COVID-19 Updates

We will keep this page current with latest information and updates.
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May 5th, 2020. 5:00pm
New Online Service Times

Please note that our online service times are changing, starting May 10th:

  • 10:30am (Main Service)
  • 10:10am (DropZone Kids Programme)

Both live.citygates.ca and online.citygates.ca still works. See you this Sunday at 10:30am (or at 10:10am with the DropZone crew).

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April 23, 2020. 5:00pm
Food Bank Assistance

We are taking our efforts to the next level in supporting our local food bank. See how YOU can get involved at https://citygates.ca/foodbank

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April 8, 2020. 5:00pm
Pastoral Survey Tool

As a pastoral team, we deeply care about your physical, emotional and spiritual health during this current and unexpected crisis and we don’t want to assume that we know what you are going through! We need your help to ensure that we are pastoring City Gates effectively. Therefore, please take the time to answer these questions for us as we assess our strategy going forward.

COMPLETE SURVEY HERE


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March 31, 2020. 12:00pm
Community Groups & Easter Plans

A friendly reminder that church is not cancelled :) We, God’s people, are the church. Therefore, in reality, only our ways of gathering has changed. In light of that it’s “business as usual” during this unusual time!

  • Community Groups will continue to gather online, discarding the regular rhythm of breaking for a few weeks after Easter. Remember, distancing does not equal disconnecting!
  • Easter services will be held online. Lets continue to be intentional (perhaps even more than before) in inviting our friends and family members to join us on Great Friday and Super Sunday (yes, we did change the names slightly:). These are massive moments for the church worldwide!
  • Kids programme. We are working on providing an online kids experience at 10:30am before the 11am sermon stream. We’ll take it for a spin this coming week (April 5th), so be sure to let your kids know!

That’s it for now.
See you online!

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March 24, 2020. 12:00pm
Social / Physical Distancing

We’ve written a post to encourage our #citygaters to take physical distancing seriously! Read it over here.

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March 17, 2020. 9:00am
To Our City Gates Family

What follows is an update with our latest adjustments in response to the recent addresses from our prime minister, premiers, mayors and other public officials and experts. As a church, we certainly want to play our part in contributing to the solution. These measures are to show our solidarity with the national (and ultimately, international) sentiment at present.

Community Group Gatherings Officially On Hold

  • Making sacrifices for the benefit of others should not be an unfamiliar idea for a community that endeavours to walk in the footsteps of Jesus! We would only be giving up the remaining 3 weeks of our 10 week community group term, which is a small ask compared to the larger benefit to our neighbourhoods. If we practice social distancing now, it will ensure a speedy return to social gatherings later. In the meantime, explore creative ways to ‘gather online’ through some of the amazing technology available out there!

Our Office (The Waypoint) Will Be Closed

  • Since our church office also functions as a shared gathering space for the community, by its very design it would be working against the social distancing recommendations from public health experts. Therefore we have temporarily closed our doors to the public. Our office number is being redirected to our staff who will be working from home in the interim, and you are still able to contact us via email at office@citygates.ca.

Redeem The Time

  • Be on the lookout for opportunities to serve and to bless. Your neighbourhood or neighbour may very well be in some sort of need right now. Reach out to them, in person (while practicing the appropriate social distancing protocols of course:) or through a text/email/message, and offer to assist in whichever capacity you can. Remember, our acts of kindness are done in Jesus’ name! If you would like to contribute specifically to any potential needs that may arise (household items, food, etc), please do let us know! Although The Waypoint is not in operation, we are making it available as a resource base for any donations and the distribution of such items.
  • We encourage families to be intentional in using this time to draw closer to each other and The Lord. With less time spent rushing out to catch a bus, a train, or to miss traffic, why not slow down to have breakfast, lunch or dinner around the table together? Try practicing family devotions? Go for a walk outside (one thing Canada is not short of, is outdoor space!). Resist the urge to binge-watch alone on your personal devices, and perhaps gather around the TV as a family for specific times to watch specific content. Go to bed early and catch up on sleep. Redeem the time! Note: We are working on a little toolkit to resource families during this time!

Prayer Online

  • As with our Sunday sermon, we will also be live-streaming our corporate prayer meeting on Monday night, March 23rd from 7pm-8pm. Details for that event will follow shortly, and we would love for you to join us in prayer for the nations, our nation, our community, and our church!

For those in need within our church community, please do not hesitate to reach out! Ask for help, we are here to serve. Either contact your community group leader or get in touch with our staff via email (office@citygates.ca) or the office phone number (289.660.0085).

