegreenchurch.com
Our Mission at Village Green is to Love God, Love Others, and Change the World. During this time of uncertainty and fear for many, we have a God who is gracious and sovereign over all. What better time to demonstrate our dependency on the Lord while protecting those in our community who may be adversely affected by this health pandemic.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to seek the well-being of those in our community. We appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we monitor the situation and look to make effective decisions for the benefit of us all. As I close, I’ve included a link to an article that compares the symptoms of the Covid-19 virus to the flu, common cold, and allergies. If you are not feeling well, and unsure of your situation, this article may be of help.
Blessings,
Jon Korkidakis
Lead Pastor, Village Green Community Church.
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