The doors of a Canadian church will not be closed to its members by police and health officials after a judge recently declined an Ontario Attorney General’s request to close down the church because it was opened in violation of the harsh COVID-19 health rules.
This development was announced by Pastor Henry Hildebrandt of the Church of God which is located in Aylmer, Ontario in a recent YouTube message.
While making the announcement, Hildebrandt wrote: “God still is on his throne and prayer and fasting does move his arm. We thank God this morning that the judge ruled, at least until May 13th, that the doors would remain open and that there will be no fines issued.
“Whatever it takes, God will help us. God is the supreme judge, and what God does, what God allows is, well, it will be the best for his kingdom. May God help us decide if you would pray, especially for May 13th, when this matter will be before the judge again, so that it would be ruled according to what God wants it to be. God bless you. And thank you so very much again for your support and your prayers.”
Few days ago, Hildebrandt shared a letter from Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey’s office to the Honourable Mr. Justice Bruce G. Thomas, Regional Senior Justice of the Southwest Region in Ontario.
In the letter, the courts were asked by Downey’s office to close the Church of God doors as it has been violating the Ontario Reopening Act.
In the letter, the Attorney General sought at a “subsequent sanctions hearing, fines and an order directing the sheriff to lock the doors of the Respondent church until no gathering size limits apply to the church under the Reopening Ontario Act.”
Also, the letter was copied to Hildebrandt’s lawyers at the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), who are on top of the case.
In his video message, Hildebrandt said they woke up this morning with “heavy hearts” expecting to hear bad news, but thanked “God this morning for answering prayer.”
Hildebrandt praised his legal team and JCCF lawyer Lisa Bild. He said Lisa spoke in defense of the church with “very strong words.”
He said: “So we are very thankful, very thankful.
“And thank you for your support and your prayers, the many, many messages you sent. God bless you for that. Please keep on praying that the Lord will help us. It is my utmost desire to preach the gospel, the good news, and bring sinners to Christ in a critical time like we’re living in right now.”
