Carstairs Bancroft United Church regarding the possibility of live Worship Services.The Church board tabled the issue of holding live worship Services in the Church during the Sept 15 board meeting, until a meeting scheduled for October 13. At this week’s meeting, the board moved to postpone further consideration of re-opening the church for live Worship Services until after the new year in January of 2021.BackgroundThe M & P Committee has met recently in the Church to discuss the many issues needed to consider, as part of having worship services in the church again. We had access to and used resources made available by the regional office from the United Church that have been very helpful. We have also greatly appreciated the assistance Mary Ellen Speers gave us which made the health requirements far less daunting and easier to understand.We recommended to the Board for it’s Sept 15 meeting that the Church be reopened to live Worship services again as of Sunday October 4, 2020 with a maximum attendance of 35 people including Rev. Maria. Understanding also that Services would be very different than before the Covid closure.After careful consideration and much discussion the Board of the Carstairs Bancroft United Church voted to table this decision until a meeting on Tuesday October 13 at 7:00 pm, when this issue can be considered again in light of any new information from the Alberta Health Authority.In recent days toward mid October, our Provincial Health Authority is seeing a rise in the number of cases of Covid 19. Particularly in the two larger cities of Edmonton and Calgary. As Calgary is the daily work destination for many Carstairs residents, the board voted out of concern to protect our congregants and unanimously chose to keep worship services online only until January 2021. A meeting to be called at a later date will be to re-evaluate the circumstances at that time.We invite all of you who have Internet, and a computer or tablet to join our Sunday morning ZOOM gatherings as much as possible, since we won’t have a chance to congregate in person for a while.ZOOM provides us a safe and delightful way to gather during the pandemic. It is always a joy to see or hear one another, even if it is on the screen. Please let us know if you need help in uploading or using this program, and we will be happy to assist you!Respectfully submitted by M & P Committee Chair, Murray Marsh
Carstairs Bancroft United Church
“Where all are welcome”