Dear editor,
This past week our church has received a good deal of attention and concern over our outdoor service held on Easter Sunday. There are fair questions and criticisms to be sure. I will try my best to clarify what has transpired on our end:
For Easter Sunday, our church made the switch to an outdoor service to be in accordance with the latest provincial rules for religious gatherings. Additionally, we provided a pre-recorded online sermon for anyone vulnerable or who was not comfortable attending any kind of in person service. To be clear, our outdoor service was designed to be in-step with the latest provincial rules, not in any way to protest them or ignore them. Since then, with some positive cases in our community, our church switched over to exclusively virtual services to guard against any potential exposure (even outdoors). We will continue with only virtual services for the immediate future to help prevent any added exposure. Like everyone else through this year, our church family continues to humbly learn and adjust as appropriate. Of course, we are happily cooperating with the NWHU with any follow up questions they may have.
I also feel a responsibility to address some of the aggression and attacks currently being directed towards Douglas Judson. This needs to stop, it is unwarranted. Mr. Judson took note of several social media posts, arranged them, and posted them to highlight a concern he observed. To his credit, his observations certainly were of interest to our wider community. I have always been of the belief that when any of us post online these posts are public in nature and we have to be prepared for the implications of that. Mr. Judson shared what was already public. I accept that. Fair is fair. While you may disagree with his views on this, there is never warrant for harsh, mean-spirited attacks. Let’s strive to be a community who can speak with both conviction and civility in matters of disagreement.
Through the tensions of this past year, I’ve been greatly helped by this simple prayer from the New Testament: “And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12
Chris Vieira
Co-Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Emo
