A church in West Vancouver is suspending its Sunday service in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
St. Christopher’s Anglican Church on Inglewood Avenue won’t be holding its usual Sunday programming effective March 15 onwards until further notice, according to Rev. Karen Urquhart.
Following a series of COVID-19 outbreaks on the North Shore – including 16 people who have tested positive for coronavirus at Lynn Valley Care Centre, two at West Vancouver’s Hollyburn House, and three administrative staff at Lions Gate Hospital – the church has decided to suspend its service out of an abundance of caution, said Urquhart.
“In each region there’s different risks and different populations and demographic groups that are going to be very different here then say, a parish in Chilliwack,” said Urquhart. “We’ve had outbreaks here in the local care homes on the North Shore and now in West Van.”
Urquhart said the church made the decision to not host its Sunday service because of West Vancouver’s high population of seniors and older adults, who are more at risk when it comes to coronavirus.
“We’ve got people that are self-isolating and have told us that already,” said Urquhart.
On Thursday, the province recommended cancelling or suspending large events upwards of 250 people.
Urquhart said that she plans to keep the church open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday to allow individuals to quietly use the space for personal prayer and contemplation, but no formal service will be delivered in order to encourage social distancing.
The West Vancouver parish is part of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, which consists of 66 parishes throughout the Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
Visit stchristopherswestvan.org for updates.
On Saturday, the province announced nine new cases of novel coronavirus throughout B.C. The province now has 73 total confirmed cases.
Editor’s note: The latest information on coronavirus disease is available on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and Vancouver Coastal Health websites. Detailed information including travel advice is on the federal government’s website. If you have questions and concerns about COVID-19, please get your information from a trusted source. Spreading rumours and misinformation on social media or in conversation could impact lives.
