GraceLife Church is a Ghost Town + Lone Protester Arrested

Unlike the raucous turnout last week at Gracelife Church that saw up to 500 people and over 100 police officers present, with people shouting, praying, giving speeches, singing, and making their displeasure known while helped along by caravans from around the province who bussed in patriotic protesters, the scene this morning has been markedly different.

With the congregants at Gracelife gathering at an unknown, offsite location there was no one at the church building. Unlike last week, the property was a ghost town.

There was no one there, other than about 15 RCMP officers, along with members of the Enoch Cree First nation on the other side of the property, who were anticipating a large crowd that did not materialize, and who wanted to avoid a repeat from last week, when their property was trespassed by attendees looking for parking.

In fact, unlike for the last few months, there weren’t even any reporters for major news organizations there, watching from their perch across the street in the ditch.

The place was dead.

One lone protester showed up and was prompted arrested. He was identified as one of the individuals who helped tear down the fence at the rally last week, an act he regrets and wishes hadn’t happened. In an interview with Protestia, he explained:

I got caught up in the moment. And I promised them that would not happen again. I made a mistake once and I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

He was taken to the Spruce Grove RCMP attachment where he was charged with mischief under $5000 and obstruction. He was fingerprinted and was released with a promise to appear and a restraining order prohibiting him from being within a mile of the church property.

This is the same man who put up signs yesterday around the perimeter fence, all of which were ripped down early this morning.

Meanwhile, the Church of Gracelife gathered in secret. Police did not show up to their gathering, nor were they accosted by AHS. At this point it appears that the RCMP is aware of where the congregants and pastor James Coates are gathering, and they are choosing not to take action. The barricaded and fenced-in church are enough of a symbol for the government, who does not want to exacerbate the situation further, the public being temporarily assuaged.

Continue to pray for this congregation.