WPUC COVID-19 Update

Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Laura

Update: May 5, 2023

We are a mask-friendly building! The windows will be open during Sunday service to provide cross ventilation in the building, so if you are prone to being cold, please dress accordingly. *Reminder: If you are feeling at all ill, please stay at home and take advantage of our on-line services – you can join us via live stream or watch the service during the week!

Update: April 19, 2023

Wearing of masks is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED during activities at Windsor Park United Church, especially when large gathering are occurring. The windows will be open during Sunday service to provide cross ventilation in the building, so if you are prone to being cold, please dress accordingly. *Reminder: If you are feeling at all ill, please stay home and take advantage of our on-line services – you can join us via live stream or watch the service during the week!

Update: December 2022

Wearing of masks is required during activities at Windsor Park United Church, other than when briefly consuming food or for those leading worship. With the cold, flu, COVID and RSV season upon us, we continue to wear masks for the safety of everyone in our community. We ask that you keep up to date with your COVID booster shots and flu shots. Reminder: If you are feeling at all ill, please stay home and take advantage of our on-line services – you can join us via live stream or watch the service during the week!

Update: October 3, 2022

Good afternoon WPUC community, By now you will have read the new updates from the reopening committee for the fall. We want to let you know that these decisions we make as a committee, are difficult ones, and that careful thought and consideration is put into each one. We look at what is happening around the city and surrounding communities, what other work places are doing, and to some degree what the government is telling us, which at this point is not much. We look at our church community demographics, weigh the pros and cons and consider our most vulnerable and immunocompromised, before we make a decision. At this time, masks may be removed when drinking or eating before or after church in lobby. We are no longer requesting you show us your proof of vaccination, although we do have many on file from previous requests. The sign in sheet is for during the week, so that Gina, our caretaker, is aware who has been in the building and where they have been. There is a designated worship area from the piano forward, where members of the worship team remove their masks for singing and speaking, but masks are put on when leaving this area into the rest of the church. Know that we are keeping everyone’s safety foremost in our minds as we make the decisions. We will revisit our decision as we move further into the cold and flu season, but for now we remain with masks and vaccines in place. We remind everyone, to keep up to date with all vaccines, not just the COVID 19 ones and boosters and once again, if you do not feel well, please stay home. We value each and everyone of you. Gloria Saindon Chair Official Board

Update: September 26, 2022

The reopening committee has met and we have decided to stay with masks and vaccine mandates as we have been. With the approach of the cold and flu season and the still present COVID around us, we need to stay ahead of the game for the safety of everyone in our community. We ask that you keep up to date with your booster shots and flu shots. If you are feeling ill, please stay home and take advantage of our on line service- we are live streaming now!

Update: August 27, 2022

As we enter the fall season, we are continuing to follow the adapted protocols as set out in May.

Update: May 1, 2022

The following are changes to our protocols as of May 1, 2022:

Wearing of masks remains required, other than when briefly consuming food or for those leading worship.
Vaccination is required.
Those attending in person worship may sit where they wish, keeping in mind physical distancing as desired.
Coffee time after worship will resume with the following protocols in place:

whoever wishes to be in charge of coffee for that week can sign up on the sheet outside the office or call in prior to Thursday at noon to let Sue know – if no one calls in or signs up there will be no coffee that week
coffee will be made upstairs in the small kitchen
everyone will be asked to bring their own mug/cup. If they forget, they will be responsible for cleaning the cup (s) used
only cookies may be served
masks are still to be worn, except if consuming coffee/cookie
the front door and side door (onto parking lot) and a window will be left open for air flow
people are encouraged people to visit outside if possible
the individual(s) in charge for the week is responsible for cleaning up and leaving the kitchen as it was found

5. Baptisms, weddings and funerals require masks and proof of vaccination 6. The Reopening Committee will remain in place, but in a stand by mode until called upon.

Update: April 12, 2022

Due to the forecast blizzard, the Good Friday service will be online only.

Update: April 4, 2022

Worship will be online only for Sunday, April 10.

Update: March 2022

We are planning to open for in-person worship beginning Sunday, March 27, 2022. at 10:30 a.m. The following protocols will be in place as we open our doors, allowing us to come together: – Masks will CONTINUE to be required in the building – If you have not shown us your proof of vaccination we will be asking to see that (although we will not be scanning them) – We WILL NOT be requiring pre-registration in order to attend – We WILL NOT be insisting on pre-arranged seating although we ask that you respect the needs of others to continue to social distance, if required – We WILL be asking you to respect to need of others to continue to social distance, so please ask for consent prior to approaching another, – We WILL NOT be insisting that individuals leave the premises immediately after the service, but there WILL NOT be coffee provided in the basement after the service. There will most likely be some pews at the front of the sanctuary blocked off because we are still in the process of cleaning and clearing from the construction.

