Church goers attend service at Heights Baptist Church in Medicine Hat (Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Local church appears to host Easter Service in defiance of public health order

Apr 4, 2021 | 3:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- Churchgoers came to Heights Baptist Church this morning to mark Easter Sunday. The church is one of dozens in the country that have publicly declared through Liberty Coalition Canada, that they will defy the public health order.

Speaking to CHAT News Saturday, Pastor Patrick Schoenburger said their decision to defy the order is due to their belief that church is an essential service.

“Christians believe in worshipping god. Scripture calls us to not neglect the gathering of ourselves together and so we believe the physical gathering of the church is very important,” he said.

Under the current public health order, capacity is limited to 15 per cent and mask-use is mandatory.

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On Sunday morning, worshippers were seen entering and exiting the church, with a majority not wearing masks.

Officers with the Medicine Hat Police Service were on scene and appeared to be investigating.

Heights Baptist Church is one of two churches in the city that have declared their opposition and defiance of the public health order. Grace Family Reformed Baptist Medicine Hat, with no known address, is also listed on the same website.

Liberty Coalition Canada recently came under fire after one of their founders MPP Randy Hillier posted a photo of Hitler and compared Ontario’s response to the Third Reich. That prompted MLA Drew Barnes and Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt to resign from the coalition.

by Tiffany Goodwein

Local church appears to host Easter Service in defiance of public health order

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