COVID-19 CHURCH RESPONSE

(Updated November 23, 2020)


REOPENING PLAN

The most recent update from the Ontario government has made provision for places of worship to re-gather at 30% of their capacity (or max 50 people) with social distancing measures in place. 


Gathering together with physical distancing in place is a complex process and involves various factors. We want to work towards reintegration in a responsible manner with the health and safety of our families and our neighbours in mind. 

Taking the responses from the survey, the safety of our members and neighbours and the government guidelines concerning Covid-19 into consideration, our church will take a three stage approach to re-open our in-person worship gathering at the Royal York location. 


Due to the second wave of COVID-19, we are still currently in STAGE 1 of our plan. Please check the following document for information regarding our first stage. 


>> VIEW STAGE 1 DOCUMENT <<

  • SUNDAYS

    We will continue to live stream our Sunday Worship Service at 11am until further notice. We encourage you to engage online with our community in  the comment section. Commenting as you watch can create wider participation and a sense of togetherness. Remember, everyone is hungry for connection with God and people and are looking for comfort online. So, please share the live feed link on social media each weekend before the service. You never know who might need a song to comfort them, a prayer to carry them or a word to encourage them. As of today, close to 500 people have engaged our online worship service and we are hoping for more and more people to engage in the coming weeks. 

  • FACEBOOK LIVE

    Our livestream service is hosted on Avenue's Facebook page. Go ahead and follow us if you haven't already! Our livestream will begin at 11am every Sunday and we will be continuing our "Learning to Pray" series this month. Every livestream will be available for playback anytime afterwards.

  • LIFE GROUPS

    While we are forced to maintain physical distance from one another at this time, we want to encourage Life Groups to maintain their social connections with each other via video chats, social media apps, texts, phone calls, emails and any other creative means. May we continue to care and support one another during this time. 


    If you hear about anyone who may need support or prayer or groceries to be dropped off due to the current circumstances, please contact Pastor Alex or Pastor Darrick who will help coordinate our appropriate response.

  • PRAYER

    We want to encourage you to learn to pray the way Jesus taught us and to practice prayer daily and consistently. We want to encourage you to pray individually and connect with your life groups in creative ways for prayer. 


    Also, our pastors are here to talk with you and pray for you! If there is anything that you would like prayer for – fear, anxieties, discouragement, loneliness, struggles, sickness or even if you need words of comfort, encouragement and support, do not hesitate to contact one of the pastors. We are here to walk with you and serve you during these challenging times. 

  • ONLINE GIVING

    During this time, we have opened up online giving for our Avenue community via Paypal. WIth Paypal, you can give through credit card or by setting up a direct transfer with your bank account. We want to encourage you to continue give faithfully as we use our gifts and resources to build up His kingdom through the local church. 


    >> GIVE ONLINE <<

A few things to keep in mind...

  1. Don’t be afraid. Fix your eyes on Jesus. 
  2. Pray for the situation and for the individuals and families that have been affected. 
  3. Pray for leaders and medical staff who are constantly making important decisions.
  4. Continue to engage the current moment with love and care for people, without amplifying fear and anxiety. Let your light shine!
  5. For those of you who have travelled, we need you to be extremely vigilant and carefully monitor yourself for signs and symptoms of respiratory illness for 14 days after returning. Should symptoms develop, we ask that you stay home and contact public health for further instruction. https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/96bb-MOH-COVID-19-media-update_12March2020.pdf


Please stay tuned throughout the month as we will continue to update you. If you have any question, do no hesitate to reach out to us.


In this together,


Pastors and Elders