| The Chinook Winds Regional Council of The United Church of Canada is supportive of the Alberta Public Health COVID-19 directives currently minimizing participation in-person worship. Many of our members are in vulnerable categories, and even one person contracting the virus at church is one too many. We tragically experienced an outbreak in one of our Calgary churches in March 2020 which resulted in the death of two members. We mourn their loss and the loss of so many others affected by this pandemic. We thank our congregations for their adherence to their local public health rules and continue to urge our congregations to worship online as much as possible. Despite the difficulties COVID-19 restrictions poses in delivering ministry and worship during these past months, we remain committed to maintaining connections with and among our people and to follow the health orders. We encourage the provincial leadership to be cautious, and we support a full ban on in-person worship should they deem it necessary to do so. We hold all the front-line workers, ministry of health staff and leaders in our prayers. We are especially grateful for the time taken by Dr Deena Hinshaw and Premier Jason Kenney to consult and update us throughout this pandemic and thank them for their leadership. This tough time will continue into 2021, but we hold fast to our faith that requires us to care for others and make decisions in the interest of the common good. In these times, that means limiting the spread of the virus in all ways possible. We look forward to the time when we can re-open widely. In the meantime, we are finding creative and engaging ways to be there for each other and the larger community. |
| Treena Duncan, Executive Minister, Chinook Winds RegionThe United Church of Canada Email Treena Duncan Tel: 403-306-0192 ext. 6347 Additional Contact: Shelley Den Haan, Communications, Chinook Winds Region Email: Shelley Denhaan Tel: 403-306-0192 ext. 6482 |