Q & A with Pastor Henry Hildebrandt

We reached out to Pastor Henry Hildebrandt for comment and with some questions about his controversial service held on Sunday and below is that interaction.

****𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘺𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘦𝘸𝘴****

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹?

“We are deeply saddened by suffering it has caused and grieve with those that have lost loved ones. We pray that God will send healing to all the hurting.”

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵?

“The health of our congregants is extremely important and we are taking extraordinary measures to prevent the spread.”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲?

“Everybody must remain in their vehicle (besides the 5 individuals conducting the service that are permitted to be in a gathering for religious services, who are replaced with 3 parking directors prior and following the service to ensure safety) with their windows rolled up, listening to the service by radio. The building remains closed during the drive-in service.”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀?

“Any health issue of a member is a grave concern and they need our support and prayers as they deal with those issues in the manner they choose to do so.”

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴?

“It’s a matter of principle. If liquor and coffee are essential, why is God deemed non-essential?”

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

“There is no such law. The law forbids physical gatherings, no indication of any ban on cars being in proximity to each other. No regulations are being ignored, period.”

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀?

“Absolutely.”

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

“We are being advised by an extensive legal team from across the province and they are unanimous in their counsel that Chief Zvonko Horvat is entirely incorrect in his interpretation of the law and has ordered his officers to undertake illegal actions to gather evidence, videotape on private property without permission or a warrant, and attempt to disrupt a church service as well as indicating they were willing to detain a clergyman on his way to conduct a spiritual service (a criminal violation of Section 176 of the Criminal Code). He appears to be encouraging police misconduct. All other officers of the Aylmer Police Service have been professional and courteous and we extend our best wishes and prayers to them. There were no violations during two prior drive-in services as verified by numerous officers that attended.”

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀.

“There is no danger at all. Their concerns are well-meaning and we understand why they may be concerned, but this virus is spread by physical contact, not virtual contact.”

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀? 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰?

“We have no comment on the parishioner as this is based on an anonymous source. No collection was made. Everyone is free to provide their opinion.”

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

“Today the Chief has his eyes set on a faith community, based, by his own admission, entirely on complaints from a false Facebook post the previous Sunday by -name extracted-. Who is the next target? This is not about our church or myself, this is a much broader issue.”