The Global Reconciliation Church says it has recovered from the stigmatisation that followed the gathering at the Divine Restoration ministries in March 2020, in Bloemfontein in the Free State. The gathering came under the spotlight after many people who attended tested positive for COVID-19.
Following that, the Free State became the epicentre of the coronavirus and Bloemfontein was the hotspot.
The church gathering at the Divine Restoration ministries was also attended by the ACDP leader, Kenneth Meshoe and Evangelist Angus Buchanan.
The long thirst for Easter festivities has been quenched. After two years of lockdown regulations the churches can now hold Easter services with more relaxed regulations.
In March 2020, the coronavirus outbreak in the province had emanated from a church conference that was held at the Divine Restoration Church ministries.
Five international guests who were in attendance tested positive for the coronavirus.
Various church leaders were in attendance, and some were also infected.
This prompted the province to embark on a massive screening and contact tracing in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Congregants at Global Reconciliation Church in Bloemfontein say they are extremely elated.
“I’m so excited that we are here. We are not taking this lightly because really what happened two years ago it has shaken us,” says one of the congregants.
“Ah wow, can you believe it. Two years! It’s been quite a dark and gloomy period. It’s been quite difficult not gathering together even though we may still be wearing our masks, but at least the more people can gather together brings so much joy. So, personally, I’m so excited. I’ve got goose bumps. I’m so happy to be here,” says another churchgoer.
Global Reconciliation Church senior pastor, Mohau Rammile, was also in attendance at the gathering that came under the spotlight. He also tested positive for COVID-19.
Some of his church members also contracted the virus and some had passed on.
Global Reconciliation Church, spokesperson, Dr Charles Masoabi says the church is in recovery process.
“We went through a lot. We took a hard knock at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Because of the accusations like we are the ones that brought the coronavirus to the country, but through all the hardships we worked hard and trusted in the lord and we prayed.”
Global Reconciliation Church Pastor Mohau Rammile has reiterated the call for COVID-19 regulations for churches to be the same across the board.
Religious leaders have expressed their dissatisfaction over the regulations on churches. This after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the termination of the National State of Disaster.
“We hope that the rules and the regulations will really favour the church. The submissions that are being made by the Cogta for us to comment … as churches we want to encourage all the churches to really comment and send their submissions to the Cogta, so that we can be allowed to go back to normality – a real normality because the current rules really don’t favour the churches.”
Some congregants have appealed for the return to normality.
