Vol.20 No.24

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June 18, 2020 Vol. 20, No. 24

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Churches grapple with rules as they consider whether to hold services

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ecause of aging congregations, many of the local churches do not have a problem conforming to the 30% capacity restrictions that are included in a long list of requirements that they need to follow in order to hold services in their churches. But the list of requirements is much longer and more involved than the 30% capacity rule, sanitization and mask protocols, and even restrictions regarding singing hymns while in Church. It has proven to be too much for a number of churches, who will be waiting until at least September to open. Some churches are gearing to start holding services this weekend, while others are targeting late June or early July for a restart to in-person church services. Bishop Michael Outen of the Ontario Diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada has made it clear that Anglican Churches will not open until at least September, as he outlined in a letter last month. “Regardless of where the Government of Ontario is, with its reopening plan, our churches will not be reopening for inperson worship until at least September. This decision was made in consultation with public health experts as well as our diocesan executive officers and chancellors, with the well-being and safety of all our parishioners and the communities we serve uppermost in our hearts and minds.” The local Anglican Churches are remaining active even as the buildings remain shuttered. St. Paul’s in Sydenham has developed a weekly newsletter that includes a weekly sermon, some general COVID-19 information, and some more specific information about services and business openings in the village of

Sydenham. The newsletter is delivered electronically and delivered in paper form for those who request, and it is being requested by parishioners and, increasingly, other community members. The regional council of the United Church did not make a final decision for the local churches, but they are suggesting the same timeframe be applied: A motion passed by the council last week, “strongly recommend[s] that no churches reopen for public worship before Labour Day weekend”. With one exception, all of the United Churches in Frontenac County and Addington Highlands have indicated they will remain closed until September. These include Land O’Lakes Emmanuel, Sharbot Lake, Henderson, Arden, Mountain Grove, Parham, and Trinity (Verona and Harrowsmith). Trinity United Church is planning to run at least one outdoor service in each of July and August. The exception, and this may only be the case until their local church board meets on Wednesday evening (June 16) to decide whether to open or wait until September, is the Storrington Pastoral charge (Battersea and Inverary United Churches), Other churches are going to be holding services this weekend. The Harrowsmith Free Methodist Church is going to be holding a Sunday service this week. Regular churchgoers are being asked to contact the church by email by Thursday evening to indicate if they are planning to attend and how many are in their family group to help the church staff determine how to set up chairs for the service. There will be one entrance door and one exit door and sanitizer and

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Sleepy summer no more

Heavy equipment roared to life in Sharbot Lake on Monday morning, (June 15) as the pavement was removed from the two side streets in the hamlet, Garrett and Robert Streets. On Tuesday, the pavement was removed on Elizabeth Street, the focal point of a $3.2 million project which has been 90% funded through federal and provincinal grants. the project includes new sidewalks, catch basins and signigicant drainage work near the Central Frontenac Township office. The project has also led to a downtown revitalization effort (see article on page 2)

Thanking first responders

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n the aftermath to the arson and shootings in Parham on June 7th, community members in Parham are experiencing a range of emotions: relief that there were no serious injuries or deaths as the result of the incident, trauma over how the events unfolded and the violence of the outburst, and disbelief over the loss of two historic buildings which can never be replaced. One more emotion has surfaced, a feeling of gratitude for the efforts and professionalism of the first responders, the OPP, Central and South Frontenac Fire Crews, and Frontenac Paramedics. Jordan Lowery, who watched the evening unfold after he was shot, but luckily only bruised by being hit by bird shot from 100 metres, described what he saw from the responders. “The OPP made sure everyone was safe and took on the dangerous task of searching for a dangerous, apparently unhinged individual. They were calm but very serious and

careful the whole time. “The paramedics were there as quickly as they could have been because of the roadblock, but they were excellent. They dealt with me, and with my neighbour Barb, who was hit in the leg and had more bruising than I did. We were lucky enough not to have to go to the hospital that night. “And the fire crews who had to watch for a couple of hours as the church burned down, until the OPP found the rifle and could let them in, it was really hard on them to wait like that. And they were there all night, making sure nothing else caught fire. “They all did really well. They took care of us in Parham.” For Tina Hillocks, a relatively new member of the Sharbot Lake and District Lions Club who lives in Tichborne, hearing about what happened just down the road from her house triggered some trauma from her life that happened over 20 years ago.

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