You can now shop online for Christian books, bibles, apparel, and gifts at the ABC Christian Bookstore's new website, www.abcchristianbookstore.com

Shop your ministry essentials today!

To download the Seniors' calendar, please click HERE or click the image above

To download the Seniors' calendar, please click HERE or click the image above"

Dear Ontario Conference Pastors, Head Elders, Clerks, and Communication Leaders:

We want to thank you for your diligent efforts during the pandemic.

The Conference feels it is now time to resume church potlucks safely.

• Foods from households where one or more persons are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or where persons have tested positive should not be brought to the potluck, nor should the family attend.
• We discourage a lot of hand-to-food contacts; try to offer individually packaged items if possible.

It is important to utilize a team of servers to serve the food to attendees. We recommend that these persons:

• Should be wearing masks and gloves.
• Hold a current Food Handlers Certificate.

Please have plenty of hand sanitizer available and encourage everyone to sanitize their hands before eating or touching food.  Physical distancing should continue to be respected.

Concerning foot washing, more information will be forthcoming.

As you connect like Jesus, may grace and blessings be in your path,

Blessings,

• Mansfield Edwards (President)
• Jakov Bibulovic (Executive Secretary)
• Virene Meikle (Treasurer)

Attending the General Conference (GC) Session has been a family affair from my earliest childhood. A treasured family picture is of me, my mom and dad proudly representing Cote d’Ivoire in the parade of nations. My dad was working as treasurer of what was then called the Ivory Coast Mission. This year is the first time in a while that I haven’t attended in person. However, thanks to the amazing technology employed by the GC team, I’ve been able to feel a part of the 61st GC Session from home. As GC Undersecretary Moise J. F. Hensley Moorooven explained on day 1, as the first-ever hybrid GC session, it’s a history-making moment. It’s been amazing to see how the virtual space can give people all over the world access to educational business meetings, powerful worship services and incredible music from international artists. It has also added unique elements, like regular ANN recaps, virtual exhibit halls, networking lounges, Kahoot games with prizes and much more. If you haven’t gotten a chance to connect yet, it’s not too late!

Here are some important links for the GC, which is continuing through to this Sabbath, June 11.

Find the daily schedule here – https://www.gcsession.org/session-schedule/

Register here for the full virtual experience - https://exhibithall.gcsession.org

Download the camp meeting app (suitable for Android and iOs) for schedule updates and links – https://www.gcsession.org/mobile-app/

Watch live streams in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and American Sign Language here – https://www.gcsession.org/live/

Watch all live streams, including previous ones, here – https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventistOrgChurch

Scroll down for more camp meeting links, as well as an important news update on the leadership of the world church. Click here for a list of all officers elected at this GC Session to date.

Dear Ontario Conference Family:

We hope that you and your loved ones are doing well and continue to experience God’s protection. We would like to inform you of the postponement of the Ontario Conference’s 35th Quinquennial Constituency Session. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Ontario Conference Board of Directors had scheduled it to take place during the 2022 calendar year. However, in collaboration with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada's (SDACC’s) administration, which supervises the Canadian conferences’ sessions, the Ontario Conference Board of Directors voted to accept the adjustment in the schedule for the 35th Quinquennial Ontario Conference Constituency Session to be held on June 2-4, 2023. Please read the Seventh-day Adventist Church letter on this matter below. This letter was shared with our pastors to be read to the congregations last Sabbath.

Blessings on you and your ministry,
Ontario Conference Administration

To view the original letter in PDF form, please click here.

Dear Ontario Conference Pastors, Head Elders, Clerks, and Communication Leaders:

Our provincial government believes that key public health and health system indicators continue to remain stable or are showing improvements and, as such, is cautiously and gradually easing public health and workplace safety measures. As a result, on March 21, 2022, general masking requirements were lifted in most indoor settings, including places of worship.

Notwithstanding, the Ontario Conference believes that physical distancing and community masking have improved public health, reduced COVID cases and helped lower incidences of the flu and other respiratory viruses. While not mandated, the Ontario Conference strongly recommends that members continue to be encouraged to physically distance themselves and wear their masks while in our spaces.

As we press forward, please exercise great care and understanding as many members and guests may be uncomfortable being around and directly interacting with unmasked persons. It is crucial that you, with your church board, determine the best way to relax the masking requirement for your local congregation and, based on your local context and member needs and desires, may choose to keep the mask requirement in place. Please note that Landlords may ask those worshiping in rented spaces to keep in force the masking mandate.

Members and guests should continue to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and be asked not to enter the building should they be experiencing any of the COVID-19 indicators. Local churches may, at their discretion, continue to ask pre-screening questions as part of their safety protocols. The Ontario Conference will maintain the requirement that each church keeps a public health and safety plan in place.

All other guidelines will remain as the Ontario Conference continues to monitor the landscape and map out how we will further cautiously and gradually ease our public health safety measures.

