Drive-in church services to be temporarily allowed

A much-debated worship service method will be allowed to take place throughout the holiday season.

Drive-In church and drive-in worship services will be allowed to take place starting on Saturday. 

Those participating in the services must only have their household in the vehicle and are not permitted to exit their vehicle. Enforcement officers will monitor to assure the new rules are followed.

Dr. Brent Roussin says that there are issues with drive-in services that he is concerned with. The major issue is the ability to exit vehicles and meet in person. It will be up to enforcement officers to decide if and how a person will be ticketed.

Previously, a Winnipeg church took the province to court over the ability to host drive-in services and lost. This is because the health orders at the time did not permit them. 

The Public Health Orders continue to not permit in-person worship services. This will be a large change in the usual holiday celebrations and Christmas worship.

Other drive-thru events, such as the annual light show at the Red River Ex will be permitted. 

Along with the allowing of drive-thru church services, changes to in-person shopping will be coming.

In retail locations, in-person purchasing of religious items and some holiday items will be permitted. The province will be finalizing which religious and holiday items are permitted in the upcoming days. School supplies are being added to the list of essential items. 

Church food banks continue to be permitted to open. The province will be sharing more guidelines on how they can operate safely in the new orders.

The new orders end on January 8.