by Jorge Gomez • 1 minute
We recently received positive news for Pastor Chris Avell and Dad’s Place Church in Bryan, Ohio.
A panel of judges on one of the Ohio Courts of Appeals issued a favorable decision that will allow the church to continue its temporary shelter ministry while the case works its way through the courts. That means Dad’s Place can keep its doors open 24/7 to serve anyone who needs help—at least for now.
“We are grateful to the court for recognizing the weighty issues of constitutional law and temporarily pausing the city’s aggressive campaign against Dad’s Place,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys. “Without this decision by the Court of Appeals, as the judges explained, the city would ‘prohibit Dad’s Place from practicing what it maintains is an important part of its religious beliefs for several months.’ America is better with people like Pastor Chris Avell and Dad’s Place, who compassionately open their doors to people who have nowhere else to go.”
Last month, a state trial court judge issued a troubling order that would have forced Dad’s Place to kick everyone out immediately, at a time when the temperature was well below freezing. With the help of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, First Liberty secured a stay from the state appeals court preventing the Bryan judge’s order from being enforced.
The most recent ruling at the appeals court reversed the trial court judge’s order, which is a victory and a huge sigh of relief for the people of Dad’s Place.
But this win is only temporary. The fight for Dad’s Place church is not over yet. There is still a lot of work ahead to put a stop to hostile city officials who insist on harassing this compassionate ministry.
Bryan officials have made it clear that they will not rest until Pastor Chris is in jail and the church’s outreach is completely shut down. In a recent column for The Columbus Dispatch, Mayor Carrie Schlade doubled down and claimed that the “city had to take on Dad’s Place” because of “public safety” concerns. She even said “this has nothing to do with restricting the church’s religious liberty” and that it’s about the city “protecting the very people the church claims to serve.”
But how would shutting down the church’s ministry help those who have nowhere else to go? Is it better to kick them to the curb and onto the cold streets in the middle of winter?
Despite what the Mayor says, the city has never offered a plan for where people are supposed to go if the door at Dad’s Place is closed. Will the Mayor open up city hall as a temporary shelter? Even the city’s fire chief testified that there’s not another building in a 72-square-mile radius around Bryan that can provide the same support as the ministry of Dad’s Place.
Make no mistake. This is about the free exercise of religion and the right of churches to minister and care for the most vulnerable. What the city of Bryan is doing to Dad’s Place is unconstitutional and betrays everything that religious freedom in America is all about.
“This is a battle over the First Amendment and freedom of religion,” explained AG Yost. “Bryan’s mayor does not like Dad’s Place and has mounted a year-and-a-half battle to close it down. The police stopped bringing people. Instead, City Hall sent fire inspectors, zoning inspectors, building code inspectors—all the petty tools it has to express its displeasure with unfavored members of the community.”
Our legal team is preparing for the next phase of this legal battle, which means we need your continued support. While we’ve secured some important wins so far, a decision on a criminal conviction against Pastor Chris Avell brought by the city is still pending. First Liberty will keep fighting this case until the City of Bryan stops its unlawful discrimination.
Pastor Chris and the people of Dad’s Place need your support. Can they count on you? Your gift today can help our legal team secure a victory that will protect this church from the city’s constant attacks. Please give to First Liberty today.
 |
|
|