May the God of all hope and comfort abide with you as you carry out His mission, remain committed to connecting with and like Jesus.

Blessings,

• Mansfield Edwards (President)
• Jakov Bibulovic (Executive Secretary)
• Virene Meikle (Treasurer)

To read more and to view a PDF copy, please visit our COVID-19 website by clicking here.

Dear Ontario Conference Pastors, Head Elders, Clerks, and Communication Leaders:

As the Province continues to move towards living with and managing COVID-19, the Ontario Conference remains committed to prayerfully considering our organization’s policies, procedures, and operations and issuing guidelines that increasingly relax restrictions while emphasizing public health and safety.

Capacity limits:

• The Ontario Conference at this time will lift all capacity limit restrictions. However, members are to be encouraged to be mindful of physical distancing.

Meals and Social Gatherings:

• Group meals and social gatherings may continue with no capacity restrictions, and each family bringing their own food eating in their bubble (potlucks remain suspended for just a little longer). *Guidelines specific to potlucks will be forthcoming.

Health Screening

• Individuals should continue to screen themselves for COVID-19 before entering the premises, and anyone experiencing symptoms should not enter the premises.

Masks

• Any person in the indoor area of the premises must wear a mask or face covering that covers their mouth, nose and chin during any period when they are in an indoor space.
  *Further guidelines specific to mask-wearing will be forthcoming.

Other Guidance

• Baptism and Communion - The 2nd quarter will bring relaxed restrictions in these areas; for the time being, please follow the previous guidance on these matters.
• Cleaning, Sanitizing and Ventilation - Irrespective of COVID-19, we must maintain a high level of cleaning and sanitizing. It is equally important to remain committed to proper HVAC maintenance, the use of enhanced filters, and bringing as much fresh air into the building as possible.

While the Ontario Conference will continue not to require proof of vaccination, those worshiping in rented facilities should note that some of our Landlords may continue to mandate that all persons entering their location be immunized, including our worshipers.
As we move rapidly toward the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, may we remain focused on the Light of the World and His mission, providing spiritual leadership and preparing ourselves, families and churches for His imminent return.
*You may expect further guidelines by or before the end of March 2022

Blessings,

• Mansfield Edwards (President)
• Jakov Bibulovic (Executive Secretary)
• Virene Meikle (Treasurer)

To read more and to view a PDF copy, please visit our COVID-19 website by clicking here.

Dear Ontario Conference Pastors, Head Elders, Clerks, and Communication Leaders:

The Government of Ontario recently announced changes to COVID-19 public health and safety measures, including capacity and social gathering limits, that came into effect on February 17, 2022, at 12:01 a.m. Public Health cautions that every organization is different and must review its own policies, procedures, and specific operations while ensuring that the appropriate infection prevention and control measures are implemented and maintained.

What does this mean for our churches?

As recommended by Public Health, the Ontario Conference has prayerfully considered our organization’s policies, procedures, and operations; the following guidelines will apply to our churches:

Wedding, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony capacity limits:

• The number of persons occupying any room in the building or structure while in attendance must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person in the room.

Gathering capacity limits:

• Social gatherings associated with a wedding, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony may resume subject to health screening and capacity limits of:
  • 50 people indoors while maintaining physical distancing of at least two meters.
  • 100 people outdoors. Physical distancing as much as possible is recommended.

Health Screening

• Signs must be posted at all entrances to the premises in a conspicuous location visible to the public to inform individuals how to screen themselves for COVID-19 before entering the premises. Anyone experiencing symptoms should not enter the premises.

Masks

• Any person in the indoor area of the premises must wear a mask or face covering that covers their mouth, nose and chin during any period when they are in an indoor space.
• Post signs at all entrances to the premises in high visibility areas containing the masking requirement.

Other Guidance

• Worship service time restrictions lifted. However, judicious discretion should be exercised.
• Children’s Sabbath School classes may resume in-person subject to capacity guidelines and health screening.
• Prayer meetings, AY, Bible class, team meetings may resume in-person subject to capacity guidelines and health screening.
• Congregational singing may resume with masking.
• Adventurer, Master Guide, and Pathfinder ministries may resume in-person subject to capacity guidelines and health screening.
• Group meals are social gatherings which are only allowed with a maximum of 50 people indoors, maintaining physical distancing and each family bringing their own food and eating in their bubbles (potlucks remain suspended).

While the Ontario Conference continues to not require proof of vaccination, those worshiping in rented facilities should note that some of our Landlords may continue to mandate that all persons entering their location be immunized, including our worshipers. As we pivot toward the emerging normal, may you face the unknown with the assurance that our great God is still in control.

Blessings,

• Mansfield Edwards (President)
• Jakov Bibulovic (Executive Secretary)
• Virene Meikle (Treasurer)

To read more and to view a PDF copy, please visit our COVID-19 website by clicking here.