ECAC News

1. The Elder Board is proposing changes to the existing bylaw with regards to membership meetings. Townhall meetings will be held on TODAY, 12:30-1:30pm (Cantonese) and on May 26, 12:45-1:45pm (English & Mandarin). Please bring your own lunches. A special members meeting to vote on the changes will be held on Sunday June 16 at 2pm (online). Please download and read the “2024 ECAC Proposed Bylaw Change Package.” Paper copies will be made available at the office upon request. 
2. Cambodia STM is May 30 to June 14:   Ten church members will join with the Work of Your Hand ministry, including after-school camps, healthcare awareness, Bible studies, and visitations. Visit ecaccambodia.wordpress.com to keep updated.  $14,305.50 out of $41,300 has been raised so far. If you would like to give, please mark “Cambodia STM” on your offering.
   Please pray for the mission! We’re also accepting donations of new or lightly used hockey sticks of all sizes as an act of contributing and prayer. Drop off at the fire place in the church lobby.
3. Discernment weekend for the pastoral staff and their families will be held April 26-28. They will be seeking God’s will for the future of ECAC. Please sign up to cover them in prayer throughout the weekend! 
4. Security and safety are top priorities for everyone visiting or presenting at the ECAC facility. The Facility Maintenance Team would like to remind everyone of the following:
   I. Please avoid leaving any valuable items inside your vehicle when parking in the parking lot. There have been instances of theft and vehicle break-ins in the parking lot.
   II. The partition wall system in the Dynamic Centre is currently out of service (broken). Please refrain from using the partition until the maintenance and repair work is completed.
   III. Recently, there have been incidents where the alarm system was not properly set or the doors were not appropriately locked. It is crucial that all church key holders adhere to the key usage policy.

1. Pastor Brandon is on vacation until April 22, and will attend Lead Well Leadership Training from April 23-25.
2. EMC Sunday School: Room 139 from 9:30 AM to 11: 00 AM. The Holy Sexuality Project course by Dr. Christopher Yuan: This course details his dramatic conversion from an agnostic gay man who put his identity in his sexuality to a pastor, Bible professor, and Christian author who now puts his identity in Christ alone. A 12 week curriculum thoroughly gospel-centered video study on sex, sexuality, and gender.
3. Prayer Meeting: Join us Wednesdays 7:30-8:30pm on Zoom. Meeting ID: 346 311 903 Passcode: 085464

Creeds and Confessions

Due to the technical theological language, these lectures will be offered in English only. Most classes will take place over Zoom on Tuesdays from 8:30-9:30pm, with an optional 30-minutes small group discussion after.

參加網上課程:

To Join:

-Zoom Meeting ID: 838 3843 0457   Passcode: ecac123
– 掃二維碼 (QR code) 
– Contact office@ecac.ca for the link.

DATE	TITLE
March 5	The Confessing Church and Nazi Germany
March 12	Where is the line?
March 19	The Christocentric Nature of Creeds and Confessions
March 26	Status Confessionis & Adiaphora Matters

2024 Senior Pastor Teaching Plan

Pastor Arthur will be offering four lecture series throughout this year. Due to the technical theological language, these lectures will be offered in English only. Most classes will take place over Zoom on Tuesdays from 8:30-9:30pm, with an optional 30-minutes small group discussion after. Scan the QR code to join.  

 … Click here to read more

P. Arthur Preacing_Teaching 2024 – English… Click here to read more

As first announced at the Annual Membership Meeting, the church plans to fully re-open on Sunday, May 15, and will follow this three-stage approach to reach the goal in 2 months:

1. Stage 1 – Monday, March 14:
· Limits of worship attendance at the sanctuary and gym will be raised to 200.
· Current practices of temperature check upon arrival, logging in and registration of in-person events will end.
· Masking inside the building, distancing, and hand sanitization are still recommended.
· Nursery rooms will be opened, and to protect unvaccinated children under 5, standard hygiene measures of temperature check, masking, distancing, and hand sanitization are recommended.
· The library will be opened.
· Contact the church office to book facility.

2. Stage 2 – Good Friday, Apr 15:
· Masking on stage will end while masking inside the building is still recommended.
· Distancing requirement within the church building will be lifted.
· Capacity restrictions of the sanctuary and gym will be lifted.
· Seating capacities of all the classrooms will become recommendations, and if the capacities are exceeded, participants will be advised to open door(s) and window(s) to improve air circulation.
· Sport activities are permitted in the gym only if the participants will move the chairs before and move them back after the event.
· Nursery rooms will be opened, and to protect unvaccinated children under 5, standard hygiene measures of temperature check, masking, distancing, and hand sanitization are recommended.
· Contact the church office to book facility.

3. Stage 3 – Sunday, May 15
· All restrictions will end.
· Eating in the building will be allowed, and the kitchen, café and water fountains opened.
· Nursery rooms’ hygiene measures will be reviewed if they will continue.
The following tasks are ongoing will undergo review:
· Church-wide Plan to Protect certification for criminal record checks and training will start on March 14.
· Feasibility of traditional group baptism – multiple baptisms conducted in one water tank during a service – will be considered at Stage 3.… Click here to read more

After living under the pandemic for two years, we are seeing glimmers of hope that may be the beginning of its end. The situation in Alberta is improving as both the number of new cases per day and hospitalization rate are trending down. As a result, we should be grateful and hopeful.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

You may wonder how the church will respond after the province announced a three-step plan on Tuesday, February 8 to lift the pandemic restrictions. While the worst of the Omicron wave is likely behind us, COVID-19 is still lingering and affecting people. Therefore, as a community, we need to remain vigilant in following proven health and safety measures to protect you and your families. At the same time, we encourage everyone to join in-person activities at church when you comfortable to do so, and worship God together.

Our Re-opening Team has been diligent in monitoring the situation and providing guidance. To maintain the delicate balance, we have adopted a gradual and prudent approach. Here are the details of our commitment to return safely and protect the health of you and your family:

• Maintain basic hygiene inside the church including masking, physical distancing, and handwashing
• Raise the attendance limit at the Worship Centre and Dynamic Centre from 100 to 150
• Continue to require in-person registration to facilitate follow-up notifications

As the situation is fluid, we will continue to monitor and gradually relax restrictions as conditions improve. Please check our website regularly for updates.

We all long for the day when we will again praise our God together in unison and greet each other in person.

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more” (Psalm 71:14).… Click here to read more

Our Re-opening Team has been actively meeting and discussing the COVID-19 developments with health professionals.

Over the course of the last month, we have successfully hosted in-person Sunday worship services in all three languages. We would like to acknowledge and thank all of those who have worked to make in-person and online worship services possible. We also thank all of you for your patience and support as we navigate technical challenges.

There is concern regarding the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant, which is why we continue to take a cautious approach and operate with the goal of protecting the health of you and our community.

In light of the variant situation, here are some updates to our church ministries as we approach the fall:

• The church will continue to monitor and assess the situation and make necessary adjustments after the province updates its direction in late September
• Sunday worship services for Cantonese, Mandarin, English will still be available both in-person and online
• Families are welcome to attend worship services together
• Parking lot and classroom bookings are available subject to certain limitations
• Other in-person ministries in the church building will continue to be postponed

We understand that some of you may feel disappointment in the continuation of restrictions. However, we must place our faith in the Lord and trust Him to see us through to safe pastures.

If any of you need help or need to talk to someone during this time, please contact your church leaders or email us at hello@ecac.ca.

“But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish” (Psalm 9:18).… Click here to read more

Pastor Derik Chan will be taking time for personal reflection and spiritual renewal in the upcoming months, including a spiritual retreat in September and October. To allow time for his spiritual renewal, his responsibilities in CMC will shift in the next several months.… Click here to read more