Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

COVID-19

RCMP investigates 100 Mile House church gathering weekly in defiance of pandemic restrictions

Jan 20, 2021 | 2:48 PM

100 MILE HOUSE, B.C. — RCMP officers in 100 Mile House say they are keeping an eye on a church that has repeatedly held Sunday morning services in violation of provincial regulations prohibiting public gatherings.

In a news release, RCMP say they were called to a church in the 5400-block of Tatton Station Road last Sunday (Jan. 17), believed to be 100 Mile House Baptist Church.

While the complaint was received at 11:45 a.m., an officer was not able to attend until about an hour later because of higher priority files.

Once on scene, the officer saw people leaving the church building with no face coverings visible.

The Mountie recorded license plate numbers and registered owner information, and though no action was taken Sunday, RCMP note they can move forward with potential enforcement via court summons.

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Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a ban on December 4 in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in B.C. The order remains in effect until at least February 8.

According to its website, 100 Mile House Baptist Church has held services every Sunday since Henry’s order was initially put in place.

In the sermon he gave last Sunday morning, the same morning RCMP were called to the church, Pastor Grant Reich was effusive in thanking parishioners for gathering.

“I know I say it all the time, and I’m going to continue to repeat myself: thank-you for coming,” Reich says to begin his sermon. “It’s a tremendous inspiration to all of us. It’s a great encouragement and inspiration to me when we gather together on Sunday morning. There’s no place that I would rather be than to be here with you on Sunday morning. It is really, truly a foretaste of heaven.

“During the week, it can be quite intense. The fiery darts of the enemy want to discourage. And yet, it’s all worth it to be here with you on Sunday morning. Again, thank-you for coming.”

According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there were 29 new cases of COVID-19 in the 100 Mile House local health area during the week of January 3 to 9, representing the highest level of spread classified by the agency.