Dear SGBC Brothers and Sisters,

Based on your responses to the "Resume Gathering Survey" and after careful consideration and discussion, the pastoral team proposes to resume physical worship in three stages:

First stage: Resume only worship for all three congregations (Cantonese, English, Mandarin); the elderlies are encouraged to stay at home to participate in online worship.

Second stage: Resume worship for all three congregations (Cantonese, English, Mandarin) as well as children worship; the elderlies are encouraged to remain at home and join online worship.

Third stage: Resume worship for all three congregations (Cantonese, English, Mandarin) as well as children worship, and the elderlies are also welcome to join physical worship at EastRidge.

We are temporarily unable to draw up a specific timetable for each stage. In the first stage, the pastoral and deacon team will plan in accordance with the latest guidelines from the Ministry of Health of Ontario, the infection situation of Stouffville, and whether the church and other facilities and equipment can reach the requirement of physical distancing or livestreaming… etc. When the above conditions are not mature, we will continue the current arrangement for pre-recording the worship services which will then be broadcast on Sunday. We will pay attention to when schoolchildren resume classes at school or community centre activities resume normal operation before considering the second stage. As for the third stage, we will pay attention to the overall situation of the pandemic and whether it can ensure safety for the elderly before we enter.

Adult Sunday school and prayer meeting will remain being held online for the first two stages. When the third stage is implemented steadily, it will depend on classroom facilities and the situation of congregation attending physical worship before considering whether to resume part or all the physical gathering of Sunday school, and we can then also decide whether and when to resume physical prayer meeting.

Brothers and sisters are encouraged to rotate between physical and online meetings for Life Groups with weather permitting and consensus from the others.

If you have any comments on the above suggestions or how to provide more effective pastoral care, please feel free to contact any pastor or deacon. Thank you.