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My fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.  As we navigate through these unprecedented times let us never lose sight of faith because it is with faith that our hope is restored.  We, your Wardens, are working diligently to have a smooth transition from the way we used to worship to what will be our new normal, at least for a few months.  As Anne Pare said in the last newsletter, the weekly newsletter and Priest–On-the-Lawn, have been the chosen vehicles of communication while we have been under lockdown.

Our anticipated opening is scheduled for September and we will be live streaming our service every Sunday.  We may have to hold two Sunday services but all this will be confirmed when the logistics and planning are confirmed.  These are some aspects of our “new normal” as directed by the diocese.  We will continue to inform you on this process and rest assured your privacy will be protected at all times.  I will be looking for at least three volunteers to assist with the weekly Sunday live streaming of our service.

Many of our usual annual activities are suspended at this time.  There will be no Brits on the Lake this month so no British Tea.  No fund raising events unless we do something virtual.  During this time your Wardens (along with a few others ) have been with making sure the operations of the church continue while trying to reduce spending to keep operational costs down.

Personally, I have tried to maintain a presence in the community. In June I attended, “Port Perry Stands With You”, in acknowledgement of the Black Lives Matter Protest.  These gatherings started in June with the intention of being held every week but after the second meeting in June was amended to be held the second Saturday every month with August 8, 2020 being the last Saturday, Palmer Park, Port Perry.  There is video footage on the website Port Perry Stands With You. 

I have also been involved with the Seventh Days Adventist Food Bank since March and volunteer on Tuesdays and Fridays.  I have been able to obtain food items for our Operation Scugog Foodbank whose coordinator got a tour of the  Foodbank.  I was also interviewed and on Global News - Durham on Thursday, July 20, 2020.  If you know of any families that don't have enough food or household supplies you can tell them about our local Scugog Foodbank. The Whitby food bank also started a program, cooking for seniors and I will see if I can get this extended to those that can't cook for themselves in Port Perry.  

As your wardens our role doesn't just entail working for you to make your church life better it also to extends to our being present in the community; to bring awareness of taking care of each other in all the possible ways we can. A few of the members on the outreach committee are also trying to work with the Scugog homeless Committee to see how we as a church can help.  

Anne Pare and her committee continues to work to put in place proper protocols on cleaning and sanitizing so everyone feels safe when we resume church September. While it will be different, this too shall pass.

As I close, if we all continue to do all we can to protect ourselves and others, then we can soon return to some normal life. I know everyone is missing out on so many events but we must stay the course in order to resume life as we knew it.

Please continue to keep the people of Ascension, our Rev. Ruthanne and Rev. Phil in your prayers as we strive to plan and open with care, caution and safety.  

On behalf of the Wardens,

Best Regards, Gillian Daly, Deputy Warden Warden