St. John's Pentecostal pastor asks church members to see vaccines as a 'gift'
CBC
As public health officials monitor a cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to a Pentecostal church in Bishop's Falls, the lead pastor at one of Newfoundland and Labrador's largest congregations says he wants to be a strong advocate for vaccinations.
The Elim Pentecostal Tabernacle's Fred Penney sat down in St. John's with CBC's Mark Quinn to talk about vaccinations and the message he's giving his more than 500-member congregation.
Q: What do you make of what is happening in central Newfoundland? We've heard about a cluster of cases that have been linked to a Pentecostal church in Newfoundland.
A: I heard some stuff on the radio about that as well and there seems to be some correlation there. I don't want to speculate on the reasons behind it. The people out there have given interviews but I think that there is a lot of anxiety in the population in general, which is surprising to me because when the virus first came I think we were all saying we need a vaccine. We were all waiting and anticipating and then when the vaccine was discovered it was, like, how quickly can we get it? I was first in line to get my vaccine as early as I could and then we got our second one as early as we could. So I'm a bit surprised by the anxiety that has developed. Social media, I think, has a lot to do with that. There is a lot of misinformation out there.
Q: Does the Pentecostal church have a position on the vaccine?
A: Not an official position. I mean, here at the local church we encourage people to get the vaccine but we also, obviously, have to respect people's individual rights to choose and we don't want to guilt anyone into it, but I've told the congregation here that I was vaccinated and I made a comment that science and hospitals and medical people are a gift from God and we thank God for that and we embrace it. Not every Sunday, not frequently, but I have made it known that I'm vaccinated. I support the vaccine.
Q: We don't hear from the Pentecostal church frequently. Why did you chose to speak on this issue?
The deadline for the first of 26 citizen-led recall petitions against Alberta MLAs is Wednesday, marking 90 days since petitioners began collecting signatures in an effort to recall provincial Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides last October.
A young man who was the catalyst for a police investigation into accused sexual predators Tony Humby and Bruce Escott has died.
Faculty, academic librarians and counsellors represented by the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) in Sudbury, Ont. are on strike.
More than 100,000 homes and businesses in Nova Scotia have lost power as a winter storm brings wet and heavy snow to the province.
The Supreme Court of Canada is hearing arguments today on a Quebec case that could have far-reaching implications on policing across Canada.
With the steady surge in the price of gold, more customers are lining up to sell off or invest in the precious metal at some Winnipeg retailers, as those businesses are also wrestling with alternatives to make the karats more attainable.
Recent incidents involving security guards in Saskatchewan have raised wider questions about how they're trained to handle conflict.
Weather conditions on P.E.I. have prompted delays and closures across the province Monday.
Officials say an injured firefighter was taken to hospital after battling an “accidental” fire that started in a kitchen in a home in Windsor, Ont.
Salome Solomon, who is legally blind, relies on two things to get around Ottawa: her guide dog, Zurich, and Uber.
Thunder Bay, Ont., police chief Darcy Fleury says the proposed police budget for 2026 is not a “wish list” for the service.
Sexual assault survivor calls for accountability after police comments left her feeling ‘humiliated’
An Ontario woman who regularly shared her experiences as a sexual assault survivor at police training courses says she’s ending her relationship with the Ontario Police College and is raising concerns about what she and several experts say are harmful biases among some officers and a lack of accountability from the college.
Provincial officials will meet with St. Mary’s town council on Monday, after high winds tore the side of an abandoned fish sauce plant — but the town’s mayor is also calling on the federal government for help.