January 1, 2022

Revision 2

• Follow the directions of the ushers. 

They will make sure that household groups will maintain the physical distancing and hygiene requirements. Movement in the church is limited to what is necessary.  It is one-way.  You will enter the church from the west side and take your seats.  For holy communion, you will move eastward to receive, and then continue proceeding eastward out of the church.  No circulating back, which would cause you to circulate among other people.

• Entry into the church.

Before coming to church, print out and fill out the attached screening form entitled “Household Covid-19 Screening Form.”  It asks 4 questions regarding symptoms, fever, international travel, and close contact with people sick with Covid-19.  It also asks for a list of the names of everyone in your household group coming to church.  It needs to be signed.- Entering the church is a much more involved process than in the past.  To ensure everyone gets into the church by the service start time, you are advised to arrive 30 minutes early. – the entry into the church will be the 2 open outer doors nearest the banisters at the top of the staircase at the main (west) entry into the church.  When you arrive at church, line up as per the lines painted on the sidewalk and pavement.  Maintain a distance of 2 meters between your household group and any others.   An usher will be present outside to ensure the order is maintained.- When you get inside the vestibule, give your completed registration form to the screening person on your side of the vestibule.  If you forgot to bring a form with you, you will be given one and you will be asked to go outside and fill it out before lining up again and entering into the church.  (This way you will not hold up the line and cause delays for others.)  – the screeners in the vestibule will keep track of how many people have entered the church and will close the doors either when the church’s Covid seating capacity is reached, or else when the service starts.  Latecomers are not permitted entry.  (This is to minimize movement inside the church to keep people from getting near each other and affording opportunities for infection from any pre-symptomatic individuals.)-  everyone in the church should be wearing a mask.  Cantors are excepted.  Ushers may sometimes need to make exceptions.  If you haven’t brought a mask to church, disposable surgical masks will be available at the entrance.- if you choose to bring your donation to church, you can put it into a basket on the table where your screener is sitting.  The preference is to donate via e-transfers or send cheques in the mail.- if you want to light one or more votive candles, you can put the associated donation into a different basket marked “votives.”  You may place an order with the screener for how many votive candles you want lit and they will pass the order on to an usher inside the church who will light the candles for you.- once you are finished screening, your household group can go into the church past the glass doors.  Wait there until an usher shows you to your seat.  That is where you will be permitted to sit in church.- Doors will be propped open during the entry phase.  You are asked not to touch the door handles.  If you do, and an usher will disinfect the door handles after you.

• During services

Only the cantors will be allowed to sing.  Masks are strongly encouraged for everyone except for the cantors.-  everyone except for the ushers will limit their movements.  Children are not allowed outside of their household group seating area.- cantors will be located in an area that guarantees a physical distance of 3 meters from other persons, including fellow cantors.  The exception is cantors from the same household group.- please do not use the washroom unless necessary.  Only one washroom will be accessible in church, the one in the mothers’ room.  Access downstairs is forbidden.  A disinfectant spray bottle and roll of paper towels will be kept in the washroom for you to disinfect the taps and toilet seat before and after you use the washroom. Remember that any surfaces need to remain wet with disinfectant for at least 30 seconds for it to work.  Paper towels can be used to dry surfaces afterward and must be disposed of in a wastebasket, not in the toilet.- no touching of surfaces (eg door handles, icons, etc) except in your seating area.- hygiene stations with a hand sanitizer will be set up at the entrances and exits to the church and in the washroom.

• Distribution of holy communion

The holy communion will be distributed later on, just before the last 2 prayers of the divine liturgy.  – wait until the usher signals for you to get up and approach the priest.  Do not form a lineup (as in the past).  A physical distance of 2 meters shall be maintained between household groups. 2-meter spacings will be marked out on the floor if necessary.- after you receive holy communion, proceed to the exit nearest to you, either to the right or to the left of the iconostasis, and exit the church. Exiting church- the exits will be in the east corners of the nave, to the right and to the left of the iconostasis.