Welcome

Preamble....

We are thankful we can reconvene as a church at Taylor Seminary on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 10:30 AM.
However as we do, our church leadership team fully understands the potential for the spread of COVID-19 within our precious church.

As a result, church leadership has designed a comprehensive Action Plan based upon the guidelines established by the Gov’t of Alberta and the Chief Medical Officer of Alberta, to minimize the risk of any potential spread and impacts of COVID-19 on our congregation.

On Saturday, May 23, 2020, you received a copy of this Action Plan by email correspondence. However this updated information, sent today, is provided to show you what to expect as you come to Heritage Valley Assembly in the Sunday’s ahead. In an effort to make this as clear as possible, we’ll walk step-by-step through the Sunday morning experience.

STEP #1 – SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL
Please refer to and take the on-line Self Assessment Tool provided by Alberta Health at https://myhealth.alberta.ca/journey/covid-19/Pages/COVID-Self-Assessment.aspx
Please do not come to church if you:
- Have any of the symptoms that are mentioned in the Self Assessment Tool
- Have a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, or shortness of breath
- Have been in close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 14 days
- Have traveled out of Canada within the last 14 days
We will have a hard copy of the Self-Assessment Tool Questionnaire at the front door for reference, in case you have not assessed yourself.

STEP #2 – PARKING LOT PROTOCOL
If you are healthy and able to come to church, upon parking your car, ensure you maintain physical distancing of 2 meters or 6 feet (a hockey stick length) from others, as you move toward the front door of Taylor Seminary. If there is a line-up waiting to enter, please continue to maintain this distance as you wait.

STEP #3 – OUTSIDE DOOR CHECK-IN
As you approach the outside front doors, I will have the pleasure of greeting you. I will be masked, and will ensure you are not ill. I will also pace your entry into the building to guarantee physical distancing. You will be given an opportunity to put on a mask (provided) and sanitize your hands.

STEP #4 – INSIDE FRONT DOOR CHECK-IN
As you enter through the inside front doors, you will be met by a wonderful volunteer greeting you.
They will also be masked; they will ensure that you physically distance yourself as you make your way down the marked hallway to Stencel Hall.

STEP #5 – CHECK-IN TABLE
As you draw closer to the sanctuary doors, another volunteer will record your name for attendance purposes. Please be assured this information will be kept confidential. We will never be asked for the attendance records by medical authorities except in the event someone in our congregation develops COVID-19. The information would be shared for tracing purposes to alert others of exposure to the disease.

STEP #6 – SANCTUARY SERVICE
As you enter Stencel Hall, you will be greeted by an usher who will also be masked. Hand sanitizers will be provided in the sanctuary for your convenience, as they are elsewhere in the facility.
You may choose where to sit or if you are unsure, please ask for assistance from the usher, who will be happy to assist you. However, you must only sit with your family members or your cohort group that you’ve connected to during this pandemic.

You will need to physically distance yourself by 2 meters (6 ft) from each other. These requirements apply to people beside you, behind you, or in front of you. A suggestion is to keep 2 seats, horizontally and 2 rows vertically between you and the next family group. Again, the usher(s) will be of assistance if you are unsure of where to sit.

During our worship time, an offering plate will not be passed around but a container will be positioned in the back of the Sanctuary for your tithes and offerings to be deposited. However, you can continue to give on-line by visiting our church website www.heritagevalleyassembly.com if that is more convenient.

There will now be congregational singing since everyone will be wearing a mask. There will be a time of intercessory prayer and a sharing of the Word from our pastors. We will encourage you to warmly and graciously welcome one another, but with no physical touch (ie. handshake, hugs, etc.). Please indicate your care with a thumbs up, hand wave, etc.

As well, it is to be noted that our service will be on-line live through Face Book; the Sunday service will also be recorded, edited and placed on-line to our church website www.heritagevalleyassembly.com , on our YouTube Channel, Heritage Plus by Tuesday each week. In other words, if you are unable to attend Taylor Seminary on Sunday’s, we will continue to present our on-line services to serve you.

STEP #7 – FOLLOWING THE WORSHIP SERVICE
Upon concluding our worship service, our ushers will once again assist you to physically distance as we exit the sanctuary. We may now exit through the front doors.

Please note, Taylor Seminary has rightfully restricted usage of the Common Area and kitchen before, during and after the service. Therefore, no food or refreshments will be available on Sunday mornings during this active COVID-19 phase. Eventually, as permitted by provincial authorities, we will be able to more fully fellowship with food, drink and potlucks.

As you return to your vehicle or transportation in the parking lot, please maintain the required physical distancing of 2 meters or 6 feet.

FINAL THOUGHTS....

1. We are now able to have in-person services with no cap on attendance, as long as physical distancing of 2 metres is maintained between families and household cohorts.

As you can appreciate this will be an inconvenience to us all until the cap on attendance per Sunday is lifted by provincial authorities.

2. Our washrooms are accessible as normal.

3. An assigned individual will cleanse and sanitize all high touch areas as individuals are arriving, while the service is going on, and upon leaving. We will be treating possible infection areas, taking care to sanitize thoroughly.

4. Finally, this phase will be different than what we’ve known, but God has not changed and His love and care will consistently go with us, as we move into a new and exciting stage of our church’s development and growth!

With God we are victors, not victims! With God our church will move forward, not fall behind! With God, His kingdom shall be built, not diminished!

Sincerely yours,

Love you all!

Pastor Larry