This Sunday, over Zoom, we’ll share communion live. Bring bread, crackers, or some other food, and juice, wine, or something else to drink, as we celebrate together with people around the world.
Gather at 9:45am for our Stories and Crafts program – all ages welcome. We’ll be learning some more ASL, and making a fish.
Or join before 10:25am, when we’ll begin our gathering music
Our worship on YouTube includes a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi, a reflection on what it means to think about being connected during these times, and the solo “The Call.”
Next Sunday Thanksgiving Sunday will include our first Virtual Choir Anthem of the fall! We will also have a visit from Robbie.
On March 11, 2020, the Leaside United Church (LUC) Council approved the COVID Response Team. It was formed due to the emergence of a COVID-19 pandemic and the realization by the Council that it was imperative to have a team with medical and administrative expertise to monitor, communicate, and if needed, provide guidance and recommendations regarding the ongoing safety of the membership, staff and renters. The members have worked diligently and respectfully to provide this mandate.
On September 28th, Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto warned, “There’s an immediate rising risk in Toronto of continued and significant COVID-19 resurgence. What we need you to do is to think carefully about how to protect yourself as you go about your daily activities by limiting contact with people you don’t live with.” Later that day, she tweeted “……..We all play a role: as much as possible limit contact with anyone you don’t live with & keep 6 ft apart, wear a mask, wash your hands, & stay home if sick.”
This week the COVID Response Team met and discussed the recent increases in COVID-19 cases in Toronto. Due to the recent rapid escalation in COVID-19 positivity the team agreed:
In-person Worship There will be no indoor worship at least until the end of 2020. The team will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic and its safety implications as to the resumption of in-person worship. We will continue our current virtual worship services.
Church Building and Property The church building will not be accessible at least until the end of 2020. The exceptions are the required construction workers, the custodians, other staff and the Renovation Team. Regarding the staff and the Renovation Team these visits will be scheduled with Ann Fraser. Impromptu visits are not permitted at this time.
Church Rentals LUC will not be renting the church building at least until the end of 2020. The team will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic and its safety implications as to resumption of rentals.
To all, we encourage everyone to continue following the public health recommendations closely, as we work to protect one another from COVID-19. The worship planning team is exploring creative opportunities for our Advent and Christmas Eve services, and we would love to hear ideas you have as well. We will share our plans later in November.
Lastly, we know that there are many questions about what is happening with COVID-19. Given how quickly things keep changing, we have decided to begin a Question and Answer section in the mid-week email to help keep everyone up to date on what is happening with LUC. Questions can be emailed to Ann Fraser, ann@leasideuc.com, which will be shared with the team, with the answers shared with everyone in Thursday’s email. Do you have questions about who can be in the building, why we aren’t reopening yet for worship, or what we are doing online? Let us know your thoughts and questions, and watch here each week for our answers.
Rev. Emily Gordon Anne Raby, Chair of the COVID Response Team
Only Outdoor Pastoral Care Visitations (September 24, 2020) Leaside United Church members value our Pastoral Care Ministry and the dedicated individuals leading this program. Pastoral Care is an integral part of keeping our church connected through visits, phone calls, emails and cards. With respect to visiting, at this time, the COVID Response Team has advised the Pastoral Care Committee that only outdoor pastoral visits take place. This decision has been made to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
This Sunday is Worldwide communion Sunday, and we will be celebrating it together over Zoom. Gather bread or crackers, and grape juice, wine, other fruit juice, fruit tea, or another beverage in time for our 10:30 service, so that we can share this sacrament with one another.
This week we continue thinking about “Water and Wonder” as we explore Watersheds. On YouTube, the service includes prayer, anthem, and reflection, ending with the hymn “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You.”
On Zoom, we will also take the time to wish one another peace, and hear the anthem “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Come any time before the service begins at 10:30 am, or come early for our Blessing of the Animals!
Blessing of the Animals – 9:45 am This week is our Blessing of the Animals service for all ages. Bring your animal friends, or just your photos or memories. We’ll gather at 9:45 and start the service a few minutes later, as we give thanks for our animal friends.
This week, on YouTube we have two separate Blessing of the Animals videos.
For those who are not able to attend this morning, you can share a Blessing with your animal friends at another time. In our second video, everyone is invited to learn some ASL signs for animals!
One of the new initiatives for our children’s program this fall is learning some words in ASL. Every so often we hope to share some more words as a part of our “Stories and Crafts” series (all ages welcome).
Next Sunday – Virtual Communion Next Sunday is Worldwide Communion Sunday, so we will be sharing communion live on Zoom. So, this week, you are invited to find juice, wine, or another beverage, along with bread, crackers, or something similar, and bring them to our Zoom service on Sunday morning. Together with Christians around the world, both in person and virtually, we will share in the bread and the cup.
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