Update: February 24, 2022

The reopening committee met recently to discuss the upcoming changes to the provincial health guidelines. After careful consideration, the following decisions have been made:

Masks will still be required while inside the building
We will continue to ask to see proof of vaccination
We will continue to sign the waivers for those that haven’t already done so
Please respect others that wish to continue to social distance while in the building.

We will continue to monitor the lifting of restrictions province wide and re-evaluate our own protocols moving forward and keep everyone informed. We are hopeful that the construction in the sanctuary will be complete in the next few days and then we will then proceed to clean and place everything back where it belongs. We hope to be back to in person Worship during the first half of Lent. Please stay tuned for additional information regarding the in person worship services. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work towards a new normal.

Update: February 2022

Due to the ongoing construction to the chancel area of the church and high numbers we are still seeing in the hospitals, we will continue with on line Worship services for February 6th and 13th. The reopening committee will meet again the week of February 14th to see where construction is at and how we will proceed moving forward. Thank you for your continued support as we once again adapt to a new normal.

Update: January 2022

Please note that there will be no in person services during the month of January, 2022. We will continue to post online services weekly. The answering machine, mail and email will be checked on a regular basis. Stay safe, everyone!

Update: October 1, 2021 – EXCITING NEWS!

Re-start of in-person Services in the Sanctuary at Windsor Park United Church

As announced earlier, the Official Board has approved the re-opening of Windsor Park United Church in-person Church Services beginning Sunday, October 10, 2021. It has been a long wait since our last in-person service in March 2020. We will of course be following all current health directives to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all attenders. **We require that those who attend have been fully vaccinated (children under age 12 who, as yet, can’t be vaccinated are welcome to attend with a fully vaccinated adult). As you can expect, there will be some differences from the usual routine.

If you would like to attend on Sunday morning, please phone the office (204) 256-8792 between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Thursday to register. With social distancing, we can only seat a limited number of people in the sanctuary – you need to call ahead each week so that we can manage numbers. At the current time and until further notice there will not be any persons who have not preregistered allowed into the service as we have limited seats available.
When you register, you will be asked:- how many will attend from your household and are you fully vaccinated?- have you travelled outside of Manitoba in the past 14 days?
You may arrive between 10 and 10:25 a.m. on Sunday and will be asked to wait outside for registration.
Face masks will be required as you enter the building. A reminder to use hand sanitizer when you enter.
A Greeter will welcome you at a desk at the door to record your attendance. This will allow us to keep a record of all attenders in case any follow-up contact is required. You will also be required to sign a waiver and show your proof of vaccination. We will be keeping a record and you will only need to do this on your first Sunday attending (attendance will be kept each week). You will be asked the COVID Screening Questions.
An Usher will then escort you to a sanctuary seat. A seating plan is in place to ensure appropriate social distancing. You will be seated with your family/household group.
Everyone needs to be masked for the whole service, and at this time there won’t be any singing during the service (other than the musicians as part of the service).
Appropriate exiting at the conclusion of the service is important. Exiting one pew row at a time will be supervised by the Ushers and you will exit the building.
Health regulations prevent mingling with refreshments after the service.

Our Worship Council has also planned for the continuation of online services for folks who are just not able to attend in person, who are not yet double vaccinated, (except children who cannot be vaccinated yet), or who may not yet be comfortable in attending in a group kind of setting. The service will be recorded for follow-up editing, to be put online by Sunday evening.

Update: August 20, 2021

The reopening committee has met and come up with protocols and guidelines and we are very excited to announce an anticipated start date of Sunday October 10 (Thanksgiving)! There are still many details to iron out, but we have a few details we will share in this email.

We strongly encourage that anyone considering attending an in-person service be double vaccinated.
Masks will be required inside the building at all times
Social distancing of 2 meters (6 feet) where possible
Standard COVID-19 questions will be asked each week you attend service
Waivers will need to signed the first time you enter the building and will be kept on file for one (1) year
You will be asked to call in for registration to attend the service (more details to follow as we get closer to the date)
You will be asked to sit in a pew for now, as the back of the church is reserved for our ushers and greeters (social distanced)
There will be no Bible Adventures at this time
There will be no after church coffee at this time
The basement will not be open at this time

We have looked closely at the public health orders, United Church of Canada guidelines, how the schools and post secondary education facilities are opening and, by waiting until October, we will see how the reopening of schools will fare in regards to the variants of concern. We know it has been a long and at times very stressful time for everyone, and we hope that October will bring some long awaited smiles to everyone in WPUC. Please note that if for medical or personal reasons you are unable to return to an in person worship service, the virtual services will be continuing. We hope you have an enjoyable rest of summer and hope to see many of you in October! If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to Chair of the Official Board, Gloria @ gloriadrs@shaw.ca or Patrick @ minister@windsorparkunitedchurch.com *Mask and sign-in protocols remain in effect for those entering the building.

