Despite having at least 29 positive COVID cases as of Friday in relation to an ongoing outbreak, Mapleview Community Church says it will resume services on Sunday.
An email Thursday to members of the south-end congregation indicated services at the Mapleview Drive West facility would begin Sunday after the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit had earlier forced them to shut down starting with the Nov. 7 service.
The COVID-19 outbreak was declared Nov. 4.
The email from pastor Jay Davis told members that church staff would be capping the worship arena at 230 people and to “consider coming to either the 8:30 a.m. service or 1 p.m. service to ensure you have a seat.”
The church website indicates there will services at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
In his message to church members, Davis says he will have a safety plan.
“Yet to be absolutely clear – the Mapleview house is not a passport proponent house and, as always, this house is open to all people. As long as I’m the pastor, everyone will be welcome to attend,” Davis wrote in the email to members.
BarrieToday sent an email to Davis on Saturday asking about feedback on protocols from church members and why they are beginning services again despite growing case counts. The email was not answered prior to publication of this story.
Although Davis says in Thursday's email to church members that staff will now begin screening people as they come in, there's no mention of having to wear masks during the service.
Online videos of the church’s previous services show people not adhering to mask protocols. A video clip from a Sept. 26 Mapleview Community Church service posted to YouTube shows Davis telling congregation members as they leave to "don your mask if you care to. That would be helpful in case there is a bylaw officer there again."
The outbreak currently includes 29 positive cases, including a new case added on Friday, with additional cases in people who live outside the region, according to the health unit.
