COVID-19

Microscopic image of COVID-19 viruses

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed several operations at Church of the Ascension. Our desire is to keep everyone — members of the church, clergy and other staff, visitors, and those seeking assistance from the church — as safe as we can from the coronavirus. You can click on any of the following links to learn more about each topic:

Worship Services

Programs and Ministries

Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals

2021 Annual Vestry Meeting

 Pastoral Care

Office Hours

Messages from Bishops and Clergy

Finances

Worship Services

There are several options for worship at Ascension.

On Sundays:

  • In-person worship is suspended during the Province of Ontario’s stay-at-home order. Even when the order is lifted, in-person worship will remain suspended until at least February 28, 2021, as directed by the Diocese of Huron. Whether worship can be in-person at that point will depend on which of the Province of Ontario’s colour-coded coronavirus restrictions levels London is placed in.
  • The service is live-streamed on Ascension’s YouTube channel.  A link to our YouTube channel will be provided on Ascension’s Facebook group each week.

On Wednesdays:

  • A short service of Morning Prayer is held on Zoom at 9 a.m.
  • This service is followed by a Bible Study of approximately an hour in length, depending on how the discussion goes
  • If you wish to participate, contact Pastor Jim Garey at prjim@yahoo.com to arrange for the Zoom invitation.

Daily:

Programs and Ministries

  • The Community Breakfast is served as takeout at the church door on the third Tuesday of every month, followed by delivery to agencies supporting homeless people. Takeout times are approximate, but usually go from 8 to 10 a.m.
  • A Bible Study is held on Zoom every Wednesday at 9 a.m., beginning with short service of Morning Prayer. If you wish to participate, contact Pastor Jim Garey at prjim@yahoo.com to arrange for the Zoom invitation.
  • Other church groups, renters, and other outside users of the church have not resumed their programming. When they do, they will meet the church’s pandemic guidelines.

Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals

  • Baptisms, weddings and funerals are being held again. Please contact Rev. Canon June Hough at 226-448-8790 or junehough@rogers.com for information on how these will be conducted during the pandemic.

Pastoral Care

  • Pastoral care is still available from our clergy. Click here for contact information.
  • Only urgent cases will be able to have an in-person visit. Face coverings are required. Hugs and handshakes are not permitted
  • If Anointing the Sick, the anointer will wash their hands before and after the anointing.

Office Hours

  • The Parish Administrator is working a mix of hours in the office and at home. Office visits are by appointment only. She can be contacted through the usual office channels listed on the Find Us page.

Messages from Bishops and Clergy

Finances

All the Above Communications in Reverse Chronological Order
Since the Start of the Lockdown on March 13,2020

  • Sept. 23: An update of financials from April to August, the pandemic months.
  • Sept. 6: Video illustrating some of the protocols contained in the Sept. 1 announcement on the return to in-church worship: