Covid19 Update
To Members, Adherents and Visitors to Glen Morris United Church
I am writing this letter to let you know the Official Board held an e-meeting on May 21 and reconfirmed that our church building will remain closed at present. When the Province of Ontario lifts its pandemic emergency status, it is expected the United Church of Canada will provide guidance for reopening. In this respect, the Official Board formed a Church Reopening Committee to manage this process. The committee members are Michiko Bown-Kai, Deb Fraser (Chair of Faith Formation Committee); Munro Fraser (Chair of Property Committee) and myself. Some of the traditional aspects of church services will change when we reopen. Singing hymns will not be permitted since singing can spread the CoronaVirus further than the six feet space imposed by social distancing. Hymn books and Bibles will be removed from pews, since the virus can persist on surfaces for several days. Pew seating with six feet distancing will be designated tominimizing the risk for spreading the virus.
In the meantime, I encourage you to join Michiko in their weekly Sunday morning “Coffee Hour” at 10am and an e-church service at 1030am. These are held on the Zoom platform with details for joining provided in Michiko’s “Passing the Peace” newsletter.
Our Treasurer, John Graham provided the Official Board with a financial update at our meeting last week. Contributions for the first three weeks in May amounted to $5261 (not including M&S or Food Bank donations), with expenses of $2904, and month end payroll expenses of $4200, yet to come. This will leave an estimated operating bank balance of $12820 on June 1. This compares to a balance of $22583 on January 1, 2020. I would encourage those of you who are able, to make contributions by one of the following methods:
E-transfers to: jdgraham1215@rogers.com
Post dated cheques mailed to John Graham, 13 Centre St. Glen Morris N0B 1W0
Enrolling in the PAR program for pre-authorized monthly bank withdrawals – contact John Graham at 519 740 7202
These are unprecedented times due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The huge changes we have been forced to make are not easy for anyone. In addition, we won’t be able to go back to “the way we were” in the foreseeable future. As Dr. Bonnie Henry (Provincial Health Officer of BC) said “ be kind to yourself and others; stay calm; be safe”.
Robert Williams
Chair of Official Board