“We do not see our actions as perpetuating the longevity of COVID-19 or any other virus that will inevitably come along,” the statement said. In a statement, GraceLife laid out its position on government lockdowns and their effectiveness. The following month, officials ordered the church to close. GraceLife Church was already fined $1,200 in December when authorities determined that attendance at a worship service exceeded the 15 percent of capacity permitted. “The Pastor’s actions, and the subsequent effects those actions could have on the health and safety of citizens, dictated our response in this situation.” “We’ve been consistent in our approach of escalated levels of enforcement with Pastor Coates, and we were hopeful to resolve this issue in a different manner,” said RCMP Inspector Mike Lokken. “The government’s forcing him into a position where he has to choose between disobeying God and obeying government, or obeying God and disobeying government.”Ĭoates has been charged with two counts of contravention of the Public Health Act and for failing to comply with a condition of his release.Ī spokesman for the Mounties said that the pastor has been given a second court appearance for next Wednesday. And normally, obeying Jesus and obeying the government go right in hand,” Kitchen said. “His first obedience is to his Lord, is to his God. The officers told Coates that he could be released if he promised to discontinue Sunday services, which the pastor refused to do.Ĭoates’ lawyer James Kitchen told CTV News that his client was willing to go to jail in order to do the “right thing” but “Coates could not, in good conscience,” agree to the cessation of church services. GraceLife has held worship services for three consecutive weeks after it was ordered to close at the end of January because of restrictions related to the coronavirus. James Coates of GraceLife Church of Edmonton turned himself in to police on Tuesday, two days after officials attended his Sunday service to assess compliance with conditions issued to the pastor, police said in a news release Wednesday.Īuthorities from Alberta Health Services and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) determined that Pastor Coates “was not complying with his Undertaking release conditions” issued by authorities. “In government, we set the policy and law enforcement actions really are dealt with by the agencies that have the ability to do so.A Christian pastor from Edmonton, Canada, has been jailed for breaking Alberta’s Public Health Act by continuing to hold church services when ordered to stop. “I think it’s important to note there have been repercussions for this particular church,” Hinshaw said. Deena Hinshaw was asked Monday if a lack of action on the file may embolden others to not follow public health orders. “It’s just a slap on the wrist (for GraceLife Church) and it’s just minor, right?” Martinello said.Īlberta chief medical officer of health Dr. The spokesperson said AHS is “hopeful of scheduling a meeting with the pastor this week (and prior to next Sunday) to discuss these breaches as well as public health risks related to COVID-19.” On Sunday AHS environmental public health inspectors again visited GraceLife Church.Īn AHS spokesperson said the inspectors were denied entry to the church, but noted - as they often do - what “appeared to be breaches of the current CMOH restrictions related to capacity, physical distancing and masking.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's not much discipline and they are just going to do it again and again."
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