The church board has appointed a Covid-19 Crisis Response Team. This team has been delegated the authority to make decisions and implement them in the church in response to the rapidly evolving Covid-19 pandemic. This team should be able to act in a more nimble and expedient manner.
The team consists of:
TK – team lead and representing the church Board of Directors
Rev Chan – representing the church staff
Queenie – representing the Cantonese congregation
Edwin – representing the Mandarin congregation
Sylvia – representing the English congregation
Felicity – representing the Children congregation
The team welcomes your feedback, comments, suggestions and questions. We strive to reflect our values of love, faith, hope, unity, truth and transparency in this process and in our decisions and implementation. Our contact is: admin@gcgcny.org (416) 499-0111 x 101.
Covid-19 guidelines for GCGCNY (Mar 14, 2020)
1. Everyone must at all times diligently follow:
Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus (WHO)
1. Wash your hands, use hand sanitizer frequently
2. Maintain social distancing (>1m)
3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
4. Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.
5. Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider.
6. If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Call Telehealth Ontario 1-866-797-0000
2. All meetings and events held in our church facilities will be temporarily suspended until further notice effective immediately.
The exceptions are: Weekdays and Saturday Mandarin prayer meetings, Tuesday Cantonese prayer meeting, Wednesday English prayer meeting.
3. All large meetings with more than 10 people (morning and afternoon worships, fellowship, zone, E & E classes, prayer meetings, discipleship training etc) will be held via virtual means if possible. There will be no in-person meetings of more than 10 people effective immediately. For meetings of 10 people or less, room used will need to be booked with and approved by Queenie. (admin@gcgcny.org, (416) 499-0111 x 101)
4. The Sunday 945am Cantonese and Mandarin Worships and the 1130am English Worship will be live-streamed from the church to the church website (www.gcgcny.org). The format of each worship will be decided by each lead pastor.
5. Each cell/small group will be encouraged to meet virtually and not in person. If the group deems it necessary to meet in person, #1 should be followed.
6. The Grace Community Food Share (GCFS) will continue with changes as decided by the GCFS leadership to ensure the safety of clients and volunteers. Please see the GCFS website (https://gracefoodbank.ca/) for details.
7. The 2020 church retreat will be postponed.
8. We will leave the decision to the softball leadership whether to continue. Precautions #1 should be followed.
9. While physical in-person caring for each other will be curtailed, we encourage everyone to continue caring for each other using virtual means with special attention to the vulnerable – eg. seniors, those with chronic illness or disabilities, those with decreased immunity, the poor etc.
People in need can contact admin@gcgcny.org or (416) 499-0111.
10. Signs on all church entrances will be posted informing everyone that the Sunday worships have been moved online and most meetings have been cancelled. Inquiries will be directed to the church website (www.gcgcny.org)
11. Each lead pastor will coordinate contacting each member of his congregation with this information and any future updates. Each pastor will continue pastoral care in-person or through virtual means.
12. Each department will decide how to continue to function in view of the above guidance.
13. Future Church Board meetings, Congregational deacon board meetings, JMSC meetings will be held at the scheduled times using Zoom or other virtual methods.
14. Everyone is encouraged to check the church website regularly for updates. Please send your email address to info@gcgcny.org to receive regular communication from the church.
15. The church building will closed. Access will be through booking with the church administrator at admin@gcgcny.org or (416) 499-0111. Access may be arranged with any of the pastors for pastoral care as needed.
