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在新冠肺炎在全球漫延之際，很多國家和地區都看到感染個案不斷上升，甚至有人因此病而死亡。在人心惶惶之時，作為基督門徒的我們除了要為自己的衛生防疫作好準備之外，更應在此時專心仰望神，並關懷身邊受影響的人。作為教會的領導，我們更需要為會內的會眾和新來賓作適當的防疫預備，務求讓會內各人能在安全穩妥的情況下敬拜和聚集。為此，教牧同工聯同董事會採取以下的預防措施。
為確保會眾整體之安全：
- 會眾如發覺自己或子女有感冒或其它上呼吸道病徵狀，請儘快求醫，並於養病期間切勿回來教會。
- 凡到教會參與聚會者，請在進入教會時先用消毒液將手消毒。我們的司事會樂意為大家提供，而教會亦於多處地方設有消毒液。其次是請緊記要勤於洗手，並暫時不要與其他人有身體觸碰 (如握手等)。
- 新冠病毒已傳染至全球超過90個國家，而且數目亦不斷增加。故此本會為安全起見便不再列出任何國家，而改為要求所有從外地返回加拿大的會眾和來賓，或與外地回來的人有緊密接觸者 (如家人及親友)，在14天內請不要回來教會聚會，以確保自己和他人的健康安全。
- 教會每主日仍會有熱水、熱茶、和咖啡供應，請使用用完即棄的紙杯。除非預先得到董事會的特許，否則所有在教會內有關食物的製作、分享及進食等活動均須全面暫停。
- 事工及團契聚會仍可於教會內或於外間繼續如常舉行（例如在會友家中或其它場所），除非聚會負責人酌情取消聚會。在衡量時，請以謹慎為原則。事工及團契統籌如有需要，請與有關的事工/部門負責人、或任何一位董事會主席商討。
- 由於長者、長期病患者、或孕婦等在新冠病毒下屬較高風險群組，所以教會將繼續停辦樂齡同樂日、婦女早晨、以斯拉團契、以斯帖團契、和福音英語會話班。除此之外，教會亦增設網上崇拜收看，並特別鼓勵以上群組如技術上許可便留在家中收看，透過網路一同敬拜。會眾可登入本會網頁www.vcbc.ca，在首頁上方便可找到網上連結，一經點擊便能收看。
為確保個人的健康與安全：
- 保持個人衛生，多洗手和儘量減少用手觸碰面部；
- 儘量避免在人多聚集的地方逗留，並減少非必要的出外旅程；
- 每天清潔手機表面；
- 若有任何感冒病徵，請儘快求診，並告之教會，以便為你禱告。
此外，因市面出現個人衛生用品的搶購荒，故令一些有需要人士得不到所需的設備。在這時刻，信徒應活出互助相愛的見證。所以本會勸籲如有多餘物資者，可多關懷身邊的人。若可以的話，把資源分享，以展現基督愛人如己的教訓。最後，董事會將繼續密切留意事情的發展，如有必要，將會加強預防措施，例如取代、減少、甚或暫時停止教會活動及聚會。
弟兄姊妹們，在這非常時期，我們更應活出基督的樣式，以信、望、和愛去面對每個挑戰。我們應多禱告、多關懷、和多見證福音的大能。人面對這個死亡率只得3.4%的新冠肺炎便已如此惶恐，試問若人要面對死亡率達100%的罪惡問題時，會是何等的絕望。福音本是神的大能，盼望是無論得時或不得時 (提後4:2)，我們都總叫基督在我們身上照常顯大 (腓1:20)。
願神保守大家身心靈壯健，亦願大家積極榮神益人！
溫浸教牧同工與董事會謹上
As the COVID-19 virus spreads globally, many countries and regions experience a rapid rise in new infection cases, even with some cases resulting in mortality. As anxieties and worries grow, we as disciples of Christ must not only elevate our hygiene and disease prevention measures with due diligence, we must also set our eyes upon God and extend care to those being affected. Especially as leaders of the church, we must be well prepared in our disease prevention measures for the members and guests in our community, such that those who come to gather and worship may feel safe and secure. As such, the Pastoral Team, together with the Board of Directors, will be implementing the following preventative measures.
In order to ensure safety of the entire community:
- If any member or their children experience flu-like or upper respiratory tract related symptoms, please seek medical help immediately and avoid coming to church during the recovery period.
- Anyone attending or visiting the church is asked to sanitize your hands as you enter. Our ushers will have hand sanitizers readily available for you and will gladly assist everyone with such procedure. Hand sanitizers are also available at various locations on the church premise. In addition, please remember to wash your hands frequently and limit physical contact with one another (e.g. handshaking) during this crucial period.
- Currently, the COVID-19 virus has spread to over 90 countries and the number is expected to rise. To keep the announcement succinct, the church will not be listing each individual country. Instead, we require every member and guest who recently arrived in Canada from abroad or was in close contact with those who have done so (i.e. family and friends visiting) to avoid coming to any church gatherings for 14 days inclusively to ensure the health and safety of themselves and others.
- The church will continue to serve hot water, hot tea and brewed coffee every Sunday, using disposable cups. Unless prior special permission is obtained from the Board, all activities involving meal preparation, sharing, and dining in the church are prohibited.
- Ministry and fellowship gatherings may continue to be held within and outside the church as usual (including those at member’s home or other locations) unless the person in charge cancels the gathering at their discretion. Please exercise sound judgement and always act on the side of caution and consult, as needed, the responsible ministry or department head or any of the moderators for any special needs or requests regarding fellowship or ministry coordination.
- Because the elderly, those with chronic illness, or those in pregnancy are identified as high-risk groups susceptible to the COVID-19 virus, the church will suspend all seniors’ gatherings / Good Morning Ladies, Ezra Fellowship, Esther Fellowship, and Conversational English classes. In addition, the church will also provide a simultaneous webcast of our Sunday services and encourage those in these groups to stay home and worship together through online means if technically able. Members can access our church website via www.vcbc.ca and find the webcast link at the top of the page to view our simulcast.
To ensure individual health and safety:
- Maintain personal hygiene by frequent handwashing and minimizing hand-to-face contact.
- Minimize prolonged exposures in crowded areas and avoid trips abroad deemed unnecessary.
- Sanitize the surface of your cellular phone daily.
- If you experience any flu-like symptoms, seek medical diagnosis immediately and notify the church such that we may pray for you.
In addition, the market has experienced a purchase frenzy of personal health products which causes those who truly rely on such products to be in shortages. At this time, believers should live out their testimonies through extending love and care. Therefore, the church pleads to those with excess resources to care for those around them. And if possible, share your resources with them to live out Christ’s teaching of loving others as yourself. Lastly, the Board of Directors will continue to monitor the situation’s development closely. If necessary, preventative measures will be escalated, including substituting, reducing, or even temporarily suspending church activities and/or gatherings.
Brothers and sisters, in this crucial time, we must further live out Christ in our lives and face every challenge with faith, hope, and love. We should devote more in prayer, extend more care, and more readily testify the power of the Gospel. If humanity already feels such helplessness to a coronavirus with a 3.4% mortality rate, imagine how much more hopeless they may be when they have to face the problem of sin which has a 100% mortality rate. The Gospel is the power of God. Hope is to be prepared in season and out of season (2 Tim 4:2), so that now as always Christ will be exalted in our body (Phil 1:20).
May God guard the health of everyone’s body, mind and soul and may everyone proactively glorify God and bless others.
Presented by the Pastoral Team and the Board of Directors