Charge Dropped Against Canadian Pastor Who Kept Church Open During COVID Lockdown

LifeSite News ^ | 11/17/22 | The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms

[marshmallow]

'The unjustified intrusions of government into the homes and churches of Canadians in the name of COVID enforcement is a stain on Canada’s free and democratic society.'

CRESTON, British Columbia (The Justice for Constitutional Freedoms) — The Justice Centre is pleased that the Crown has dropped the charge against Pastor David Ripley of Grace Christian Fellowship, who was personally ticketed for allegedly violating a provincial health order.

The provincial health orders issued by Dr. Bonnie Henry during the final months of 2020 prohibited in-person worship services – entirely.

In carefully reading the document, Ripley found a particular clause allowing people to attend houses of worship for prayer and reflection. The local public authorities he called, including the mayor, the fire chief and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), confirmed his understanding that the provincial health order permitted him to open his church for prayer and reflection. So, Ripley opened up the church on Sunday mornings, roped off pews to ensure physical distancing and complied with the public health guidance. There was no singing, no preaching. The people who came prayed and read Scripture.

On January 3, 2021, as a small number of individuals attended Grace Christian Fellowship for prayer and reflection, two RCMP cruisers pulled up on the property. Ripley’s wife Gina showed them the order permitting attendance at houses of worship for prayer and reflection. The officers took issue with the number of cars in the parking lot, but otherwise did not challenge the language of the order or the actions of the church.

Later that day, however, RCMP officers arrived at the Ripleys’ residence and issued the pastor a ticket, fining him $2,300 for allegedly violating the provincial health order.

[Mark17]

Charge Dropped Against Canadian Pastor Who Kept Church Open During COVID Lockdown

That’s mighty white of them.

[crusty old prospector]

I wonder how much he had to pay in legal fees.

[MCSETots]

Didn’t the Pilgrims come to America from England to be able to practice their freedom of religion?

Maybe it’s time for another Thanksgiving story - Canadian “Pilgrims” escaping religious tyranny of the Canadian Crown . . .

[mikey_hates_everything]

10 over the speed limit is more serious than what that church was doing and the pigs probably wouldn’t have given a ticket for that.

[Bernard]

So will the RCMP refund the legal fees the congregation paid while this was still an open matter? Hopefully the apology delivered came in English and French.