Author of the article: Jane Sims • The London Free Press
Publishing date: May 13, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 6 minute read • Church of God Pastor Henry Hildebrandt arrives at the Aylmer church Thursday morning, where he was joined by dozens of congregants, just as a nearby court was deliberating whether its doors should be looked due to flagrant defiance of Ontario s laws against indoor gatherings amid COVID-19. Photo taken May 13, 2021. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)
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The “toxic environment in Aylmer,” created as a provocative preacher and his congregation defy public-health orders during the pandemic, is weighing heavily on the judge deciding how to punish the church.
Judge to decide on Church of God penalty for contempt ruling
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A St. Thomas judge began on Thursday a two-day court hearing that may end with him ordering padlocks on the doors of the Church of God in Aylmer, where Pastor Henry Hildebrandt has led weekly Sunday services in defiance of Ontario’s pandemic laws that aim to slow COVID-19’s spread. His most recent service was just four days ago and LFP reporter Heather Rivers was able to hear audio of it. Here’s some of what Hildebrandt said:
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ON THE COURTS
“I have no idea what the court is going to say. But we are not giving up. We are going on.”
Author of the article: John Vaudry
Publishing date: May 12, 2021 • 2 hours ago • 3 minute read • Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church in Parkland County was released March 22, after being jailed for more than a month after refusing to abide by a bail condition to not hold church services that violated rules over gathering and masking. File photo jpg, SP
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I just don’t understand some of my fellow Christians. I’m particularly grieved by those who, for whatever reason, have taken a stand against the public health measures introduced by government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By now, we’ve probably all heard of Pastor James Coates of the GraceLife Church in Parkland County, Alberta, who went to jail because he defied restrictions on the number of people who could assemble for worship at any given time and also permitted (encouraged?) congregants to attend services without masks. Now, in Aylmer, Ontario, Pastor Henry Hildebrand
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Police have once again laid charges against Aylmer’s Church of God after it held yet another lockdown-defying Sunday service – and a judge may come down hard later this week on the church and Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, having already found him in contempt of the laws aimed at slowing COVID-19’s spread. With that looming, Free Press reporter Jonathan Juha spoke with Aylmer police Chief Zvonko Horvat about what the situation has meant for his small police department, his approach to the impasse and what’s to come:
Q: Let’s start by talking about the approach you and Aylmer police have taken so far when dealing with the Church of God.
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