UPDATE: Rosewood Church will reopen on Sunday, August 1, 2021
We're excited to welcome you back for in-person worship on Sunday, August 1, 2021 at 11:30 AM. Things will be different than when you were last here back in March 2020. Please take some time to read about the changes that we have implemented to keep you safe and to comply with the government officials.
Reduced Capacity
When we resume in-person worship services at the Church building on 657 Milner Avenue, we will be practicing physical distancing throughout the main level and balcony of the sanctuary. We will also be blocking off rows of seats to create physical barriers between each row and we will be reminding everyone to keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone not in their household. The provincial government rules say that places of worship can have up to 50 per cent capacity for a service. In order to achieve this, it will be extremely helpful for us to know ahead of time the number of people planning to attend each service. Therefore we ask that you take a few minutes to reserve your seat(s) for you and your family before you arrive. You will also be able to see which of the two services has many or few remaining spaces available which will help us to stay within the new seating capacity guidelines.
To begin the reservation process, please visit rosewood.churchcenter.com on your computer or download the Church Center App on Android or Apple.
The Church Center App is a ministry-centered website and mobile application which will help you to easily sign up for services, check-in upon arrival for services, connect with and join Small Groups and Bible Study groups and more! The video below shows how useful it is and how easy it is to get started. All that you need to begin is your email address or your cell phone number. Try to use the cell phone or email address that we have on file for you to speed up the initial set up and you'll automatically be connected to your account. You can also access your profile through the website rosewood.churchcenter.com.
Download the Church Center App on your smartphone or tablet and get started today! Remember to use either your email address or your cell phone number to get started (Please note that home phone numbers would not be suitable as you'll need to receive a 6-digit numerical code to register).
Masks
The use of masks will be mandatory for each person. If they do not have one, one will be provided to them as they enter the building for the health and safety of everyone, and in compliance with City of Toronto By-Law 541-2020. It will be expected that masks be worn by everyone. Each person will be asked to sanitize their hands as people enter.
Sign-in Agreement, Consent & Waiver Form
Each person who enters the building (whether member or guest) for a Bible study, prayer time, worship service or some other event will be asked to fill out and sign a waiver, if they have not yet done so.
The waiver needs only to be filled out and signed once and will then be kept on file. The waiver must be signed by each adult attendee, plus by a parent or guardian on behalf of minor aged children (i.e. under 18 years of age).
This is to ensure that Rosewood is not held liable for any unfortunate instances where one may be exposed to the virus or the like. You can review it now and sign a copy in the main foyer when you arrive.
Seating Times
There will be designated seating times for each service to avoid people coming in and overcrowding areas by hanging around before and after services and to have time before and after each service for our team to clean and disinfect all high touch areas. This information will be posted on our website and main entrance.
Service (11:30 AM – 12:45 PM)
Family Friendly Services
Children’s church and nursery will not be available during phase 1 of our opening. Families are encouraged to sit and worship together. Our services will be shortened and geared towards being more family friendly to appeal to and keep the attention of everyone. The nurseries will be closed (except for parents with babies to use for diaper changes, feedings, or quiet time).
Cleaning In Between Services
After each service, enhanced cleaning will take place. All chairs that were used during that service time will be sprayed with disinfectant and all high touch areas will be cleaned down. Washrooms will also be disinfected after each service.
No Physical Contact
We will not resume any physical contact while greeting one another, such as hugs, handshakes, fist bumps, etc.
Distribution of Paper Materials
To help us reduce the amount of touching that needs to happen we will not be offering paper bulletins. Instead the weekly prayer sheet, announcements and signups will be available online through the regular email newsletter, as you have been receiving during the building closure. Only those who do not have access to them online will be provided with a paper copy.
Praise & Worship
Worship teams will be reduced in number to enable each person on stage to spread out and maintain a safe distance. Each worship team member and pastor will have their own microphone assigned to them to avoid spread of any airborne viral particles. These microphones will be cleaned after each service.
There will be no congregational singing or wind or brass instruments allowed initially in compliance with our insurance company, the City of Toronto and Province of Ontario’s requirements on indoor singing, and people are expected to keep their masks on during the entire duration of the service or Bible Study. If someone refuses to wear a mask they will be asked to leave. A doctor tested oxygen levels when a person wore a mask and found the oxygen levels were the same as without a mask.
Collecting Tithes & Offerings
Offering plates will no longer be passed along row by row. Instead, they will be placed at the back of the sanctuary in designated areas for people to drop off their tithes & offerings on the way in or out of the sanctuary.
The online and e-transfer donations will continue to be available, which will be encouraged to be the best method of giving.
Washrooms
Washroom facilities will be monitored by trained volunteers who will ensure only one person is entering/exiting at a time and to ensure that no overcrowding is happening.
The Lord’s Supper
No communion trays will be passed row by row. Communion elements will be available in sealed packages to partake in and will be available to be picked up upon entrance into the sanctuary.
Baptism
No baptisms will take place for now.
Choir
Because of the close contact involved, choir will not resume for now.
No Other Programs, Bible Studies or Sunday School Classes Initially
While we are eager to resume Wednesday Bible Study & Sunday Worship, we will not have Sunday School classes, small groups, or any other programs (i.e. Children’s Church, Nursery, Caravan, Club Naz, Preteens, Youth Group, Men’s/Ladies’ fellowship mornings, etc.). Our other groups will continue to meet online using Zoom.
What About Those Who Aren't Ready to Come Back?
We understand that some people may be hesitant in returning to ‘in person’ Wednesday Bible Study or Sunday services initially. We will continue to have our Wednesday Bible Study available by Zoom and our online services will continue until the end of September. We will start to live steam the 11:30 AM service on the 1st Sunday of October.
We also encourage those who are more vulnerable to a novel coronavirus or other infectious disease due to their age or underlying health condition to please stay home and worship with us online.
We ask you to continue to phone and contact those who you don’t see at church, to pray for and keep in contact with each other.
Funerals & Weddings (and other functions)
At the present time, Rosewood Church of the Nazarene is not accepting new requests to hold weddings, funerals, meetings, or other functions from any individual, group or organization. Your attendance and/or relationship with a member or attendee of Rosewood Church will not be cause of an exception. This will be revisited at the September board meeting. Weddings requested for dates in 2021 which were fully booked (signed booking agreement) prior to the release of the approved reopening plan will still be tentatively held, No new bookings will be made until further notice.
What If Someone Becomes Infected With Covid-19?
While on our premises for Sunday worship, Bible study or any other event or program, people will be asked to RSVP online or by phone and fill out a waiver.
These consent forms, along with online RSVP’s will help to act as attendance records for each service/event. This will be especially useful for the purpose of contact tracing and testing, in the event an attendee is found to be COVID-19 positive and may have been contagious, or in the event of a possible outbreak that may have been spread from an event on our premises.
While in the building if someone becomes ill or starts developing asymptomatic conditions, trained volunteers will consult with available Pastor(s) with a high level of urgency.
If there is a case(s) of COVID-19 confirmed in someone who was contagious while attending our service/event and/or on our premises, our local public health agency will be contacted along with any and all worship attendees and staff.
This may include instructions to self-isolate or self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms to reduce spread and avoid a community outbreak.
Guidance from public health will be followed in taking measures to clean and disinfect all areas to reduce the risk of spread in the building and to individuals.
What Else Can I Do To Prepare for Coming Back To Church?
Protect your community. Download the COVID Alert app. Canada.ca/coronavirus
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