Archive of Past COVID-19 Notices

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COVID-19 Update – March 25, 2021

Please be advised that we have reviewed the latest provincial health orders, including the March 23 variance permitting outdoor worship services, and are currently exploring the various options available to us as we determine our best path forward. For the time being, indoor social gatherings are still prohibited on the UCV grounds and worship services will continue to be online (livestreamed) only.

UCV staff work and pre-determined business dealings may still go ahead as planned so long as our COVID protocols are diligently followed (all gatherings that qualify as UCV business must still be booked through the office).

We remain optimistic that we may meet again in person soon, in one form or another, (Once everyone can do so safely) and will update you on any further developments as they unfold. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the church office.

COVID-19 Update – November 19th, 2020

Following the Provincial Health Order of November 19th, 2020 we have made the following changes to our rental policy in effect until December 7, 2020:

  • Social gathering rentals for both Hewett Centre – Main Space and the Sanctuary must be cancelled or postponed until December 7th, 2020, unless updated by Provincial Health
  • Please do not come to the sanctuary on Sunday unless your participation is essential. Contact Marie if you need an easy way to record a reading, announcement or greeting.
  • The UCV grounds are still available for use with those in your immediate household or bubble
  • UCV staff work, and pre-determined business dealings may still go ahead as planned (all gatherings that qualify as UCV business must still be booked through the office)
  • Any questions or concerns about these changes should be directed to Marcus in the office

COVID-19 Update – November 9th, 2020

Following the Provincial Health Order of November 7th, 2020 we have made the following changes to our rental policy in effect for 2 weeks until November 23, 2020:

  • Social gathering rentals for both Hewett Centre – Main Space and the Sanctuary must be cancelled or postponed until after November 23rd
  • The UCV grounds are still available for use, however we ask that folx adhere to the Public Health Order and only gather with those in your immediate household
  • Worship services will continue to be held online and we ask that folks please do not come to the sanctuary unless you are part of the staff or volunteers needed to make the live stream possible.
  • UCV staff work, and pre-determined business dealings may still go ahead as planned (all gatherings that qualify as UCV business must still be booked through the office)
  • Any questions or concerns about these changes should be directed to Marcus in the office

COVID-19 Update – September 1st, 2020

We have released our UCV Fall 2020 Go-Slowly-Forward Plan. Notable changes include:

  • Worship services will continue to be online, live streaming only
  • We have increased rental capacity for Hewett Centre – Main Space from 10 to 15 guests
  • The Sanctuary is now available for rentals with a maximum of 25 guests and 5 staff – choir loft remains Staff Only
  • Masks are now mandatory for all indoor activities
  • All windows and doors MUST remain open during indoor activities

To read the full plan and policy, including booking procedures, please see the full Go-Slowly-Forward-Plan 

Please note: All gatherings must be booked ahead of time through Marcus Hynes by emailing [email protected].

Parking Lot Driveway Closure – August 6, 2020

CLOSURE OF OAK STREET PARKING LOT ENTRANCE. For safety reasons, the Oak Street entrance to the UCV Parking lot will be closed indefinitely, starting August 15th. The Fremlin Street entrance will be the main access to the parking lot.

COVID-19 Update – July 1st, 2020

We have released our UCV Summer 2020 Go-Slowly-Forward Plan which includes partial, pre-scheduled opportunities for onsite meetings during the summer period. Please read the full policy and room booking procedures here.

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COVID-19 Update – May 28, 2020

The campus will remain closed for all of June. The Emergency Response Team and Board are reviewing all provincial guidelines and developing our UCV Go-Slowly-Forward Plan to determine what, if any, campus activities may go ahead this summer.

COVID-19 Update – May 12, 2020

In response to queries about allowing small groups of UCV members to meet in person on campus, the UCV Emergency Team is currently developing a policy that adheres to Provincial guidelines regarding small gatherings of people, and a specific plan for the area of the UCV campus. Please stay tuned for further information coming soon.

New UCV Temporary Communications Specialist – May 4, 2020

Given the greater reliance on technology to keep us connected during the pandemic, the Board of Directors has been relying very heavily on our communications team with Marie Witt at its helm, as its chairperson. In recognition of Marie’s greatly increased hours of volunteer work and her strong skills, the Board approved the hiring of Marie from May 1st – June 30th of 2020. Marie’s overall goal will be to develop clear, concise communications strategies with buy-in from UCV’s Emergency Team, Communications Team and Board of Directors.

