Church Continues to Gather After Pastor Jailed for Refusing To Turn People Away

The church of the Canadian pastor jailed for refusing to turn worshippers away continues to hold in-person church services in defiance of state-imposed restrictions.

Pastor James Coates will remain in prison until his May 3-5 trial after he was denied bail last week for breach of state health orders.

The GraceLife church pastor was arrested two weeks ago and charged under the Public Health Act for violating public health orders, including being over capacity and failing to adhere to social distancing requirements.

The arrest and imprisonment of Pastor Coates has not deterred the church from continuing to gather for Sunday worship.

Ezra Levant of Rebel News attended GraceLife’s Sunday service, and tweeted:

“I visited GraceLife church in Edmonton today — whose pastor has been sentenced to ten weeks in a maximum-security prison for refusing to close his church. Being amongst hundreds of normal people living normally felt like a year’s worth of political grime was power-washed off me.”

I visited GraceLife church in Edmonton today — whose pastor has been sentenced to ten weeks in a maximum security prison for refusing to close his church. Being amongst hundreds of normal people living normally felt like a year’s worth of political grime was power-washed off me. pic.twitter.com/jMMFX4dKkO

— Ezra Levant 🍁 (@ezralevant) March 7, 2021