First Liberty is fighting in federal appeals court on behalf of Pastor Chris Avell of Dad’s Place Church. The City of Bryan, Ohio is criminally charging the pastor for keeping the church doors open 24/7 and providing a safe place for the town’s most vulnerable.
A lower federal judge issued a bad decision denying our request for a preliminary injunction to protect the religious activities of the church, which include ministering and helping anyone who walks through their doors. This is an alarming ruling that could allow the City to continue harassing Pastor Chris and his church. In fact, this ruling threatens all churches, including your faith-based organization or house of worship.
That ruling was only a setback. The legal battle for Dad’s Place Church is far from over.
What city officials are doing to this pastor and church is wrong and illegal. We’re not going to stand idly by in the face of such blatant hostility toward a good Samaritan.
To date, Mayor Schlade and officials have criminally charged Pastor Chris, threatened to criminally charge the church’s landlord, used law enforcement officials to needlessly harass and humiliate Dad’s Place and its congregants, and has filed a civil lawsuit to force the church to kick out anyone seeking shelter in its sanctuary.
Dad’s Place contributes to the wonderful community of Bryan by helping those who can’t find help elsewhere. It’s appalling that the city continues to harass Pastor Chris for simply doing what the church is supposed to do.
The city’s ongoing attacks on the church have taken a devastating toll. People who need help are suffering because of what the city is doing. We learned that a congregant tragically died after the city would not let him stay at the church.
The city’s continued harassment regarding people staying overnight at Dad’s Place pressured the church to move the congregant, who suffered from seizures, to an apartment. The man had said he preferred staying at Dad’s Place and felt safer staying there because he did not want to be alone at night given his medical condition. The city has repeatedly filed criminal charges against the pastor for keeping the doors open 24/7 to care for people in need.
Fearing retribution by the city, Dad’s Place asked the congregant to set aside his reservations and relocate to the apartment. On April 12, the congregant suffered another seizure episode while staying alone at the apartment and died.
Houses of worship in America should not be punished for serving the most vulnerable. Pastor Chris isn’t breaking any laws. He has every right under the law to keep his church open to care for those who walk through its doors.
But instead of supporting this ministry, city officials preferred to double down on unlawful harassment by criminalizing compassion!
First Liberty has defended Pastor Chris and Dad’s Place for over eight months, and will continue to fight for them.
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