Sunday Services

Important Note

Before signing up for an in-person service, please take the time to read through the details below.

While we are making every effort to minimize risk, we realize that we cannot remove risk entirely. Please note that if you choose to attend an in-person service, you do so at your own risk.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to the church office.

Children's Handouts

If you would like to print a handout of this week's sermon for your children to fill in the blanks and colour, you can do so by clicking here.

Fall Ministry

Please visit our 2021 Fall Ministry page for details on what our weekly programming will look like in the months ahead in light of the ongoing pandemic.

Public Health Guidelines

Our leadership team has been working closely with Waterloo's Public Health Department to ensure that we are taking the necessary steps and precautions to keep our congregants and community safe as we begin to reopen our church.  While we have outlined the specifics of what we are planning to do below, we encourage you to read through the COVID-19 Guidance for Reopening Places of Worship document, as well.

Registration is Required

At this time, we are legally required to limit our in-person gatherings to a subset of our church's capacity. If a service is full, we encourage you to join our live stream, and to sign up for a later service instead. Walk-ins will not be accepted; you must register in advance to attend.

Precautions / What to Expect

Below is a summary of what you can expect as part of our in-person services. Please also take the time to read the COVID-19 Guidance for Reopening Places of Worship document.

• Those arriving by car will line up on the sidewalk at the back of the building by the glass doors.
  • Please ensure that you are maintaining a minimum distance of six feet from other families while lined up.
• Those arriving on foot (including Woodland Terrace residents) will line up on the sidewalk at the front of the building by the glass doors.
  • Please ensure that you are maintaining a minimum distance of six feet from other families while lined up.
  • The hallway connecting the church building to Woodland Terrace will be closed and locked. Please do not attempt to enter or exit the church through the connecting hallway.

If Attending a Sanctuary Service:

• At the door, you will be greeted by one of our volunteers, who will ask for your name and confirm that you signed up ahead of time.
  • If you have not registered ahead of time, you will not be permitted entry.
• Once inside, you will be directed to a sanctuary door, where you will find a hand sanitizing station that we encourage you to use.
  • Congregating in the foyer is not permitted.
• Once in the sanctuary, you will be assigned a pew by one of our ushers.
  • Only every third pew will be open to maintain appropriate physical distancing.
  • Please do not engage in hugging, shaking hands, high fiving, or any other touch greeting with other attendees.
• After the service, attendees will be dismissed one pew at a time to ensure physical distancing between those leaving.
  • When dismissed, you will be directed out of the building through the doors you originally entered.
  • Once again, congregating in the foyer is not permitted.

If Attending a Gym Overflow Service:

• At the CE Wing door, you will be greeted by one of our volunteers, who will ask for your name and confirm that you signed up ahead of time.
  • If you have not registered ahead of time, you will not be permitted entry.
• Once inside, you will be directed downstairs to the gym, where you will find a hand sanitizing station that we encourage you to use.
  • Congregating in the hallways is not permitted.
• Once in the gym, you will be assigned a seat by one of our ushers.
  • Seats have been spaced out to maintain physical distancing.
  • Please do not engage in hugging, shaking hands, high fiving, or any other touch greeting with other attendees.
• After the service, attendees will be dismissed one seat at a time to ensure physical distancing between those leaving.
  • When dismissed, you will be directed out of the building through the doors you originally entered.
  • Once again, congregating in the hallways is not permitted.

 

Frequently Asked Questions
 

If there are no seats left, can I still show up?

Unfortunately, no. We are legally required to limit our attendance in order to maintain social distancing. If there is no space left for a particular service, we invite you to sign up for the next one, or to consider signing up for one of our Sunday evening services!

Are masks required?

Yes. A by-law came into effect in Waterloo Region on July 13, 2020 that requires all attendees to wear a mask the entire time that you are in the church building. Children under the age of five, as well as those with a medical condition making them unable to safely wear a mask, are exempt from this requirement.

Who is considered at-risk?

• Anyone over the age of 70
• Those who have existing medical conditions
  • Asthma
  • Emphysema
  • Cancer
  • etc.

• If you are taking drugs to suppress immunity for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis

If you have any concerns about joining in person, we would encourage you to consult with your doctor.

Will restrooms be open?

Restrooms will be available, but we ask that they only be used in emergencies. If you do need to use the restroom, please ensure proper physical distancing within the bathroom facilities.

Will there be congregational singing?

Based on the guidelines provided by Public Health, congregational singing is only permitted by those who are wearing a mask.

Will the offering plate be passed around?

To limit touching of shared surfaces, the offering plate will not be passed around at this time. Instead, you may place your offering into the church office mail slot, or into an offering box that will be available in the foyer. We also continue to offer e-transfer as a giving method, as well as pre-authorized giving.