Update: May 2022

Over the months of March and April, we have walked through a transition away from our Sunday morning online services on YouTube as we have known them over the past two years, and towards in-person services at 22 Willow. While the results of our community survey around this show that most of our community members are ready for this transition, we do recognize that there are members of our community who will be impacted by the ending of our Sunday morning virtual services. There are some who have been joining virtually from a distance who will not be able to join us in the same way in-person, and others who do not yet feel comfortable or ready to join in this large group setting indoors. 

As we journey through this transition, we desire to continue to provide ways for those who are not yet ready or able to join in person during this time to feel connected to our community. Over the next little while we will be experimenting with virtual options and will be seeking feedback from the community as we move forward. Below is our plan for the month of May. 

Please do reach out if there are ways that you feel you can help provide these spaces (hosting zoom calls etc) for our community as we continue to navigate the reality of the pandemic and its ongoing impact. We look forward to engaging with the community in any of these in-person (indoor and outdoor) and virtual spaces!  

Other virtual connection opportunities outside of Sunday mornings include:

• Sermon audio podcasts
• Weekly virtual prayer gathering (Mondays at 10am)
• Accessing pre-recorded musical pieces from the worship team on our YouTube channel through this playlist
• Midweek short video reflections from our teaching team sent out to the community each week

A Few Notes About Our In-Person Services:

COVID Protocols:

Many of the provincial and regional COVID protocols and guidelines have been lifted, as well as Trillium’s policies around these restrictions. In following these guidelines, we will be moving forward with these practices in place:

1. Masks
   Although masks are no longer mandatory indoors, we continue to encourage the wearing of masks during this time. We want to create an environment that feels as safe and comfortable as possible for everyone as we navigate this transition. We encourage those 5 and older to continue to wear masks indoors. Thank you!
2. Screening and Registration
   There will be no mandatory registration or screening process at the door. However, we would ask as we move forward with in-person gatherings, that we all monitor our own health and opt to stay home if we are showing COVID symptoms, in order to protect those who may be more vulnerable among us. If you ever have questions around whether or not you should join in person, please refer to the Ontario School Screening tool to guide your decision.
3. Sanitizing
   We will continue to have sanitizing stations around the building and encourage community members to sanitize their hands upon entry of the building.
   Sanitizing wipes will also be available in the washrooms for those who would like to wipe down surfaces before or after using the space.
4. Vaccination Requirement
   Both Trillium and the provincial/regional guidelines have lifted the requirement for vaccination. Therefore, we will not be requiring proof of vaccination to enter or participate in our gatherings.
5. Capacity Limits and Distancing
   The capacity limits and distancing requirements have also been lifted. At this point we are not required to rope off pews to provide for distancing. However, knowing that some of our community members would continue to feel more comfortable maintaining distance, we will have a section of the Sanctuary where the pews will be roped off to allow for distancing.

*Please note that these practices are based on the current provincial and regional guidelines, and are subject to change should those guidelines shift again in the coming weeks or months. 

Kids’ Programming:

We know that KidsQuest is an important part of our return to in-person gathering at 22 Willow. Beginning Sunday May 1st, our kids programming will be in full swing! We’ll be dismissing our kids (up to grade 5) to their KidsQuest program in the second half of the service and parents can pick them up at the end of discussion groups. The nursery will also be open and staffed during this time. We are continuing to encourage our kids (5+) to wear masks indoors during the KidsQuest programming, especially as it will be difficult to ensure physical distancing in these spaces. Parents, although a formal COVID screening will not happen for KidsQuest, we ask you to monitor your children for any symptoms of covid-19 and thank you for keeping them out of programming if they are showing symptoms. We look forward to connecting with some of our youngest Elevation members again!