News at press time …

Calgary Street Church leader Art Pawlowski was arrested and spent the night in jail following a prayer demon-stration in the park across from Mount Royal Village on 17th Ave & 8 St SW

 

Apparently, those nearby called the po- lice as the Street Church members prayed and read the Scriptures outloud. Upon his release the next day, Pawlowski said that five fellow inmates prayed to receive Christ.

 

 He will be facing 3 charges in September.

 

 

Dear Editor: I just went through this month’s CLN and I just wanted to mention something regarding your article on the Street Church. Please don’t get me wrong. I was pleased to see the article that they were allowed in the parade, but I did not find any article on the Samaritan’s Purse entry, the Salvation Army entry or the church float that went out in the pre-parade. These entries went through the ap¬propriate officials to be able to be part of the parade. Because they went through the proper channels does this mean that God did not use them in the same way?

 

To date I do not see anyone not being allowed to en¬ter the parade if they first meet the criteria and go through the proper steps to be in the parade. The church has not been kept out of our Stampede Parade. They have just had to go through the proper paper work. Why did the Street Church not do this? Were they kept out of the parade through discrimination? Or did they just wish to make a statement? Does this not open the door to other personal interest groups just meeting next year in a group and either being allowed to enter or being the cause of bad publicity? Is this not just another form of coercion? I truly support freedom of speech but I do not feel God wishes us to push our way into events just for the sake of skipping the "legal way." I believe the officials should be given the opportunity to bless the Church with¬out being "forced" to make the decision based on "fear of man." They should be given the opportunity to bless the Church because they fear God.

 

I bless the Street Church in Jesus Name and the terri¬tory it has taken in the heart of the city. I just cannot totally agree with this action. I truly thank God that He has allowed me to live and worship in a free country. I acknowledge that some of our Christian Rights have been disintegrating due to the Government leaning towards the "politically correct stand" and the Church not standing for what is right. However, having said that, what is the point of trying to get around the law? Jesus Himself said "what is Caesar’s give to Caesar and what is God’s give to God." Thanks, Colleen Pilgrim, Calgary AB

 

Editor’s note: Thanks for your observation. Street Church was the onlY Christian group that supplied CLN with a news release about their involvement with the Calgary Stampede.