(Submitted/All Saints Orthodox Church Meadow Lake Facebook)

By Nicole Reis

ONLINE FAITH SERVICES

Prayer and faith services offered online for those in need during self-isolation period

Mar 20, 2020 | 3:31 PM

Prayer services and faith-based ceremonies in the region are making adjustments to regular scheduled services to accommodate the community and provincial guidelines of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raymond Thibeault, administrator with Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church told meadowlakeNOW, most churches in the diocese have suspended prayer services but will offer online options. He said funeral services lately have been especially difficult.

“Some services are continuing, for example funerals, as long as they remain under the recommended number of people, so only close family and friends,” he said.

Father Doug Jeffery serves Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church, St. Jude in Green Lake, and Our Lady of the Smile Church in Waterhen Lake. Father Doug has been conducting funeral services over the last week on non-COVID-19 related deaths. He said crowd restrictions has been particularly difficult for those grieving.

“Families are having to say ‘no’ to their larger or extended families,” he said. “It was difficult for them because they don’t have the support of all the folks who would normally gather around them.”

Freedom and Flexibility

How App-Based Work Creates Economic Opportunity

16h ago

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

Funeral homes in the community are feeling the effects of social distancing.

Darcy Thomas of J.E. Thomas Funeral Home & Crematorium said funeral services and celebrations of life are subject to provincial guidelines of limiting gatherings of more than 50 people.

“Most families understand and want to adhere to guidelines,” he said. “Families are finding it hard. Friends and distant family want to pay respects and are unable to because of restrictions but, they understand they have to cope and will maybe have a gathering at a later time when they can have more family and friends nearby.”

For a community in self-isolation, there are community services available. Below is a list of faith-based services in the Meadow Lake community who are operating or offering online services:

Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church – No official Sunday church service; Church open for private prayer from 10 a.m. until noon every day of the week except Mondays. Father Doug will make himself available to speak with individuals who may need to speak. Fr. Doug said he is in the process of setting up a Facebook group and is setting up phone lines to keep in touch with the community.

Daily Eucharist – see mass online here.

Live streaming of Sunday mass on Facebook at 10 a.m., which will then be available on the Prince Albert Roman Catholic Diocesan here.

Alliance Church – Normal services this Sunday beginning at 10:30 a.m. and smaller services on Wednesday evenings; Pastor James Witherow is asking the public for suggestions about additional future services. Email: ml.allliance@gmail.com (three ‘L’ in Alliance is not a typo).

Evangelical Free Church – services cancelled; Live stream sermons online here.

Northwest Community Church –Services cancelled – online streaming beginning in two weeks; audio services can be found here.

All Saints Orthodox Church – All services suspended until end of March – Archdiocese conducting Canada-wide prayer service online Friday March 20, beginning at 5p.m. CST. You can tune in here. Meeting ID: 430 585 929.

Grace United Church – Services suspended – offering online warship services Sunday morning. The site is under construction though should be running by Saturday at graceunitedchurchml.ca.

Good Shepherd Holy Trinity – Both Anglican and Lutheran Churches services suspended – Bishop may consider online services.

Compass Emanual – All services are suspended until further direction.

—

nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722