In closing, as Mike mentioned on Sunday, we trust that this time of isolation will revive an appetite and renew an appreciation for the gathering of God’s people. At the same, we are so encouraged by the resilience shown, and we are thankful for the creative ways in which it has pushed us further out into the ocean of God’s grace! We love you all dearly.

In Jesus’ name
Vic & the elders

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March 14, 2020. 12:30pm
Dear Church

As expected, the situation around the current COVID-19 pandemic escalated within hours of our last update, requiring some additional changes and communication on our part.

We stand by our opening and closing paragraphs in the first update (scroll down to read): Let us continue to put the gospel on display through our attitudes and actions, being salt, light and a city[gates] on a hill (Matt 5:13-16). Our changes are motived by a love for each other and our neighbours, a love which casts out fear (1 John 4:18), a love that spreads hope and builds faith (1 Thes 5:8).

Updates Below:

• Moving our services to a LIVE STREAM format

We are unable to meet at St. Francis Centre due to the Town of Ajax withdrawing certain permits for facility rentals. In the interim, we will be live streaming our sermons on Sunday mornings at 11am from The Waypoint each week. Visit https://live.citygates.ca (or alternatively our YouTube page for access at https://youtube.com/user/citygateschurch). Information will be all over our webpage and social media channels as well. We look forward to having you participate! (If you unfamiliar with or are unable to access this technology, please contact your community group leader or email office@citygates.ca)

• Suspending all non-essential gatherings

Scheduled events such as the newcomers lunch, parenting course, silver linings, etc. are temporarily on hold. This may include community groups, so expect to hear from your community group leaders regarding that decision. Again, we will do our best to communicate any changes well in advance!

• Please update your contact information

We kindly ask that you update (or create) your profile with us, making sure that your email address and contact numbers are current. How effective we are in communicating depends largely on this particular factor. Click here to view or make any changes.

If you have a prayer request, a physical need or any other enquiry, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us via email (office@citygates.ca) or calling the office at 289.660.0085.

Much love and support.
Vic & the elders

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March 13, 2020
Dear City Gates family

You probably noticed the escalation in responses to the COVID-19 situation this past week from all sectors of society. Thankfully, the public health risk remains low in Durham Region and Ontario according to recent information from Public Health Ontario and Durham Region Health and Wellness.

As a community who follows Jesus, let’s continue on with His mandate to spread hope and to be of help. This is yet another amazing opportunity to put the gospel on display in our attitude and actions. For those who need some reassurance, here is our *current* position and response as a Church:

1. We are monitoring the situation locally, provincially and nationally. Resource links below. Feel free to do the same, staying away from sources that capitalize off of emotional hype.

2. We will continue to gather as a church at St. Francis Centre (unless asked or advised otherwise ** rental permits have been withdrawn! Live stream our sermon over here), whilst adhering to the public health guidelines and best practices:

  • Our hosts will refrain from handshakes and hugs. Expect a smile and a wave though! As you engage with fellow attendees, please play by this rule as well, remaining mindful of your proximity.
  • We will not offer pre and post service café.
  • We will not take communion in the current format (shared & exposed serving trays).

The town of Ajax is also committed to taking precautions in all their facilities by increasing the frequency of cleaning in high traffic, and high touch public areas, reviewing their cleaning protocols, and investigating better signage to increase visibility of all hand-sanitizer dispensers (see  https://www.ajax.ca/en/novel-coronavirus-update.aspx#Facility-Measures) In addition to the above, we are asking our guests and attendees to also:

  • Stay at home if sick or showing symptoms (coughing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing), and avoid contact with others who are sick. Also consider staying home if you have a weakened immune system as a result of chronic disease or age.
  • Clean hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer.
  • Cough and sneeze into sleeve or elbow.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

3. ‘Be’ the church! Continue to pray for each other, our church and our communities. Keep on loving and encouraging one another, sharing our burdens and building each other up (see our ‘one another charter’ at https://citygates.ca/oneanother). And please remain generous – our meeting habits may change, but our giving habits don’t have to. This is a great opportunity to give through our online channels if you have not yet done so at https://citygates.ca/give.

Remember, we are making these changes not because of fear, but because of love – we love our neighbours! If our behaviour could help in slowing down the spread of this virus – especially to those who are vulnerable – then we have acted in faith and obedience to Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7 “[6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)

Much love,
Vic & the elders