Updates about COVID-19 Protocols

As you have probably heard by now, the province of Quebec is moving rapidly to reopen most things that have been closed or restricted since the rise of the Omicron variant in mid-December. The Diocese of Montreal has issued new guidelines about what will be permitted between now and the middle of March.

I confess to being upset and angry at the (in my opinion) extremely premature abandonment of the requirement for vaccine passports, which will take effect in the whole province as of March 14 (and the requirement is lifted for houses of worship before we even return in-person on March 2!) I was hoping that being able to promise that everyone in worship was vaccinated would allow some of our more cautious members to return in person, and am very sorry not to be able to provide that assurance as we reopen.

We will still wear masks at all times inside the church building except when receiving communion; this remains our best form of protection. Throughout Lent, while not enforcing capacity limits (we don’t expect to exceed 50 people in any case) we will observe the attendance patterns and decide whether we need to set a limit for the numbers allowed in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday, and if so, what that limit will be.

As long as rapid tests are reasonably easily available, I encourage you to test before attending worship in-person (I intend to do so myself), as an extra layer of protection for the others present.

The Corporation is also still exploring the possibility of installing additional ventilation, but we are still working on assembling enough reliable information to make an informed and cost-effective decision.

Please consult this post for a detailed list of services for Lent and Holy Week. We will be doing as much as possible outside, weather permitting!

I hope to see you in church soon!