COVID-19 Updates
March 10, 2022
WE INVITE YOU BACK!
Dec. 21, 2021
Hi Brookswood,
Just a quick update to let everyone know that we will still have church this Christmas Eve and on Sunday, Dec. 26 as planned. The new restrictions on indoor organized gatherings do not apply to worship services. Masks are still required for anyone 5 yrs and older in attendance and we are still restricted to 50% capacity.
Please keep praying for our city, country and world this Christmas as everyone continues to face the challenge of Covid-19.
We look forward to seeing you at 4pm or 5:30pm on Christmas Eve, and 10am on Sunday!
Dec. 2, 2021
Hello Brookswood Family,
You may have seen that the provincial health authority introduced two new regulations on religious gatherings as of Dec. 1. Masks are now mandatory for everyone age 5 and older and because we will not be checking vaccine passports, we are restricted to 50% capacity. Basically, the exemption that was in place for religious gatherings was lifted on Tuesday.
This means that effective immediately all of our services and ministries will now require a mask to attend. There's an exception for those eating and drinking as part of a ceremony so you can expect to see communion happening normally. Masks will be available in the lobby for those who may not have one.
You can read the health order here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions#pho-order
This Sunday, we are thankful that we can gather at 10am as per usual to worship Jesus together. We will be counting attendees and using some overflow seating once we reach 50% of our seated capacity in the worship center. So come early to get a seat and help us get started on time. Also, our Advent services will be available online by Sunday afternoon each week. Plus, we will be considering whether two services will be required in the future.
As challenging as these changes are, we want to remind ourselves that we have been here before. Remember last Christmas, when we couldn't meet at all except for outside or when we were restricted to only 50 people per gathering? We recognize that many of us are fatigued from everything that we have been facing over these past two years. But we also recognize that we worship a God who joins us in our suffering. That is what we get to celebrate this Christmas. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Not only did he suffer with us, he suffered for us, and because of that sacrifice we have an eternal hope, an eternal joy, and an eternal life that cannot be taken away by anything we face in this life.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10 am and we praise God that these restrictions won’t interfere in the least with our ability to love one another, to use our spiritual gifts to build one another up, and to be a light to our city! Thank you for your ongoing patience, love, and grace for each other.
August 26, 2021
Hey Brookswood,
As of August 25th, the government announced a mask requirement for indoor public spaces, and a "proof of vaccination" program rolling out this fall in light of rising COVID infection rates.
Religious gatherings, however, have been deemed "essential services" and the BC Center for Disease Control states that worship services are exempt from both the mask mandate and proof of immunization. So we will gather this Sunday at 10 am as we have been for the last number of weeks and we thank God that we can continue to worship together.
However, following BCCDC recommendations we will encourage anyone who can wear a mask to do so, while at Brookswood, out of Christian love for one another and the wider community. We want to be able to keep our doors open this fall and do our best to keep everyone healthy and safe. Those who choose not to wear a mask will not be prohibited from attending. Parents, the schools will require kids in Grade 4 and up to wear masks this fall, but we will leave it up to you whether your child can wear a mask comfortably and safely as they attend Brookswood Kids. Masks are not recommended for children 2 and under.
From the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Brookswood has taken seriously the guidance of our provincial health officers and have followed their public health regulations. We have not required our congregation to go above and beyond the guidelines, nor have we disregarded them.
Please remember to be gracious to one another as we continue to navigate life during covid-19 this fall.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10 am!
If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at office@brookswoodbaptist.com
Sincerely,
Sean Horner
Associate Pastor