Update: June 30, 2021

The Reopening Committee met on Thursday, June 24 and had a very good discussion surrounding the new restrictions that are coming into effect on Saturday June 26, the case numbers and the vaccination rates. With all that information, we are still proceeding with an abundance of caution and watching with interest with the lifting of restrictions in the province. Our concern is for the safety of our community at WPUC. Tentatively, we are hoping to open in September, but this is all dependent on the percentage of vaccinations in the province, the case counts and the test positivity rates. We have decided, as a committee, that masks will be required in the building, social distancing will still be in effect and we are strongly recommending that you are fully vaccinated. With the latest variants of concern (Delta and Delta plus) and now our most vulnerable group, those under the age of 12, who cannot be vaccinated, we hope that these recommendations will help us on our journey back in the building for some sort of worship. We will be watching closely over the next 6 weeks, what happens in the province with the numbers and the lifting of restrictions. The reopening will not happen overnight and will take weeks to get us prepared. Please remember that we are always thinking first and foremost of you, our community, at WPUC as we make these delicate and difficult decisions.

Update: April 19, 2021

Thank you to everyone who filled out the survey about reopening. Based on the results, the Provincial Health guidelines and our committee’s thoughts and concerns, we are not prepared to open up, even just a little more than what we currently have for our worship team. We are continuing to monitor as we move forward and know that we have your best interest, safety and health in our minds. Stay safe and healthy. *Mask and sign-in protocols remain in effect for those entering the building.

Update: February 16, 2021

The Reopening Committee has been closely monitoring the provincial health directions and we are updated weekly from the area representative via email. In regards to the recent provincial guidelines about worship spaces opening up, we have carefully looked at how this would affect our members. Back in October, when we were looking at reopening, we carefully measured out spaces in the pews and how it would look with the physical distancing in place. We calculated that we would be able to have around 35-40 people in the congregation should we reopen. That has now changed and when we look at the numbers we would be around 20-25 maximum. We also looked at the new “variant” that seems to be surfacing and that transmission is hard to predict at this time. So, we not going to reopen at this time and will continue to provide the services virtually until after Easter. At that time, the re-opening committee will look at what the provincial health minister is advising and what that looks like for our congregation. We thank you for your continued support as we help each other get through these unprecedented times. *Mask and sign-in protocols remain in effect for those entering the building.

Update: November 29, 2020

In support of Manitoba Public Health Orders, Windsor Park United Church will remain closed to public services and events until further notice. Please join us on-line for worship services posted weekly. The building remains closed – mask and sign-in protocols continue to be in effect for those who need to enter the building. Please stay safe and healthy!

Update: October 30, 2020

As it stands now, and with the current situation in the city, we do not anticipate opening this year. We do recognize that if things improve drastically over the next couple of weeks, that the reopening committee will meet and discuss a plan moving forward. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Please stay safe and healthy. Gloria Saindon Chair of the Official Board *Mask and sign-in protocols remain in effect for those entering the building.

Update: September 28, 2020

The Reopening Committee has been carefully monitoring the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases within the Province of Manitoba and has decided that in-person worship will be postponed until further notice. We will continue with the current format of delivering the on-line Worship Service to you each Sunday morning. We will keep you informed as soon as we know when we will resume the in-person (limited capacity) services. In the meantime, please remember to check on your fellow Windsor Park United Church community members, with a phone call or quick email. *Mask and sign-in protocols remain in effect for those entering the building.

Update: September 1, 2020

The Reopening Committee, in consultation with the Worship Council, is looking at a return to worship, in person (limited attendance) for October 4 and October 18, 2020. All services will continue to be online as well. More details will follow. If you have ideas, comments or concerns please email minister@windsorparkunitedchurch.com or gloriadrs@shaw.ca Please keep in mind, that should the Provincial Health Minister declare another total shut down, these in person services will not occur.

Update: August 17, 2020

Windsor Park United Church has formed a Protocols/Reopening Committee in order to address the many protocols surrounding how and when WPUC will open. At this time, we are anticipating to open for worship mid-September, once all the supplies we need are in the building (masks, sanitize stations, posters and signage etc.). We can let you know that a few protocols will be in place effective immediately.

Masks are to be worn at all times while in the building;
There is a sign in sheet at the front entrance to monitor when people are in the building and where they have been. This helps Gina know where people have been for proper cleaning protocols.
We do know that when we reopen for worship, you will need to call in to reserve your seat(s). All seating for worship will be assigned in the pews and there will be no preferred or chosen seating, so that we might be able to ensure that we fall within the appropriate numbers allowed and continue to maintain physical distancing. On-line services will still be available.
No events will be held in the basement at this time until we can get the worship service and sanctuary in order.

