Last updated on Wednesday, March 26, 2020
Important Links
Canadian Government Information (including financial resources) Updated March 26, 2020
Alberta Financial Aid (Updated March 26, 2020)
Spiritual Encouragement (Updated March 17, 2020)
Mental Health (Updated March 18, 2020)
Ways to Connect (Updated March 26, 2020)
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Calgary Church of Christ
Our Present Response to COVID-19
The Situation
It is not easy to know the best course of action to follow with respect to church activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want the church to serve one another and our community; we want to be a source of comfort, stability, and spiritual sustenance. But we also have a responsibility to do our part in not giving opportunity for the further spreading of the virus.
Sunday Morning Worship and Classes
In light of current instructions from the Government of Canada, it is necessary that we move our Sunday morning worship to an online format, with the first Sunday for this occurring on Sunday, March 22. Watch for information on the website and in emails about how to participate in our online worship services. Our in-person Sunday school classes have also been suspended. In addition to our online Sunday services, other possible meetings will also move to an online format (such as Bible Classes, video prayer sessions and many Life Groups-see below about Life Groups). Again, please look at our website (www.calgarycofc.com) and watch for emails for information updates. We also covet your perspective and input regarding our plan of action. Please feel free to send an email to [email protected] and tell us how you think we can best respond to the pandemic.
In light of moving our worship services online, for those who wish to let us know of their need we will make available Lord’s Supper supplies that can be picked up at the building. If you choose to access this, you need specifically to contact the office-please R.S.V.P.-to let us know what you need.
Giving
Please remember the responsibilities we all have concerning the financial support of the Lord’s work. You can give by:
1. Pre-authorized debit form – download a form here. These forms can then be emailed to [email protected].
2. You can make an e-transfer to [email protected]. Please include your full name and contact information in the e-transfer so that you will receive a receipt for your donation.
3. Send cheques to The Calgary Church of Christ, 4030 Maryvale Dr NE, Calgary, AB, T2A 2S8.
Life Groups
Please contact your Life Group leader about your Life Group’s plans. We recommend Life Groups meet online (for example on Zoom or Google Hangouts) if workable. But, for the time being the decision about how best to cope with Life Group meetings is left to each Life Group to decide. We recognize the tremendous encouragement that Life Groups could be at this time, even if through online platforms. Under no circumstances should someone who has any health issues attend a Life Group meeting in person.
Other Gatherings
All other gatherings are now suspended:
- Wednesday lunches
- Ladies’ Knitting
- Thursday morning Ladies’ Bible Class
- Brown Bag Lunch Making
- Spark
- Ignite
ARCHIVES
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Dear Church Family,
We want to update you on what’s happening at Calgary Church of Christ in light of the current news surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The staff and Elders have met and pooled information from many local and international churches who are currently dealing with outbreaks, as well as researched what local schools and other institutions are doing to help their members and students. We are also monitoring information from Alberta Health Services.
At this time, it has not been recommended to cancel Sunday church gatherings.
After announcing four new COVID-19 cases Thursday afternoon, the province is asking organizers to cancel gatherings of 250 people or more.
These large gatherings include sporting events, conferences and community events, but not places of worship, grocery stores, shopping centres or airports, the province said.
CTV News, Thursday, March 12 at 3:14 p.m.
Calgary Church of Christ will remain open and we will continue to have services on Sundays as well as our regular youth programming. In the event that local and provincial health officials do recommend closure or we determine it is in the best interest of our Calgary Church of Christ family to close, we will inform everyone to the best of our abilities through our website, emails and social media.
During this time, here’s how we are committed to keeping our building as virus free as possible:
We will sanitize highly touched surfaces such as doors, handles, flat surfaces, water fountains and sinks.
Our staff and volunteer teams will wash their hands frequently and stay home if they are sick. In addition, our Fireside Cafe workers will wear gloves when they serve food & drinks.
Provided that we can obtain more hand sanitizers, we will make them available at more locations.
Lord’s Supper and offering bags/boxes will be arranged at the back of the auditorium to avoid passing them from person to person. Remember, you can also give online.
During this time, we are asking you to help stop the spread of the virus in the following ways:
Stay at home when you or a family member is sick.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Cover your sneeze or cough with a tissue or your arm.
Get in the habit of NOT touching your face.
Forgo shaking hands at church for a wave or a friendly smile.
Be generous in allowing for lots of personal space when around others at church.
If you or someone you know tests positive for COVID-19, please let us know so we can find a way to help, pray for everyone involved and take any necessary precautions here at Calgary Church of Christ.
Three Ways You Can Help:
Pray – Pray for those impacted by the virus, as well as their families and loved ones.
Serve – Be ready to serve those who may need some additional help or entertainment if they are in isolation.
Trust – Trust that God is in control of His world and His people and help to spread the message of peace and comfort to those around you.
In Psalm 46, we are reminded that it is God who is our refuge and strength, and our ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, let us not fear, but with confidence use this opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus through our prayers and our care for others.
While we cannot control the virus, the spread or the impact it has in our church, we’re doing everything we can to make this building and our church community as safe and clean as possible. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to help us do just that. We must also remember that God has not called us to live in fear but in faith. As the apostle, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit of God does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” Our prayer is that God will fill all of us with these three gifts, no matter what comes our way.
The uncertainty of this outbreak is creating anxiety in our workplaces, schools, and day-to-day activities. Yet we remain certain of God’s steadfast presence and careful attention to all that is happening. Please join us in praying for those who are affected by this illness, as well as their caregivers and those who are working around the clock to minimize the impact of this virus.
Youth Missions Team Update
Our youth missions team continues to prepare and fundraise for our planned trip to Estonia at the end of June. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we are prepared to make changes as necessary as the trip draws closer. We appreciate your prayers and support in the midst of the uncertainty. In the event of a trip cancellation (allowable up to 48 hours prior to take-off), all funds raised for the trip will be used for future youth missions projects.
Questions or Concerns?
If you’d like to share your thoughts, concerns, questions, and ideas with us as we navigate our response to this situation, we’d love to hear from you. Your input and feedback are truly important to us. Please email [email protected] with any questions or comments.
Here is some additional guidance from Alberta Health Services:
Wash your hands often and well
Avoid touching your face, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched
Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill
Contact your primary health provider or Health Link 811 if you have questions or concerns about your health
When sick, cover your cough and sneezes and then wash your hands
Wearing Medical Masks
Masks can be very important in certain situations. When sick, wearing a mask helps prevent us from passing illnesses on to other people. This is why we ask people who have a cough or respiratory symptoms to wear a mask and wash their hands when visiting an emergency department or clinic.
If you are sick, wearing a mask helps prevent passing the illness on to other people.
If you are healthy, medical masks are not recommended as they don’t provide full protection and can create a false sense of security.