Manitobans will be getting back to worshipping together this weekend, although limits are still in effect.

Dr. Brent Roussin and Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement at a press conference Wednesday morning. A number of restrictions will ease, including on worship gatherings, beginning at 12:01 a.m Saturday, June 26.

Indoor faith-based gatherings will be open to 25 per cent capacity to a maximum of 25 people. The new health orders state that masks must be worn at all times for worshippers indoors.

Outdoor services will be capped at 50 people, so long as households are able to physically distance themselves. Drive-in services will continue to be permitted.

Wendy Thom pastors the Baptist church in Shoal Lake, Man. She's also set to retire on June 30, with her last Sunday service approaching on June 27. Initially, it looked as though she would be preaching her final sermon to a video camera. "That would be awesome," she says when thinking about getting to preach with her congregants present at the small church. "I said I was hoping to preach to them one last time face-to-face."

"It's a start," Pastor Vern Martin says with a laugh. "We will certainly be looking forward, even with the restrictions to be meeting. However, I mean, it would be ideal if we can meet at full capacity as we all miss each other, but this is definitely a step in the right direction."

The pastor at Emmanuel Gospel Church in Lowe Farm, Man., south of Winnipeg says his leadership will be discussing soon whether to meet indoors or outdoors.

For Martin, he says being limited in visitations and caring for people in person has been difficult as a pastor.

"The most difficult thing (as a congregation) has been that we do miss each other. We would love to have fellowship as a congregation once again, and so like I said, this is a step in the right direction and hopefully we'll keep going in that direction."

Indoor worship gatherings have been severely limited to just ministry leaders since May 9, when the province enacted tougher restrictions to try and dampen the third wave of COVID-19 in Manitoba. 

For a full list of changes going into effect this Saturday, go here.

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