Hey everyone! If you read the email update from last week, or watched our online service this past weekend, you would have heard that we are re-launching in person services here at HMC. You would have also heard that more details would be coming. This is a start of some of those details. There will be a video made available through our website next week that will show a bit more of what it will be like to be back in the church building.

As we prepare to re-launch in person gatherings again, know that this is not a replacement of our online services. As internet and telephone surveys were reviewed from a couple weeks ago, it was clear that there was a segment of our congregation who is not able to connect to our online services presently or needs the in-person environment that a physical gathering would produce. As we talk about the importance of “Gather” and being “Generations Following Jesus Together”, we want to be accessible to all people. Us re-launching physical gatherings is in addition to our online presence (which will continue), to help those connect in who need that ‘in person’ church connection.

Our first Sunday back in our building will be Sunday August 2nd, 2020 @ 10am, in co-operation with our region now being in stage 3 of the provincial reopening plan.

For those of you who are returning, things will look different than you may remember from the last time we met in March. There are certain guidelines that we are choosing to follow and require as you come. They may seem extreme, unnecessary, or heavy, but we are requiring these because we want our building to be a safe place for all people. We love our church family and our community at large and we want to make sure we are doing everything we can (while still meeting) to reduce our risk of anyone getting sick here. Below is a list of some of the regulations and guidelines that will be followed:

a. There will be a health questionnaire taken at the main doors before
entering. Phone numbers will be required for contact tracing (in the event of an illness breakout), and family waiver forms will need to be signed for your first visit.

b. Face masks will be a requirement for anyone entering the building.

c. We will need to observe social distancing while in the building (6 ft apart, no mingling in the foyer or sanctuary). The foyer will be set up to promote traffic flow, but not mingling.

d. Building access will be limited to just the foyer, sanctuary, and upstairs
washrooms.

e. Washroom usage is limited. We are asking one person at a time in
the washroom, and if you don’t need to use the facilities while here,
don’t. Please use the washroom before you come to church.

f. You will have assigned seating that will be set up to keep us all at a
safe distance, observing social distancing guidelines.

g. When you arrive, ushers will guide through the designated path in the foyer to the sanctuary, where your assigned seat awaits. We are asking that you remain at your seats until the service is done. After the service, the ushers will dismiss you and guide you back out the building.

Some of you have asked “can we sing?” Because we are wearing face masks, yes. Wearing a face mask, you can sing as you are comfortable. We will have a live worship leader each week to lead us in singing.

So that we can organize seating, and keep under our 30% capacity, we will need you to pre-register for our sunday service. Registrations will open every Monday at 9am and close 10am on thursday for our services. Registration will open this Monday at 9am through our website . Please ensure only one person in your household fills out the registrations for everyone. Waiver forms will be posted there as well so that you can print them off and fill them out prior to Sunday. For those who can’t use the website to register, you will need to email registation@hanovermissionary.com with your family’s registration or call the main office at 519-364-1823. We are asking that all regular attenders of HMC please pre-register. While we will have limited ‘walk up’ spaces available for those who come Sunday morning without registering, these are intended for those who are visitors and did not have the opportunity to pre-register.

Thanks for taking time to read this, and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Pastor Dave