(prepared by Peter Bisset, chair of COVID Response Team) Many churches are starting to receive requests regarding choir singing and concerts. In response to this, the COVID19 Task Group recognizes this will become a local church decision sooner or later, however, we would suggest consideration be given to the following risk assessment when deciding to proceed with any of these activities. We shall assume at this time the risk of the variant spread is high and it is transmitted as an aerosol....
Category: Pastoral Charges
Although larger numbers are now permitted to gather for worship and other activities, communities of faith are reminded that allowable numbers in any enclosed space are based on capacity of the space with social distancing. Mask-wearing and other safety protocols remain critical for the health of our communities. Many communities of faith were excited to hear that the government now allows singing (with 2 m social distancing and wearing of masks); however, singing is an activity that could...
The history of residential schools in Canada is a painful scar that continues to re-open in the relationship between indigenous peoples and the settler communities of Canada. After the discovery of the bodies of 215 children found on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, many people are walking with indigenous communities in this renewed grief, and would like to better understand the most appropriate actions to take next, after taking time to mourn and lament the lost children...
***UPDATED 2021-03-31*** In response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has been affecting Quebec since March 2020, representatives of various religious communities have formed a consensus-building table to develop a common protocol to ensure the protection of their members' health during religious services. In the current context of active community transmission of the virus in the province, any gathering of people can represent a significant risk of outbreak in a group or transmission between...
Montreal, March 29, 2021. The Christian Jewish Dialogue of Montreal (CJDM) will hold its 42nd annual Christian Commemoration of the Shoah online on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 10:00. The host Congregation this year is Montreal West United Church. The service will be available at https://www.mwuc.org/. This event will bring together Jews, Christians, and others to commemorate the six million Jews and one million other victims of the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah (“the...
The Government of Quebec has authorized communities of faith to reopen for worship only for a maximum of 10 people in the church building, including the worship leader/minister, organist/ musician and if someone is operating a camera to livestream or pre-record the worship. Please note that a reopening plan for the church building must have been submitted to the COVID Response Task Group for this to be authorized. Any questions can be referred to the COVID Response Task Group. We realize that...
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