Once we know the exact date for our first in person service we will let everyone know. In the meantime, should you have any questions or concerns, please contact gloriadrs@shaw.ca. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding during this time.

Update: August 5, 2020

I hope this finds everyone well and that you are all keeping safe while still be able to get out and enjoy what our beautiful province has to offer. The executive met via ZOOM last Thursday evening (July 30) and covered a lot of items mainly about the return to a safe worship and meeting space. It was decided that a committee will need to be formed to gather the information and set the specific protocols into place as per the Provincial mandate and those the United Church of Canada. As of now, the church remains closed to our renters until these protocols are set up. We want to ensure that our community is kept safe and that we follow all the guidelines and protocols set out by the province and the United Church of Canada. We will keep you updated of all new information as it becomes available. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding during these times. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Gloria at gloriadrs@shaw.ca. Thank you. *If for any reason you enter the church building you will find a log book and hand sanitizer. We are asking that you sign the log book, record what areas of the building you are in and please use the hand sanitizer. This is to aid in keeping the building clean, sanitized, and safe.

Update: June 21, 2020

The Executive Board met last week via ZOOM and we would like to provide you with an update as to what our return to the church may look like. At this time, we are finishing up with painting, cleaning and purging of cupboard items in the basement, so that we can make more storage space for ourselves and those that use our space as well. The church is still closed for any activities and we can continue to have worship services via You Tube. This will continue through the summer until September 6. We are working hard to develop protocols for cleaning and a safe return to the building for our renters and worship services. We are looking at the protocols and directives from the provincial health minister and the United Church of Canada-Prairie to Pine Region. Once we have these ready we will share it with everyone involved. Right now, we are aiming to reopen in early September, providing everything stays as it is, but please note that this could change depending on the what happens in the province. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. In the meantime, thank you for patience and understanding during this renovation and then pandemic that we did not anticipate.

Update: May 31, 2020

The Executive Board has met and is beginning to discuss a strategy to reopen including what that may look like and a tentative date. We are looking at September 1 for a reopen date, but that all depends on the Provincial Health minister and the Executive Board. There will also be many protocols and safety measures in place that everyone will need to follow. We have begun to plan this out and will keep everyone informed as we move forward.

Update: May 26, 2020

The church building continues to be closed for access to all members of the church, unless you have business with the church itself to do there. Although, you may see staff vehicles there from time to time, they are not there to answer the door or to take items you are dropping off (West Broadway, offering etc.). You can drop off envelopes in the mailbox for offering or send by regular mail. If you need to reach out and speak to Patrick or Sue directly, the office phone (204-256-8792) is being monitored daily and both Sue and Patrick continue to work from home as much as possible. Watch for updates regarding a return to worship as they become available from the United Church Office, provincial government directives and the executive board at Windsor Park United.

Update: April 24, 2020

Based on current recommendations, the executive has made the decision that Windsor Park United Church will remain closed until Sunday, May 31, 2020 at the earliest. Please note that the phone at the church is monitored daily and that, should you need to talk, or require assistance, you can call the church (204-256-8792). If no one is available, please leave a message and your call will be returned. **It is also very important that we continue to support the church financially at this time. Even though we are not in the building the bills don’t stop. If you would like to enroll in or learn more about the Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR) program, please contact Sue at the office. We also have a donation tab on our website that will allow for one time and ongoing donations to be made to Windsor Park United Church through Canada Helps. When you donate through Canada Helps you can use a credit card to make your offering and you receive an income tax receipt directly and immediately from Canada Helps for your income tax, no waiting until 2021 for the receipt. We also invite you to continue to mail in your offering if that is your usual way of giving. Wishing you peace, blessings and good health at this time.

Update: March 26, 2020

The executive and staff at Windsor Park United Church have been constantly monitoring the situation over the past couple of weeks and have been using this information to make decisions that we feel are in the best interest of everyone. We are currently planning on coming back to the Church, for services, no earlier than Sunday, May 3, 2020. Please note that the phone at the church is monitored daily and that, should you need to talk, or require assistance, you can call the church (204-256-8792). If no one is available, please leave a message and your call will be returned. You are always in our prayers – please check in to let us know how you are doing! **It is also very important that we continue to support the church financially at this time. Even though we are not in the building the bills don’t stop. We still have commitments that we must meet and it is only through your generosity that we are able to continue forward during this time. We are set up for electronic giving through the Pre Authorized Remittance (PAR) program of the United Church and so if you would like to enroll in that please contact Sue at the office. We also have a donation tab on our website that will allow for one time and ongoing donations to be made to Windsor Park United Church through Canada Helps. When you donate through Canada Helps you can use a credit card to make your offering and you receive an income tax receipt directly and immediately from Canada Helps for your income tax, no waiting until 2021 for the receipt. We also invite you to continue to mail in your offering if that is your usual way of giving. Wishing you peace and blessings at this time.Categories: General News