The Kamloops Alliance Church is one of many across the city preparing for the return of people for in-person services during Easter (Image Credit: Kamloops Alliance Church)

By Chad Klassen

RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS

Kamloops churches gearing up for in-person Easter services

Mar 26, 2021 | 5:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — Watching church services online has become part of people’s Sunday routines for the better part of a year, but starting as soon as this weekend, churches are allowed to welcome up to 50 people for in-person services.

On Thursday (Mar. 25), Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that for six weeks — between March 28 and May 13 — churches across the province can have people inside their buildings.

At Motion Church in Kamloops, the demand is already there with tickets to the Easter services gone.

“The tickets sold out in hours for the first two services and I just checked now — it’s not even 24 hours and there’s only tickets left for one service,” said Motion Church pastor Jonny Strutt. “Easter is always a huge weekend for every church, but I think we would have the same response no matter what Sunday it is because it’s been months since we’ve been able to gather for worship and people want to do that. They love coming to church. We love coming to church and we just want to get back.”

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While delighted to be open again in a limited capacity, it’s been a hectic week at Motion Church, now in its fourth plan for Easter after Thursday’s announcement.

“We’ve shifted gears already twice this week because the previous orders didn’t allow in-person indoor — only outdoor,” noted Strutt. “So immediately, my mind began spinning. How are we going to shift again? Do we abandon the other plans that are already put together? Do we try to incorporate them? So yeah, it’s a work in progress right now.”

It’s been the same kind of pivoting happening at Kamloops Alliance Church. It won’t start in-person services right away this weekend, as the team figures out how to host people safely.

“Bonnie Henry’s statement comes out yesterday, so we’re trying to read it and interpret it correctly,” said Kamloops Alliance pastor Chris Throness. “There’s also, ‘How do we do this safely and how do we do this?’ So we’ve put together a team to try to make sense of it.”

As we know right now, it’s a 50-person maximum, including the pastoral team, plus two cleaning staff allowed. Also, churches can only pick four days in the six-week window to hold in-person services.

The Alliance will continue to stream services online, but for in-person services it’s focusing mainly on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which are only a week away.

“Looking at Good Friday and Easter Sunday — the high point of the Christian calendar — we’re really targeting right now that weekend and how we facilitate some community, some worship as we celebrate Jesus,” said Throness.

Anyone who attends in-person is not allowed to mingle before or after services, and if there are live vocals, only one person on stage can sing and none of the audience. However, most churches in Kamloops are just overjoyed to have a physical outlet for people to worship.