Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On March 13th churches across the Diocese received word from Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil, Bishop of Toronto, that all public worship and other gatherings have been cancelled in the diocese of Toronto, in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic here in the city. This means that beginning today, March 14th all programs and worship services at Grace Church Scarborough will be suspended until further notice.
The church will be open at a variety of times throughout the coming weeks for private prayer if desired and home visits and communion are still permitted when necessary and as long as all the current Health and Safety guidelines are followed. At this time we recommend that people continue to check-in on friends and other church members by telephone, email or mailed notes and card, in an effort to strengthen our communal bonds through this unique and trying time.
I recognize that many people will think that these actions are too extreme and an overreaction to the current situation, but I would ask your patience and also invite you to think about the consequences that the spread of COVID-19 could have on the vulnerable populations that we serve and that attend our regular worship.
The hope is that by taking these measures the spread of the virus will be slowed and will allow the medical professionals to deal with the cases at hand.
I encourage and invite you to continue to pray for the church, the world and everyone that is impacted by the virus and the measures being taken to slow the spread of it.
In Christ,
Rev. Graham McCaffrey
For more information:
https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/2020/03/13/covid-19-updates/