CBC

‘Cauldron of hostility’ boils in Aylmer, Ont., As judge considers closing doors on pandemic-defying church

A small town congregation’s disregard for COVID-19 public health orders and community oversight of parishioners has created a toxic environment that could turn critical on Friday when a judge decides to lock the doors of the Church in God in Aylmer, Ontario. The church, Pastor Henry Hildenbrandt and Assistant Pastor Patrick Wall have been convicted of contempt of court for continuing in-person services despite a court order to stop to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. Ontario Superior Court Judge Bruce Thomas must now decide what penalty, if any, to impose. “All of this has turned a small community in Ontario into a cauldron of hostility, which pitted neighbor against neighbor. I am deeply concerned about the toxic environment in Aylmer,” Thomas told the Virtual Court Thursday. “This congregation and these people, although different from the general population of southwestern Ontario, lived in peace and quiet in this community in the past. Now I see a shattered community, a shattered community.” The town’s church is one of many in Canada to challenge the constitutionality of public health orders that ban gatherings, including religious services. These will be heard in October. Locking the doors of churches in Canada is a poignant symbol of our threatened democracy. – Lisa Bildy, Aylmer, Ont., Church lawyer At the start of the pandemic last year, the church in southwestern Ontario organized drive-thru services, which were prohibited by provincial law, then gathered 200 people in the building, with no physical distancing or wearing of masks. Hildebrandt’s sermons, before a large congregation, are available on YouTube and Facebook as shown in this image. (Church of God in Aylmer / YouTube) The church, its pastors and parishioners have received several tickets from the Aylmer police. But physically locking all exterior doors, as the Crown has requested, goes too far, argued Lisa Bildy, an attorney with the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, who represents the church. “Locking the doors of churches in Canada is a poignant symbol of our threatened democracy,” she said. “It was two weeks to flatten the curve and it became 60+ weeks. No epidemic has been attributed to the church… I don’t think we should lock the doors of churches in this country. The church is fundamental to these people. “Welcomes Further Fines Many church members come from a Mennonite tradition, speak Low German (a variety or dialect of the language), and dress in modest clothing to signal that church is a way of life for them, not just something to attend. Sunday, Bildy said. They [Church of God] flout the law and public health orders. Locking the door is the only way to ensure that they will not enter the building. – Connie Vernon, Crown Attorney “Pastor Hildebrandt didn’t want to be provocative, he didn’t want to be a leading figure in a movement. He wanted his parishioners to have a community,” she said. He has now embraced the role of a figurehead, Bildy said. Since the start of the pandemic, Hildebrandt has embraced the No More Lockdowns movement, including a rally of 2,000 people against COVID-19 restrictions in the small town. He preached that the virus does not exist and encouraged contempt for provincial lockdown rules. His sermons, before a large congregation, are available on YouTube and Facebook. The church and its pastors are “committed to publicly and continually defying public health measures,” Crown attorney Connie Vernon said in her arguments in court. “They made it clear that they were planning to violate any court order, they encouraged civil disobedience, they encouraged other people to come to church,” she said. “It’s clear that [Hildebrandt] welcomes further fines and will continue to open the church. They flout the law and public health orders. Locking the door is the only way to ensure that they will not enter the building. There is no indication that they will stop inviting people in. “The Crown wants: All exterior doors locked until there are no more public health orders. Hildebrandt and his assistant pastor will be fined $ 10,000 each. For the church, a fine of $ 50,000. For the church to pay $ 100,000 in court costs. Bildy argued that the court costs are far too high and the financial penalties too high. If the doors are locked, the pastor should be allowed access to the building sometimes to check in, and they should be unlocked when public health orders are less restrictive. Hundreds of people stand by Main Street in Aylmer, Ont., ahead of a rally and march for protest against the public health measures. (Kate Dubinski / CBC) Thomas said he would. made his decision on Thursday, but added that he does not see Hildebrandt as a passive player in the movement against orders from health pu blique. “He chose the role he has now. He chose to be the spokesperson for the violation of rights,” Thomas said. “He uses his chair as a chair to exercise argumentation with others to follow his example. It is not about the word of his God, but also about his exhorting others to break the rules. He was chosen to be the face, front and center of this movement. “