McKernan Baptist Church Sunday Service Relaunch FAQ’s
Before Sunday
Do I need to pre-register?
Yes! Please click on the weekly link and register online for the service you want to attend. It is important for us to maintain numbers within the building and we would be terribly disappointed if we had to turn someone away after we reach capacity. Pre-registration will be available from Monday morning until Thursday at noon. Shortly after registering, you will receive an email from Ticketleap confirming your registration (Please check your junk mail folder if you do not see it in your inbox).
I’m not comfortable registering online. What do I do?
Call our office. Phone in registration is available Monday to Thursday (closing at noon) at 780-436-0611 and we’ll take care of it.
What if I’m uncomfortable attending?
Please do not feel pressured to attend church in person. Whether it is because you or someone you love is at higher risk of COVID-19 complications, or you just are not comfortable around larger groups of people, we want to encourage you to continue to engage online. The reality is that our whole church cannot attend each week due to the capacity constraints.
Who needs to stay away?
In order to protect everyone, on the day you plan to attend, you must complete the online AHS COVID-19 self-assessment, and if told to self-isolate, you may not attend.
You may not attend if, in the past 14 days, you have had a fever, new or worsening respiratory symptoms such as a cough, sore throat or runny nose, any nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, travelled outside Canada, or had close contact without appropriate PPE with anyone who has any of the above symptoms.
We encourage you to join us online if you are unable to attend in person.
What if I do not feel well but I have already registered?
Please do not attend the church service if you, or anyone in your family is feeling unwell. If you pre-registered and need to make a change, please cancel your reservation by calling the church office before Friday at 4pm, if possible.
Can I invite guests?
Absolutely! If they are not part of your cohort, please have them make their own booking so we know how many distinct groups we have coming. If you would like to sit near each other please let the host know when you check in or contact the office during office hours so that we can arrange that for you.
How many people can we have at the church service?
At McKernan Baptist Church we want the health and safety of our attendees to be at the forefront of every decision. We have calculated the maximum number of attendees that can be in each of our spaces while maintaining physical distancing and will limit registration based on these calculations and the areas in use. If you have specific questions about numbers allowed for events outside of Sunday service, please contact the church office at 780-436-0611.
Who will have access to my registration information?
McKernan Baptist Church will collect the names and contact information of attendees for the sole purpose of supporting public health contact tracing in the event that it is needed. Information collected from pre-registration is held by McKernan Baptist Church for up to two weeks following the event for which the information was collected. The staff at McKernan Baptist will have access to your registration information in order to create the seating plan needed for an event.
Sunday Morning
Will there be programming for children?
Yes and no.
Unfortunately, we will not be providing programming for Nursery/Pre-school ages (0-age 2). Families with children in this age range may choose to register to sit in the Chapel around tables. The service will be livestreamed to the Chapel and you can bring your own toys or snacks for the little ones. The “Quiet Room” will be available in the lower level in classroom #8 where there will be a livestream as well as a change station.
Yes, we will be providing programming for children ages 3 – Grade 6.
- The Multipurpose room will be divided into three big groups – ages 3-5; Grades 1&2; Grades 3&4. There is a limit of 15 children per group.
- Grades 5&6 will met in the Youth Room.
- Activities will not involve touching, crowding or shared supplies.
- There will be worship songs, but just like in the sanctuary, there will not be any singing, but we will engage with actions only.
- All staff and volunteers will wear a mask.
- Children will be required to wear a mask.
Will registrants be screened for COVID-19 symptoms?
Yes. All registrants will be asked to complete an online pre-screening checklist on Sunday prior to arrival to confirm that they do not have any symptoms of COVID, have not had close contact with those who are ill and have not travelled internationally in the last 14 days. If you’re unable to complete the checklist online, there will be a pre-screening station available at the church entrance.
When should I arrive?
Please plan on arriving between 10 and 20 minutes prior to the service start time to allow time for check-in and to be seated by a welcome team member.
What are the hygiene requirements?
Everyone is asked to use hand sanitizer when they enter and leave the facility and after they use the washroom. Hand sanitizer stations area available at all entrances and exits and throughout the building.
Where will I sit?
