We are excited to continue our in-person gatherings

at 32 Weber St. W., Kitchener, now at 9:30 and 11:00 am each Sunday

With current attendance capped at 10 people per service, sign up is required.
Please email to let us know if you would like to join us!

Our sermons will continue to be streamed online from approximately 9:50-10:20am each Sunday

or subscribe to our YouTube channel

River of Life Fellowship - Office - YouTube

We'd still love to pray for you! If you call 519-496-2725 you will reach our pastoral minister who will pray with you and carry your healing needs to the congregation.

Here is a link to a resource page at the local Public Health with up to date and current information Regionofwaterloo.ca/2019NovelCoronavirus

Covid-19 River of Life Fellowship Safety Plan 2020

COVID-19 Safety Plan – River of Life Fellowship,

32 Weber Street, Kitchener, ON

Company details: Religious Place of Worship

Business name: River of Life Fellowship

Date completed: 12/01/2020

Others Consulted: Leadership Team,

Board of Directors

Date distributed: 12/05/2020

Developed by: Denise Gruber

1.How will you ensure all people (staff and congregation) know how and are able to keep themselves safe from exposure to COVID-19?

Actions:

Emails
Posted signs
Notice on Website
Announcements

2.How will you screen for COVID-19?

Actions:

Congregants and visitors coming into the service will be asked to screen for possible symptoms or previous exposure
Information found in the COVID-19 screening tool will help structure the verbal screening of members and visitors

If any of the screening suggests possible exposure:
- A hard copy screening sheet will be utilized to confirm possible exposure and if so then the following steps will be followed
- The person will be asked to leave the facility rather than entering the service
- Recommended to go home to self-isolate at their home
- Suggested to contact their health care provider or Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) to find out if they need a COVID-19 test and for further instructions

3.How will you control the risk of transmission in your place of worship?

Actions:

We have provided adequate seating allowing for appropriate social distance space by using and repurposing all available areas inside the church
Families are requested to sit in their ‘social bubble/family groups’ and chairs will be rearranged if necessary to accommodate this
All people entering the facility are required to wear a face mask in accordance with Waterloo Region Public Health (ensuring mask is covering mouth AND nose)

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/face-covering-by-law-for-businesses.aspxvery

Commonly touched surfaces and commonly used areas (bathrooms) are cleaned and disinfected regularly
Microphone(s) used by speaker at the front is sanitized after each person’s use
Speaker is spaced 3 metres from the front row of the congregation
Reminders to wash hands, use proper cough and sneeze etiquette and avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth are posted
Information on properly washing hands are posted as well as access to soap and water and, if that is not possible, alcohol-based hand sanitizer
All congregants and visitors have access to hand sanitizer stations located at the entrance and on the kitchen counter, in meeting room and office and children’s ministry room
Masks are made available to anyone who does not have one. People who choose not to wear a mask will be encouraged to follow our message at home on their computer
We are tracking attendance and contact information for all attendees each week

What will you do if there is a potential case, or suspected exposure to, COVID-19 at your workplace?

Actions:

Step 1: Respond promptly to individuals showing signs of Covid

If anyone shows symptoms in the assembly, they should return home and self-isolate. If transportation home is an issue, a church leader will assist in securing a ride home for the individual.

If the person is very ill, 911 will be called and the operator informed that they may have COVID-19.

Ask the person to contact their doctor or Telehealth Ontario at Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000 for further directions about testing and self-isolation.

Step 2: Contact Public Health

Contact our local Public Health unit for guidance on what to do if someone develops symptoms at our place of worship or you are told one of your members has COVID-19. Public Health will provide instructions and do contact tracing if needed.

As required, a list of all persons who have attended a meeting or worship service is maintained with phone numbers and will be provided to Public Health as requested

full names
contact telephone numbers
date of contact

Step 3: Follow Public Health direction

If directed by Public Health ROL staff would

ensure other people who were exposed are notified and asked to remain at home to self-isolate, self-monitor and report any possible COVID-19 symptoms
the worship area would be shut down while disinfected
other Public Health measures to be implemented as directed
services touched by the person with symptoms would be sanitized as soon as possible

Disinfect surfaces that may have been touched by the person as soon as possible. Read Public Health Ontario's COVID-19 fact sheet

Self-isolation and return to location

Specific direction for each situation is provided by the local Public Health unit based on provincial guidance on the management of cases and contacts of COVID-19. These directions will be followed.

Individuals should self-isolate if they:

have symptoms
had close contact with an individual with symptoms or a confirmed diagnosis
have travelled outside of Canada

Close contacts may include people who have spent time less than two metres away from the infected person in the same room, workspace, or area without barriers or protective equipment and people living in the same home.

In general:

A person who has had close contact with someone known to have COVID-19 should self-isolate for 14 days. If they do not develop symptoms, they may usually return to a worship gathering and other activities 14 days after their last contact with the case.

These timelines for self-isolation include time spent waiting for COVID-19 test results.

Step 4: Inform any people who may have been exposed

ROL would let individuals know if they may have been exposed in the place of worship.

Information about the date and time of the potential exposure and where it took place would be given without sharing information that might identify the infectious person.

Step 5: Report to Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development

N/A

5.How will you manage any new risks caused by changes to the way you operate your business?

Actions:

There will be ongoing communication and sharing of full information and changes with all people involved with ROL.
Any new risks that cause changes in the worship and gathering times will be discussed with new safety protocols identified and implemented.

6.How will you make sure your plan is working?

Actions:

Regular monitoring by the leaders involved in any gathering to maintain proper protocols are followed
Regular reminders through public announcements, emails and electronic announcements will occur
Remain in regular contact with the church members and aware of their health status