Sask. faith leaders say reopening safely on June 8 is possible with careful planning

Saskatchewan churches are expected to be allowed to reopen on June 8, but officials are still considering what guidelines they will put in place to reduce transmission risks during some activities, including singing and sharing food.

The provincial government announced Thursday it plans to lift the 10-person limit for worship services under Phase 3 of its reopening plan. The phase is scheduled to begin June 8, although the province said that could change depending on how COVID-19 numbers in the province look between then and now.

Chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said guidelines for ensuring safety are being developed in consultation with faith leaders.

"We have seen in other jurisdictions where there's a lot of singing involved then maybe there needs to be a bigger separation, because talking, shouting, singing, crying all these things increase transmission risks," Shahab said at a news conference Thursday. 

"These are all considerations as we plan the opening of faith-based gatherings or even outdoor events." 

The province has not yet released any information about how many people will be allowed to attend worship services. 

Logistics still being considered

Churches in the U.S. have been linked to outbreaks of COVID-19, with some that reopened already having to shut down again due to new cases. 

Shahab said indoor gatherings involving food or items that are passed back and forth have been problematic. 

"Faith leaders have the biggest stake in making sure that their congregation remains safe," Shahab said. 

"They are and will be looking at a lot of these areas where they can maintain that physical distancing as you enter a building, sit in a way that there's physical distancing, not have items handed back and forth." 

A return to spiritual support

The decision to allow reopening has been welcomed by church pastors, who say their congregations have been isolated without the support of their church.

"The church is also a spiritual healing place for so many," said Jide Oyetuga, a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Saskatoon. 

"At the end of this COVID [pandemic] lots of people will be down emotionally. The church is a place where they seek strength." 

He said he agrees that any increase in the size of gatherings must be done in a way that keeps the congregation safe. 

It's a sense of community and togetherness, and that's what is very difficult to foster online.- Abdullah Patel, Saskatchewan Islamic Association

Isolation causing problems: pastor

Pastor Robert Jackson has been running online services for the Prince Albert Victory Church. He will not be able to run in-person services until the building he rents, a public gathering place owned by the city, is able to open.

For those able to open sooner, he said in-person services will help support the community by bringing a personal connection that cannot be replicated online.

"Being isolated is causing more problems than it is solving for sure, we need to be able to come together," said Jackson. 

"That doesn't mean we are going to be hugging each other or shaking each other's hands the way we used to, but we still need to be able to come together to feel like we are part of a community." 

Jackson added that careful thought and planning will be needed to ensure larger gatherings are safe. 

Mosque working on best practices

Under the current restrictions, only businesses and workplaces where physical distancing can be maintained are exempt from the 10-person limit on gatherings, which comes from a provincial public health order.

Abdullah Patel of the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan said the mosque in Saskatoon has been completely shut down.

He thinks members of the Islamic community will be excited by the news that in-person services can resume, although likely not in the same format as before the pandemic started.

"There's this connectedness with the place of worship, that's a very spiritual feeling and it's a sense of community and togetherness, and that's what is very difficult to foster online," said Patel. 

He said the association was among a group of faith-based organizations that wrote to the premier's office asking to work with the province toward reopening. 

"We've been working behind the scenes to have best practices in terms of what is allowed, to look at logistics, and just how things will play out because I'm sure there will be certain restrictions once we open up," said Patel. 

He said the association is watching what is happening in other jurisdictions and working with national organizations to look at protocols for when they do reopen, and plans to follow the guidelines set out by the province. 

Patel said he already knows some services, which previously could attract up to 1,000 people, will have to be much smaller. 

Making sure it's safe

Rodney Cox, the associate pastor at Living Faith Chapel in North Battleford, said there will be a lot of considerations when the church begins in-person services.

"For our church we could do it very safely. We've got the old Coca-Cola plant in North Battleford and so we've got lots of room, and we also have different areas with different entrances," said Cox. 

"We could have a number of people attend our church and yet maintain quite a bit of social distancing." 

Cox said that would only happen when the church has assurances it can be done in a way that will protect the congregation. 

Premier Scott Moe said Thursday that officials are working closely with faith leaders.