Seminary Procedures in Response to COVID-19 Crisis

As an affiliated college of Brock University we have a responsibility to abide by their decisions on health and safety matters. In fact, in situations such as we are now experiencing, they provide a great service to us by taking the best advice and providing us with guidance. Today Brock announced that all face-to-face classes are cancelled until further notice, though the university remains open for work and other business. Please read their announcement carefully (https://brocku.ca/coronavirus/). Our seminary faculty and staff have agreed today that we will follow their lead.

Thus, as of Monday, 16 March, CLTS policy will be as follows:

Classes:

• Classes will not be held face-to-face in the seminary building. All classes will continue through video-conferencing. Students are expected to log in from home and participate fully.

Library:

• The Librarian will keep normal hours, but the library will be closed to patrons.
• You may request books by placing a hold through Populi and come to the seminary to collect your book. But we request that you do not plan to spend time working in the library as we have limited ability to provide adequate cleaning and disinfecting of the large space on a daily basis.
• Students with particular needs from the library should contact the Librarian by e-mail for help.

Chapel:

• Students are discouraged from coming to the seminary, and thus we ask that they not come for chapel.
• Faculty and staff in the building will hold devotions at the usual chapel time to hear God’s Word and ask for His mercy in prayer. We encourage you to do the same, joining with the body of Christ through Word and prayer in the Spirit.
• Scheduled chapel preaching will be cancelled.

Students:

• Please do not come to the seminary for classes, chapel, or study. The building will be open, however, if you need to come in to collect items or conduct brief business.

Faculty and Staff:

• As the seminary building remains open for business, we expect faculty and staff to come to work as usual. But please be observant of the following advice.

Hygiene and Precautions:

• We expect all faculty, staff, and visitors to the building to observe recommended precautions regarding hand-washing, containing coughs and sneezes, inter-personal distance, and self-monitoring for symptoms. If you feel sick, please do not come to work or visit the building.
• Wash or sanitise your hands when you enter and leave the building.
• For advice and help see https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html.

This notice has been highly administrative and procedural, as is necessary at this time. We take such procedures in thankful and dutiful submission to the authorities God has placed over us. I hope that the pandemic will not cause great distress to our families and loved ones. But I also encourage you to unburden yourselves of worry by committing it to God in prayer, relying on His gracious promises to care for us in all our needs. If you have not done so, please read the wise words that our spiritual father, LCC President Timothy Teuscher, recently addressed to us (https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/public-worship-and-the-coronavirus-statement-from-lcc-president/).

Peace to you all in Christ,

Revd Dr Thomas M. Winger, President