To All Faithful Members of the Church of The Epiphany,
We know how good it is to be able to enter into this Holy Season of Christmas without the hard restrictions of Pandemic Mandates and Protocols. However, we also know that viruses related to Covid-19 and the Flu continue to spread and are on the rise.
Therefore, it remains our top priority to ensure that we do all that we can to keep one another healthy and safe. That is why we strongly encourage everyone who attends worship, to please wear a mask while you are in the church building.
Last week we received some very helpful information from the Archbishop’s Office. Below is a portion of the detailed information and helpful advice that we have received. After you read, we ask that each person please give this prayerful consideration for the sake of everyone’s health and well-being.
“Within the Diocese of Algoma, evidence from hospitalizations indicates that the spread and risks of COVID-19, particularly among unvaccinated persons, persists. As we move through the holiday season, with people traveling from region to region and experiencing increased exposure, these numbers seem unlikely to drop. The situation, while concerning, is not something we need to fear. Rather, continuing to maintain or resume best practices in terms of prevention greatly reduces the risk of infection. The growing narrative in our society suggests each of us should be concerned with “keeping myself safe,” emphasizing individual risk assessment and personal freedom to the detriment of taking simple actions to protect and support others.
However, the gospel imperative is consistent with the comprehensive approach to Public Health, which is rooted in collective action for the common good. Therefore, in our life and ministry as church, seeking and serving Christ in all persons and loving our neighbour as ourselves, it is important for us to make wise decisions, founded upon our faith, based on the latest insights of science.
Multiple infections increase both the probability and severity of outcomes. While
many people experience mild symptoms, the numbers of people with severe symptoms and outcomes is much larger than flu and other common respiratory diseases.”
We have also been reminded that simple actions help to limit exposure at times of high community transmission. In addition to staying up to date with our vaccines, three of the most practical things we can do to limit the spread of COVID-19 transmission while indoors are:
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Stay home if you are feeling unwell or are symptomatic.
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Wear a mask indoors, especially when in close proximity to others.
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Sanitize your hands regularly, especially when out in public.
We are truly grateful for your loving care and consideration of these matters. It is our common prayer that we all remain safe and healthy so to enjoy this wonderful Holiday Season.
Yours Faithfully,
Rev. Elizabeth, Gilles Tessier, Terry Kett and Marion Collinson.