Church of God padlocked, service held outdoors

About 500 attended an outdoor service Sunday morning, May 16, at Aylmer Church of God (Restoration), in defiance of provincial regulations limiting such gatherings to a maximum of 10, just two days after a judge ordered the building padlocked so no one could get inside, and fined the church and its two pastors for ignoring a court order requiring them to adhere to provincial COVID-19 emergency restrictions.

During his speech, Pastor Henry Hildebrandt called on the “burly men” present to show themselves, boasting they didn’t have any “soy boys”, an apparent allusion to vegetarians or effeminate men.

After the service, guests were invited to stay for a lunch provided by the church.

(AE/Brett Hueston)