Should you have questions concerning communication please contact Marie at [email protected] (noting that Marie’s contract will terminate at the end of June).

Respectfully,
Human Resources Committee

EGM Postponed to the Fall – April 24, 2020

The June 14 EGM has been postponed to the fall. Instead, on June 14 at 12:30 pm, the UCV Board of Trustees will host a zoom information forum on the proposed budget for next year which the members will ratify (or not) in the fall. The Board will also be discussing possible next steps in the Redevelopment process which would involve engaging Canada Land Trust in conversation as our possible new partners.

Live Streaming Volunteers Needed! – April 20, 2020

Volunteers needed!! For services to continue to be virtual, we need to train some more members to learn how to produce and broadcast Sunday services and support our current incredible, over-worked team. Anyone interested in helping with technology, send your details here: https://ucv.im/offer-help

Scam Email Attempts at UCV – April 3, 2020

It has come to our attention that someone is using fake gmail accounts that appear to be sent from Steven (and possibly other administrators) to send emails directly to congregants. These emails are likely to appear in your inbox and are difficult to distinguish from our regular accounts.

These emails are asking people to send money, usually in the form of Amazon gift cards and typically contain a story about being needed for vulnerable people. DO NOT send money. DO NOT purchase Amazon gift cards. These are fake email addresses; Steven, staff or board members will never ask you to send money or Amazon gift cards to them personally over email.

We have specific fundraising drives and special protocols for donations. If you are ever confused or suspicious about a request for funds, you can always ask if it’s possible for you to speak with our staff over the phone. A scam artist pretending to be someone you know will not agree to a
phone call, whereas church staff will always be happy to discuss fundraising with you or over the phone or face to face on zoom.

If you receive any suspicious emails, please report them to our office so we can track these attempts. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out. In the meantime, the UCV Board has hired a cybersecurity expert to help upgrade our systems.

UCV Office Contact Information
604-261-7204

Office and Staff Update – March 29, 2020

Due to the rapidly changing environment for everyone, The UCV Board of Trustees had approved at the March 17th Board meeting to pay staff “as per budgeted amounts” for the next month.

With this in mind,

  • Staff members are working regularly scheduled times with some redirection as per duties.
  • Records of Employment will be given if requested, due to self-isolation/ quarantine or sickness.
  • Plans are in place to have Administration staff work from home if warranted, computer stations, email, phones/voicemail etc. have all been set up, to enable minimal activity at the office.
  • UCV Campus will continue to be checked daily by staff.

UCV COVID-19 *Possible Exposure* Update – March 23, 2020

Dearest congregants and renters, 
 
We have been notified of possible exposure to COVID-19 at our Unitarian Church Buildings on Friday, March 13, 2020, during a memorial service. The sanctuary and hall were used for this service.

 

At this point in time, 11 attendees of the service have developed symptoms and one has been advised by medical professionals that COVID-19 is likely. This has not been confirmed by official testing, but the province has shifted testing priorities so we may not have confirmation for some time. As such, we would like to treat this as if there has been exposure to the virus and act accordingly to keep everyone safe. 
 
We want to reassure the congregation of a few important facts about our preventative actions. By March 13th, the caretaking staff implemented a rigorous sanitization protocol and the members hosting the memorial service made sure to disinfect every surface in the church (pews, doorknobs etc.)
 
Although we hosted an on-site Sunday service on March 15th, there was no coffee hour and we believe given the distancing and sanitization protocols in effect, this poses a low risk to those in attendance. If you were at UCV in the days following March 13th, we ask that you please exercise additional measures to self-quarantine. If you are finding this challenging and need help getting groceries and supplies, please contact the Care and Concerns committee by emailing Connie Wigmore [email protected]. 
 
Thank You, 
UCV Emergency Response Team

Update From Our Minister, DRE, and Board – March 19, 2020

During this COVID-19 period, all face-to-face meetings on the UCV campus (and worship services in our church Sanctuary) are cancelled. The Sunday worship services will be live-streamed for the foreseeable future on the UCV YouTube channel which can be viewed HERE.

Rev. Steven Epperson, Elliott Dainow, and our Worship Committee will continue to provide quality worship services that you can view at home. The UCV Board and other committees and working groups will continue to do their good work via Zoom meetings, email, and phone. The office staff continues to do their work during regular business hours (Monday to Thursday, 9:30 am to 2 pm; Friday, 9 am – 1 pm).


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