A seating plan will be created each week based on registrations to make sure proper physical distancing is followed. In the Sanctuary a welcome team member will show you to your pew. If the Hospitality and Chapel areas are in use, chairs will be set up based on the number in each cohort. You will look for a grouping of chairs that fits your cohort. Please do not adjust chair groupings or spacing. We ask that you stay in or near to your seat as much as possible and limit movement throughout the sanctuary and lobby.
Who can I sit next to?
You can sit with your household contacts or other members of a cohort group you belong to. We encourage booking as a cohort group so that you are seated together allowing us to accommodate more people in the different spaces.
Will I have to wear a mask?
Yes, everyone over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask. Wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth protects others and creates a safer environment for everyone. (https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/ppih/if-ppih-covid-19-patients-masks.pdf) We ask that you keep your mask on throughout your time in the building. Please plan to bring a mask from home, if you are not able to bring a mask, you will be given one upon arrival at church.
What if I am medically unable to wear a mask?
At this time, we ask that you continue to participate in the service online rather than attending in person. Please contact the church office at 780-436-0611 if there are barriers to your online participation that we may be able to assist with.
What can I expect when I arrive?
Enter through the south or north entrance where you will be greeted by the Welcome Team to then guide you to the Check-In desk. If you are not already wearing a mask, you will be provided with one to wear in our building.
You will be directed to sanitize your hands and proceed to our check-in station(s) where a host will scan the QR code on your confirmation email and confirm your self-assessment results. Please have your confirmation email printed or the QR code displayed on your mobile device as you enter the facility. If you registered by phone, simply give your last name to the Check-In volunteer.
You will then be seated by an usher in a manner that maintains physical distancing. After the service, please remain seated until the ushers dismiss your row.
How are you maintaining physical distancing?
Everyone who wants to attend a service needs to pre-register. The capacity of each service will be limited to ensure physical distancing can be maintained; an usher will seat people in designated seats to maintain space between cohorts. There are some situations where physical distancing may not be fully maintained (entering/exiting the washroom), which is another reason we require everyone to wear a mask when they are in the building.
Will there be congregational singing?
Not at this time. The band will be leading in worship through music from the platform but those attending will be asked not to sing. We encourage you to bring a journal, sketch book or some other outlet so that you can actively participate in worship during that time. We recognize that it can be incredibly difficult to not join the band in singing but as singing has been linked to increased risk of COVID transmission please do not sing. Those attending online are, as always, welcome to sing with the band but may also choose to worship through journaling, prayer, contemplation, art or some other outlet during that time.
How will I take communion?
We will not be passing out the elements in our normal ways. The communion elements in a safe single serve package will be placed in your seats before you arrive.
Will there be an offering plate?
No. We will not be passing an offering plate to limit person-to-person contact as much as possible. The debit machine and offering drop boxes will be available inside the facility for you to drop off your offering or you may continue to give online. McKernan Baptist Church has several safe ways to give electronically. Please see https://www.mckernanbaptist.ca/giving for more information on how you can continue to give.
Will there be Higher Grounds?
Higher Grounds will not be available at this time. As everyone will be masked, we recommend not bringing food or drink with you to church.
Will the Hospitality Area be open for visiting following the service?
At this time we ask that you head outside promptly after the service. Please feel very free to visit at a safe distance in the parking lot, the nearby park etc.
What if someone who attends is found to have COVID-19?
As you are wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance, you would not be considered a close contact and would not be required to isolate if someone who attended the same service tests positive for COVID-19. If we are asked to provide AHS with registration lists for services that were attended by someone with COVID-19 we will do so. You may be contacted by Alberta Health Services to go for testing as a precautionary measure.
What extra cleaning are you doing?
We will be cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces frequently. Pews, chairs and tables will be disinfected between services when we move to multiple services.
Disinfectant wipes will be supplied for the debit machine to allow users to disinfect the terminal and surface before and after use.
With all of these changes, will church still feel like church?
We recognize that COVID has disrupted so much in our lives including how we engage with each other at church. Some aspects of church will feel different (like masks and not having congregational singing) but the Holy Spirit is not disrupted by COVID-19 and we want to continue to gather as a community to worship, learn and encourage one another. Those who have attended church as part of relaunch planning can attest that even with the changes, it still feels really good to be back together as a community of Christ-followers at McKernan Baptist Church.