St. John’s makes difficult decision to revert to online

What began in mid-March and appeared to be abating in the summer has now come back stronger, taking a hold on the world and our community. The global pandemic’s effects are everywhere and have changed almost every aspect of life. While there is the promise of a vaccine, the realities may be that we will be living with COVID-related restrictions and other impacts well into 2021.
Here at St. John’s United Church we have, through the steady leadership of Rev. Jane Sullivan, provided online via Zoom, Facebook and YouTube, plus phone-in services and fellowship. We are in the process of expanding, refining, and upgrading our abilities to provide these services through upgraded audio visual in the church. This has been made possible in large part through the kind donations we have received from our congregation and the community.
Our elders, stewards and other committees have continued to meet regularly to determine the best and safest path forward for our congregation and how we can actively support those in need during these unprecedented times. While we recently re-opened the church for “in-person” worship, we have had to make the difficult decision to step back and move back to online only. The rapid rise in COVID cases and the government’s increase in the risk levels in our community and those surrounding us led us to this decision. We will continue to actively monitor the pandemic’s activity and government advice in order to make the most prudent decisions that protect the health of our community and provide support where most needed.
Some in our congregation and wider community do not have or use email, so if you know of anyone who needs support please let us know either by contacting Rev. Jane Sullivan at 705-466-2200. We know that difficult times will continue, and so we have allocated extra funds to our emergency relief account to meet needs of families or individuals who, as in the past, come to us in distressing situations.
Another reality that continues for us is that without in-person worship, especially at such important times in the church year as Christmas, our own “income” is much in arrears when the need for outreach and action is at a new high. Our basic costs such as heat, insurance, hydro, and salaries continue, closed or open.
We therefore ask of you three things: first, to tell us of your own needs or those of anyone else within your circle of knowledge; second, to accept whenever possible our invitation to join us in our online services at 10 a.m. each Sunday. There is a standing Zoom meeting, ID 835 8653 4125 with password 274538. You may join on-line with or without video or by phone at 647-374-3685 or 647-558-0588.
Lastly, we ask specifically for your financial support. Most non-member recipients of this letter will have been with us in recent times though a special service like Christmas, or perhaps a baptism or a funeral for a relative or friend. At those times you have supported us. We need that support to continue if we are to be an effective part of our community. If able, your one-time or staggered donation will let us increase our relief fund and the scope of actions to assist.
We will be offering PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance by Debit from your bank account) commencing in January. You can sign up at any time throughout the year once the program is in effect. Tax receipts will be issued after year end. If you wish to use e-transfer or have your donation picked up, or are interested in participating in the PAR program, contact our Treasurer Karen Davidson-Lock at lavenderwest@gmail.com or 705-466-2260.
We give thanks to each of you for your encouragement, ideas, participation, and financial support in the past, right now and in future weeks.
Gayle Millsap
Bill McLeod
Keith Mantesso
Marilyn Steed