Tag: AHS

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Evangelical Stuff Featured In-person Church Righteous Defiance

Canadians Rally At Prison for Jailed Pastor Tim Stephens

A crowd of over 200 people gathered outside the Calgary Remand Center on Saturday, holding up Canadian flags and “churches are essential” signs, protesting the continued imprisonment of Pastor Tim Stephens. The Fairview Baptist Church pastor was taken into custody a week ago after police helicopters discovered his church service, resulting in him being arrested and booked for defying the government’s lockdown order which prohibits churches from gathering at more than 15% capacity.

Earlier in the week, Alberta Premier Jason Kenny announced that the province would be opening up in full on July 1. At that time the province will enter stage 3, whereby almost all COVID-19 public health restrictions will be lifted, including restrictions on churches.

Stephens’ trial is set for June 28, a mere 3 days before gathering for full church services becomes legal again.


In an interview with Rebel News, the Justice Centre’s Litigation Director Jay Cameron says Stephen’s arrest is completely illegal and based on a court order that was issued to another business and doesn’t even apply to them, accusing the government of targeting pastors and those critical of their pandemic policies.

He’s been arrested and what the grounds that these guys are saying is because he was served with the amended order of (Judge) Rook…The important thing…is that that order does not apply to him, that order applies only to the Whistle Stop Cafe and people acting under its instructions or in concert with them. And so Alberta Health Services is deceiving the public and twisting that order in order to arrest people who they say have notice of it…that order cannot be stretched to the general public, that’s not the plain wording of the order. And so our position is that Pastor Stephens has been wrongfully arrested, and that AHS is engaged in a public deception.

This led to the rally on Saturday at the Remand Center.

The crowd gathered to pray and sing hymns, including “It is well with my soul.” Several local pastors gave brief, rousing sermons and messages condemning the government and the culture that has allowed these pastors to be imprisoned and their Charter Rights shredded in front of them.

One of the speakers was Pastor James Coates, who himself spent over a month in prison for the same offenses, and has been doing underground services in hiding ever since. His full message below, courtesy of Devin Davis.

I have seen him faithfully minister the word of God. He has been a stalwart of faithfulness to Christ, in shepherding his church, and so I just want everyone to know that I stand by Tim Stephens. He is a precious brother of mine…

The fact that pastor Stephens is in that [jail] is injustice. This county has lost its conscience. That man is in there because he cannot sign a condition, a condition that would preclude him from fulfilling his mission as a pastor and follower of Jesus Christ. And our country is silencing the conscience, it’s a seared conscience that our country has.

Continue to pray for our brother in prison.

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Featured In-person Church Righteous Defiance

GraceLife Church and James Coates Sue AHS to Get Their Building Back

Supporters gather outside GraceLife Church near Edmonton, Alta., on Sunday, April 11, 2021. The church has been fenced off by police and Alberta Health Services in violation of COVID-19 rules. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

GraceLife Church has gone on the offensive and is suing Alberta Heath Services (AHS) to get their church back, making an application to the Court of Queen’s Bench demanding immediate access to their chruch and and property, according to a press release from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.

The move comes two months after AHS joined forces with law enforcement to create a barricade around GraceLife Church and prohibit anyone from entering, causing large protests and creating a stark symbol of the tyranny and hostility of the Canadian government toward churches.

The church has been without its building since April 7th, becoming one of the first churches in Canada to meet in secret and form the underground church, borne out of necessity in order to avoid further arrest, fines, and jail time. According to the release:

The GraceLife Applicants contend the public health restrictions on worship violate their rights to freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association, liberty, and security of the person as protected by sections 2 and 7 of the Charter.

In addition to asking the Court to strike down the public health restrictions, the GraceLife Applicants are seeking the immediate return of their building and an order from the court prohibiting law enforcement and government agents from attempting to break up or disrupt worship services.

Three congregants of GraceLife Church, Dr. Donna Klay, Achnes Smith, and Allan Neil, have joined the Church and Pastor Coates in asking the Court to uphold their constitutional rights by reversing the government’s seizure of their church building.

In addition to that, they’ve also launched an appeal against the June 7 decision that said James Coates charter rights were not violated,

Expert reports have been filed in support of this court challenge from medical professionals and scientists including:  esteemed virologist and immunologist, Dr. Byram Bridle; an expert pathologist; in addition to a medical microbiologist and infectious disease specialist. These extensive expert reports include scientific evidence that asymptomatic transmission is negligible, that masks are ineffective and irrational, and that capacity limits of church gatherings are also irrational and have no basis in science.

The Justice Centre will also be appealing the June 7 decision of Alberta Provincial Court Judge Robert Shaigec, who ruled that the arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of Pastor Coates did not violate his Charter rights and freedoms, and that ticketing Pastor Coates for leading a regular worship service did not violate freedoms of religion, expression, assembly, and association.

The next court date for Coates is on June 30, where they will “challenge the constitutionality and legality of Dr. Deena Hinshaw’s lockdown restrictions.”

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Police Again Interrupt The Church Service of Polish Pastor Who Shouted ‘Out Nazi Gestapo!’ It Doesn’t Go Well For Them


A Polish pastor in Canada who went viral after he lit into police officers and Alberta Health Service (AHS) workers who entered his church without permission in order to shut down the service, kicking them out and calling them “Gestapo” and “Nazis” while demanding they get a warrant, found himself in a similar situation after being greeted yet again by an AHS worker and even more police who interrupted the service in order to get access into his building.

Seemingly forgetting how last time went, with them running away with tails tucked between their legs after getting thoroughly scolded and verbally trashed, Pastor Artur Pawlowski of the Cave of Adullam Church in Calgary, Alberta started off the conversation cordially enough. While AHS wanted access during the service so they could see if Street Church was over the mandated 15% maximum, Pawloski likewise barred them entry.

While he does run the ministry Street Church, the pastor points out that the church they are visiting is not the address of the registered organization, and it’s not in fact Street Church gathering, telling them “You’ve got to do your homework first before you come, ok?”

The member of Alberta Health Services explains that they just want to come in for a bit, that they’ll serve the order and then stand at the back of the church as to not interrupt.

This is not an acceptable course of action for the pastor.

No, you can contact my lawyer. My lawyer takes care of this. I’m not interested to listen to any word you have to say. I do not cooperate with Gestapo. I do not talk to the Nazis. You came in your uniforms like thugs.

That’s what you are. Brownshirts of Adolf Hitler. You are Nazi Gestapo Communist Fascists. I do not cooperate with Nazis. Talk to my lawyer. You’re not allowed here. You’re not welcome here, and I’m not going to cooperate with Gestapo like you, ok? So is that fair enough for you? Talk to my lawyer.

The AHS agent interrupts and says, “Let’s at least have a conservation.” Her habit of continually seeking to butt in leads him to raise his voice.

I’m not interested in talking. You see, this is what the Gestapo is doing. You’re coming to the place of worship, to intimidate and to harass, so you can make an appointment – Lady! Listen to Me! You can make an appointment. Another day! You’re Gestapo!

AHS agent: “You don’t need to shout…”

Another day! Not this day! Not this day! Not during the church! You understand!? Make an appointment! Ok?! So Go!

Recognizing the futility of their plan and the fact that Pawlowski wasn’t going to do as they wished, the police consented to leave, while the pastor continued to shout at them and berate them for the dastardly plan of action.

You are sick! That’s what you are. Rightfully so you change your uniforms to black because you are exactly acting like the Gestapo of old.