Church of God pastor Henry Hildebrandt has been fined for holding church services violating COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021. .“The justice of the peace fined me $65,000 for an outdoor church service that was livestreamed and open for all to attend on June 6, 2021,” said Hildebrandt in a Thursday video. .“Even though most pandemic-related charges have been dropped and many are being dropped in Alberta, the recent ruling there does not apply to Ontario, as it pertains to a technicality of the issues of the pandemic mandates in Alberta.” .Hildebrandt admitted to one count of “obeying God rather than man.”.He said he violated the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA), which went against Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. .Ontario Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance ruled in 2022 orders stemming from the ROA violated the Church of God’s freedom of religion and accepted they had a negative impact on people’s well-being. However, Pomerance said these violations were reasonable in a free, democratic society. .This decision was later upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the case. .The Supreme Court said on August 10 it would not hear a further appeal from two Ontario churches that challenged the provincial government’s violations of religious freedom through COVID-19 restrictions. .READ MORE: Ontario churches’ lawsuit against COVID restrictions denied by Supreme Court.“We are disappointed to learn that the Supreme Court determined that this was not a matter of national importance,” said Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms-funded lawyer Hatim Kheir. .“This is now the final word from the courts on the constitutionality of Ontario’s religious gathering restrictions.” .After much prayer and consultation with leaders and lawyers, Hildebrandt said he made a decision to accept a deal which will end further legal battles as it pertains to himself, the Church of God, his family and people who have been ticketed and summoned for worshiping with it. All other COVID-19 charges have been dropped. .If the case was taken to trial and he was found not guilty, he would face hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. Additionally, if it went to trial and he was found guilty, he would face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. .In lieu of the fine, the church offered to donate $75,000 over one year to the Aylmer Food Bank to make amends to the community. The Crown attorney declined its offer, and the fine will be going to the Ontario government. .Hildebrandt said the local public health unit has been unable to trace a single COVID-19 case to its gatherings during the pandemic. He added it was “threatened by neighbours, persecuted by Christians, defamed by the media, vandalized by radicals, surveilled by the police, and fined by the government for offering the Gospel to the lost, hope to the fearful, comfort to the hurting, refuge to the outcast, food for the hungry, and a hug to the rejected.” .When people abandon these duties, he said they bow to man and turn their backs on God. By God’s grace, he will always obey Him, rather than man regardless of the circumstances. .Hildebrandt concluded by saying the truth will prevail. Lies and liars will be exposed. .“So I implore you, love the Lord God with all your heart and soul,” he said. .The Church of God had a little more to be thankful for in 2021, as its members knew gathering, singing, and praying would not get them fined for the first time in months. .READ MORE: Embattled Aylmer Church of God ‘grateful but not excited’.Hildebrandt’s son Herbert said the developments were a welcome reprieve in adverse times..“I think right now, we really feel a little bit better,” said Herbert.
