The doors of the Church of God Restoration in Aylmer, Ont. have been locked on the orders of an Ontario judge after the organization was found in contempt of court.
LONDON, ONT. The Church of God in Aylmer, Ont. is waiting to find out what penalty and/or fines it faces after being found in contempt of an order directing the congregation to refrain from holding religious gatherings and violating the province’s COVID-19 restrictions. Justice Bruce Thomas found the church and some of its leaders, including Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, were in contempt last month after they were charged for violating the Reopening Ontario Act. In her submissions, Crown Attorney Connie Vernon argued that despite being charged and found in contempt, indoor services were still held at the church on May 2 and May 9, with hundreds of people involved.
ST. THOMAS, ONT. An Ontario judge has ordered the Church of God Restoration location in Aylmer, Ont. locked up, after repeated violations of the Reopening Ontario Act. The evidence makes it clear that Pastor Hildebrandt has control over his congregation, said Justice Bruce Thomas in his decision. “Henry Hildebrandt, as pastor of this church, is the leading force and unapologetic spokesperson for this offending activity.” As for Hildebrandt ordering his congregation to go against provincial orders and saying they are not giving up, Thomas found those comments significantly aggravating and emphasized his control would allow the breached conduct to stop if he chose to do so.
The doors of the Church of God Restoration in Aylmer, Ont. have been locked on the orders of an Ontario judge after the organization was found in contempt of court.
Norfolk County, ON, Canada / NorfolkToday.ca
May 13, 2021 | 11:23 AM
Aylmer’s Church of God and its pastor Henry Hildebrandt are in St. Thomas court today to deal with a contempt order issued last month.
At that time, Justice Bruce Thomas found the church to be in contempt of his order directing the church to stop holding religious gatherings that defy Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Today’s proceedings will deal with possible penalties against the church, its pastor and assistant pastor Peter Wall. Crown counsel Connie Vernon is seeking to have the doors of the church locked until there are no gathering limits under the Re-Opening Ontario Act.