It Took A Canadian Pastor...

[kccd]

To shut down a Good Friday service.

He kept referring to Passover. I assumed he was a rabbi

[mossrose]

He kept referring to Passover. I assumed he was a rabbi

No, he's a Christian pastor. I looked the church up online.

[Cow Poke]

He kept referring to Passover. I assumed he was a rabbi

Christian Churches often refer to Passover -- at the Last Supper, Jesus "repurposed" Passover to what we now observe as "Lord's Supper" or "Communion".
And many Churches, like ours, will have a Seder where a Jewish Rabbi (or a Jewish convert to Christianity) will explain "Christ in the Passover".

Jews who celebrate Passover have a part of that celebration where they unwittingly 'act out' the burial and Resurrection of Christ, in the use of the Afikomen.

[Reepicheep]

Did your church get the provincial "grant" for obeying their health orders

Thanks for expressing an interest in my congregation. As treasurer, I applied for the Alberta COVID grant on behalf of the congregation. I received word yesterday that we will be receiving a grant of $2466 in a few weeks time, the full amount that I applied for.

Did your congregation also apply for a grant?

[mossrose]

Thanks for expressing an interest in my congregation. As treasurer, I applied for the Alberta COVID grant on behalf of the congregation. I received word yesterday that we will be receiving a grant of $2466 in a few weeks time, the full amount that I applied for.

Did your congregation also apply for a grant?

Well, I'm so glad I get to spend my tax dollars to help your church disobey the Lord's commands.

My church did not apply for the bribe.

[Reepicheep]

Well, I'm so glad I get to spend my tax dollars to help your church disobey the Lord's commands.

My church did not apply for the bribe.

Is your congregation registered with the CRA as a registered charity? And, if so, do you give out charitable tax receipts for the donations you receive? And, if you give out tax receipts, do you believe you are guilty of cheating the Canadian taxpayer?

Which of God's commands are you accusing my congregation of breaking?

[mossrose]

Is your congregation registered with the CRA as a registered charity? And, if so, do you give out charitable tax receipts for the donations you receive? And, if you give out tax receipts, do you believe you are guilty of cheating the Canadian taxpayer?

No.

Which of God's commands are you accusing my congregation of breaking?

The directive to assemble together, and the one where we must obey God rather than man.

[Reepicheep]

The directive to assemble together, and the one where we must obey God rather than man.

Do you believe that the millions of Canadian Christians who belong to congregations that have registered with the CRA are guilty of an unforgivable blasphemy?

Are you making the accusation, in the name of the Triune God, that the members of my congregation have stopped meeting on Sunday morning at church?

[mossrose]

Do you believe that the millions of Canadian Christians who belong to congregations that have registered with the CRA are guilty of an unforgivable blasphemy?

You are trying to introduce something that has nothing to do with the meeting together of God's people. I'm not playing.

Are you making the accusation, in the name of the Triune God, that the members of my congregation have stopped meeting on Sunday morning at church?

Is your church full of all the regular congregants? Will your church use the "bribe" to actually purchase PPE, as is the purpose of the money? Why? For the few people that actually are "allowed" to attend your church? Will the money help, in any way, to allow more people to attend your church?

[Reepicheep]

Is your church full of all the regular congregants? Will your church use the "bribe" to actually purchase PPE, as is the purpose of the money? Why? For the few people that actually are "allowed" to attend your church? Will the money help, in any way, to allow more people to attend your church?

Are you making the accusation, in the name of the Triune God, that people have been turned away from my church on Sunday morning and not allowed to attend services?

[mossrose]

Are you making the accusation, in the name of the Triune God, that people have been turned away from my church on Sunday morning and not allowed to attend services?

Is your church full of all the regular congregants? Will your church use the "bribe" to actually purchase PPE, as is the purpose of the money? Why? For the few people that actually are "allowed" to attend your church? Will the money help, in any way, to allow more people to attend your church?

[Cow Poke]

Are you making the accusation, in the name of the Triune God, that people have been turned away from my church on Sunday morning and not allowed to attend services?

OK, so this is new to me --- you're asking her to swear on God's name that.... what? This is a really weird statement/question/challenge.

[Reepicheep]

Is your church full of all the regular congregants?

A few members with various ailments (for example, diabetics and members on kidney dialysis) are choosing to stay home as a precaution.

Will your church use the "bribe" to actually purchase PPE, as is the purpose of the money?

I don't think you understand how the grant works. Certain expenses are reimbursed by the government. It was necessary for me to send copies of all our receipts to the Alberta government. The government reviewed the receipts, decided that all the purchases were valid, and they reimbursed us for money already spent.

For the few people that actually are "allowed" to attend your church?

I don't know what you mean by the "few" who are "allowed" to attend. Everyone who wants to attend our services can attend. We have yet to turn anyone away at the door because the church was full.

Will the money help, in any way, to allow more people to attend your church?

Some of the receipts I submitted were for upgrades to our audio/visual and computer equipment. This allows us to broadcast our services live on youtube. Interestingly, we have received donations and messages of support from people hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away who appreciate our online services and have started watching on a weekly basis.

[mossrose]

I don't think you understand how the grant works.

I was going on what was stated in our local newspaper. According to that report, the funds were to be used for PPE. It said nothing about using it to reimburse a church for audio-video, etc.

[Reepicheep]

I was going on what was stated in our local newspaper. According to that report, the funds were to be used for PPE. It said nothing about using it to reimburse a church for audio-video, etc.

The exact amounts we were reimbursed are as follows:

$736.25 - new laptop (our existing older laptop was too slow, resulting in our youtube broadcasts freezing)
$628.00 - audio video cables, microphones, headphones, sound cards, etc.
$524.99 - web camera
$179.98 - two motion activated faucets (one for each washroom)
$102.90 - hand sanitizer
$94.47 - face masks
$61.20 - upgrade to our CCLI ("Christian Music") license so we could broadcast singing on the web
$50.02 - Lysol wipes and Lysol cleaner
$49.08 - spray paint, duct tape, wall fastenings, etc. which enabled us to mark out 2m distances, hang up COVID instructional posters, etc.
$38.25 - disposable plastic cups for use during communion distribution
-------------
$2465.14 - total

For reasons known only to the Alberta government, they rounded our grant upwards to $2466.