A pastor who attended a religious gathering that health officials have linked to a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at a nursing home in northern Nova Scotia says he believes the organizers followed the rules as they understood them.
In an interview Tuesday, Brandon Lake, pastor of Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Bridgetown, NS, said that he and about 20 members of his congregation were at the October event hosted by Gospel Light Baptist Church of Amherst, NS.
That multi-day religious gathering was attended by “less than 100 people,” Lake said, adding that organizers believed they were following the government’s COVID-19 guidelines.
He said it was not “clear” at the time whether participants in religious gatherings were required to show proof of vaccination. The province’s health authorities, meanwhile, have said organizers of the October event did not require attendees to show proof of vaccination.
Nova Scotia’s current COVID-19 health orders include a proof of vaccination requirement for indoor and outdoor festivals and for arts and culture related events. Proof of immunization is not required for regular religious services.
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Health officials have linked the meeting of faith to an outbreak involving two deaths and at least 39 cases, 29 among residents and 10 among staff, at the East Cumberland Lodge nursing home in Pugwash, NS.
On Tuesday, 31 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Nova Scotia, including three more at the East Cumberland Lodge. Health officials reported the COVID-19-related deaths of two 80-year-old residents on Monday.
Lake said the outbreak related to the gathering was “an unfortunate thing to happen,” adding that the number of people who attended was less than the number of people attending regular Sunday church services throughout the province.
“It can happen anywhere,” he said. “It certainly reassured me that we have been relatively untouched by (COVID-19) here in this area, and it reassures me about how quickly it can spread.”
Meanwhile, the organizer of the faith meeting, Gospel Light Baptist Church Pastor Robert Smith, was heard in a recording of his church sermon last Sunday describing what happened as “unfortunate.”
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“This whole event has been difficult, there is no question about that,” Smith said in the video posted on Facebook. “It has been hard for me, not just emotionally, but physically. But we still have to glorify God, it’s a choice that each of us has to make. “
Smith added that while there are people who try to “embarrass us,” it does not mean that “we should be ashamed.” He asked the congregation if their phones had been ringing non-stop by the news agencies, saying “mine has.”
“People are trying to embarrass us, but I will never be ashamed of what I do for Christ. Is the thing unfortunate? Yes, but I’m not ashamed because I did what I’m 110% sure Christ wanted me to do. “
That Facebook post, which could be seen on Tuesday, has been removed.
This Canadian Press report was first published on November 17, 2021.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
Reference-globalnews.ca