Are Calgary Courts City Bullies?
The Street Church injunction hearing started with volunteers singing the Canadian National Anthem outside the courthouse. Volunteers then sang Amazing Grace, and blessed those that persecute them. Artur Pawlowski then pointed a finger at some children standing by and said to a crowd of onlookers, “If you will not stand up for your rights, stand up for the rights of these children, and their children.”
Inside the Street Church injunction hearing it was standing room only, with the courtroom packed, and about twenty supporters outside the courtroom praying, kept outside by lack of space.
When the hearing started there was a heavy feeling in the room as the appearance of an injust theatrical production unfolded. Statements made by the judge seemed to indicate that the hearing was merely a formality. It seemed as though the judge had formed her opinions prior to the hearing, that those opinions would determine the verdict, and that legal evidence and arguments brought forward in the session would have little sway regarding her decision.
Street Church’s lawyer was pleading with the judge to allow Street Church their fair day in court, and not to impose restrictions on their ministry until that time. He indicated that dispite repeated requests through correspondance, by his team of lawyers, with the City to have an early trial date set, the City has repeatedly denied these requests.
He raised the point that, in Canada, a defendant is to be considered innocent until proven guilty. The response was that the notion of “innocent until proven guilty” does not apply, since this is an injunction hearing and not a trial. It seems like the City is prolonging justice and is using the club of an injunction to stop Street Church’s ministry efforts.
To be clear, without a proper trial, where all of the evidence can be presented, and a verdict of innocent or guilty rendered, an injunction will grant the City the power to shut down Street Church, presupposing the ministries guilt. If the City gets the injunction approved, and Street Church proceeds with its ministry, past or present volunteers of Street Church will be found in violation of the injunction, which in effect means being arrested for serving the needs of the poor, and preaching the Gospel, as we are commanded in scripture to do.
After the hearing Artur Pawlowski said, “That the world hates us, this we understand, but that the key witnesses for the City, against Street Church, are Pat Nixon of the Mustard Seed, and Dermot Baldwin of the Drop-In Centre, this we cannot understand. Why would the heads of other organizations, especially those who have professed to be brothers in the Lord, align with the ones that are persecuting us and trying to shut down the gospel, rather than coming along side fellow believers?”
Brothers and sisters, you may not agree with the methods of Street Church, but don’t signs and wonders, miracles, healings, river baptisms, feeding approximately 6,000 people a month, and hundreds taken off the streets, and countless professed conversions, speak for the good work they are doing? Is this not what our focus should be, forwarding the Kingdom of the living God? At Street Church, their focus, and their passion is Christ Jesus our Lord. Please either support them, or allow God to be their Judge, “For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king; he will save us. – Isaiah 33:22”
If you are interested in supporting the efforts of Street Church Ministries please feel free to call them at (403) 607-4434.
Jim Blake
National Chairman
Concerned Christians Canada
(403) 726-2371