16. Grace Christian School will be closed March 16 to April 3 until further notice.
17. Please as much as possible use online means for offering. Further details will follow.
教會董事會議決成立應變小組，並授權小組可就疫情訂定及執行應變措施，好能適時切實回應需要。
應變小組成員包括：
黃達琨執事TK (董事會代表)
陳訓民牧師Fanco (教牧代表)
高譚綺萍姊妹Queenie (粵語事工代表)
司徒靜姬姊妹 Sylvia (英語事工代表)
葛非執事 Edwin (國語事工代表)
陳張筱敏執事 Felicity (兒童事工代表)
歡迎大家向應變小組提出查詢、意見和回饋。我們盼望在訂定和執行各項措施的過程中，能反映和高舉愛、信心、盼望、合一、真理和透明度等價值觀。聯絡我們，可電郵admin@gcgcny.org 或致電 (416) 499-0111內線 101。
面對新冠肺炎的措施 （2020/3/14）
1. 任何人都應嚴格遵守下列基於世界衛生組織（WHO）提供面對疫情的指引：
1. 經常洗手，使用潔手劑
2. 保持社交距離（至少一米）
3. 避免接觸眼、鼻、口
4. 咳嗽和打噴嚏時請用衣袖或紙巾遮掩
5. 請留意並跟從你的醫務提供者的指引
6. 若你有發燒、咳嗽和呼吸困難，請盡快致電安省熱線尋求醫務協助1-866-797-0000
2. 任何在教會場地舉行的活動即時停止直至另行通止。下列聚會如常進行：國語堂週間及週六的禱告會， 粵語堂週二的祈禱會，英語堂週三的祈禱會。
3. 任何超過十人的聚會（崇拜，團契，小組，主日學，祈禱會，門訓…等等），將按可行性在網上進行。即時停止所有十人以上的實體聚會。 十人或以下的聚會，如需使用教會設施，必須向Queenie申請和安排（admin@gcgcny.org, (416) 499-0111 x 101）
4. 各堂主日崇拜（國／粵9:45，英11:30）將在教會網頁直播（www.gcgcny.org），各堂崇拜流程或有改變，由堂主任決定。
5. 鼓勵所有小組聚會在網上進行，避免實體聚集。若小組要進行實體聚會，請遵守#1項的指引。
6. 恩典食物銀行（GCFS）將維持服務，但運作將按部門負責團隊決定而有所改變以確保義工及受助人士的安全， 詳情請瀏覽食物銀行網頁（https://gracefoodbank.ca/）。
7. 原定今年的全教會退修會將延期舉行。
8. 壘球隊由負責團隊決定運作措施，但須遵守#1項的指引。
9. 雖然削減了實體聚會，鼓勵大家藉網上及其他方式繼續彼此關顧守望，特別是對弱勢群體，如長者、長期病患者、行動不便者、抵抗力弱者、貧窮人士等等。
有需要協助人士，可電郵聯絡 admin@gcgcny.org 或致電 (416) 499-0111.
10. 教會各入口將貼上崇拜和聚會改為網上進行的告示，查詢到教會網頁（www.gcgcny.org）。
11. 各堂主任將協調向堂會會眾發佈此訊息及日後的新訊；牧者將如常藉實體或網上提供教牧關懷。
12. 各部門須按上列指引決定部門事工的運作相應措施。
13. 未來的董事會、各堂事工會、理事會將如期透過Zoom或其他工具進行。
14. 鼓勵各人經常瀏覽教會網頁以獲取最新訊息。如欲藉電郵獲取教會最新訊息，請將個人電郵地址發致info@gcgcny.org登記。
15. 教會將會關閉避免自由進出，如需進入教會，請與教會幹事預約 admin@gcgcny.org 或 (416) 499-0111。牧養需要請聯絡各牧者。
16. 恩福幼兒園GCS將在3月16日至4月3日期間關閉至另行通知。
17. 請使用網上方式奉獻。詳情容後公佈。
自3月8日的咨詢會後，世衛組織已將新冠肺炎疫情定為大流行病，加拿大的感染病例也在數日內倍增，我們將面對更壞的情況發展，這也是為何政府要推動保持社交距離的措施。
從南韓及中國的經驗所得，悲哀的現實是感染數字將在未來兩個月裡不斷倍增，如若有效的防禦措施能成功執行，兩個月後才可望能從感染高峯點開始回落；如果防禦措施沒有或不能有效執行，疫情或感染將會持續多月。
雖然疫情發展至大流行情況，但我們不應驚惶失措，我們應該活出滿有愛、信心、盼望、合一、合乎真理及高透明度的價值觀，並彼此關顧，仰望神的保守和供應，相信這一切都必過去，我們的盼望不在這世上，讓我們合一同心面對當前，判別訊息真偽，高透明地決定和應對需要。
詩篇91篇「1住在至高者隱密處的，必住在全能者的蔭下。2我要論到耶和華說：祂是我的避難所，是我的山寨，是我的神，是我所倚靠的。3祂必救你脫離捕鳥人的網羅和毒害的瘟疫。4祂必用自己的翎毛遮蔽你；你要投靠在祂的翅膀底下；祂的誠實是大小的盾牌。5你必不怕黑夜的驚駭，或是白日飛的箭，6也不怕黑夜行的瘟疫，或是午間滅人的毒病。」
