The VCBC Health & Safety Committee
Written by Brian Lee
With the province progressing in its Restart Plan and the hopes and anticipation of our church returning to in-person operations, we would like to introduce to you a crucial ministry that worked diligently behind the scenes, especially during the lockdown. The Health and Safety Committee has always been around but it has been especially busy in addressing some of our pandemic restriction concerns. This small committee comprises mainly of members knowledgeable in the healthcare sector. They make use of their experience and wisdom to provide the board with recommendations on how to best offer our ministries to minimize health risks and to improve our readiness to unexpected health related incidents and disasters.
During the pandemic, the team worked closely with the Board of Directors to come up with a Church Continuity Plan that will comply with our provincial COVID restrictions and guidelines. The committee also offered their advice on how to best arrange our ministries (i.e. worship teams, office staff, etc.) to minimize COVID exposures and risks. With the ongoing changes to provincial guidelines/restrictions in 2020 and the first half of 2021, the committee continuously adapt to the new needs and provide crucial recommendations airing on the safety of everyone who steps foot in our church. With discussions of how and at what pace VCBC shall reopen, the committee also offer valuable feedback and recommendations on the best practice to balance between ministry needs and health and safety.
Even prior to the pandemic, the Health and Safety Committee was active in various safety measures in our church, from the coordination of our annual earthquake/fire drills to the reviewing of our health & safety plans for some of the larger events we host on-site and off-site. Just like the organs of a body, some may seem minor and insignificant in light of other primary organs, but their absence will be greatly felt. The similar can be said about our Health and Safety Committee. (Often, we don’t want them to get busy since they only are when something serious and grave happens.) We greatly appreciate the work they do (in partnership of General Services) in ensuring that everyone who visits VCBC’s facilities can feel safe and secure.