Additional charges are expected to be laid after the Church of God in Aylmer violated pandemic rules for a third straight week by hosting another in-person service.
Aylmer police were on hand to monitor the service on Sunday at the John Street North church.
"A large number of participants attended the Church of God Restoration and entered the church for the service in violation of the current emergency orders," police said.
Video from the service shows people without face coverings, not physically distancing. The choir, made up of more than a dozen men and women, happily sang twice during the hour and a half gathering.
"Charges against the organization and two directors who organized and actively participated in the service are pending," police said on Monday morning.
Under Ontario’s current public health restrictions religious gatherings are limited to ten people. Face coverings must also be worn and physical distance maintained. Individuals convicted of violating the emergency orders face a minimum fine of $750, while those guilty of hosting large gatherings can be fined up to $10,000.
The Church of God and its pastor Henry Hildebrandt have gained notoriety throughout the pandemic for repeatedly defying the province’s COVID-19 lockdown rules. Most recently, Hildebrandt, his assistant pastor, and the corporation were found to be in contempt by a judge in St. Thomas court for holding a similar in-person service on April 25.
Six people, including two politicians and a former London Health Sciences Centre nurse, were charged for attending one of the church's in-person services last month. All six were charged with failing to comply with a continued section 7.0.2 order under the Reopening Ontario Act. Similar charges were laid on four other separate occasions since the start of February. To date, none of the charges have been proven in court.
