Windsor church members plan to rally in Toronto

Pastor Aaron Rock of Windsor's Harvest Bible Church insists he's no rebel and that he is deeply respectful of authorities.

But this Sunday, after preaching to his flock at the early-morning service, he and others from the congregation will be jumping in their cars and driving to Toronto for a rally outside Ontario's Legislature. Given that city's current grey-lockdown status, severely limiting the size of public gatherings, it's likely to be an illegal assembly.

“We don't know how many people are going — several pastors and churches are planning on attending,” Rock said Friday. He'll be one of the pastors speaking out at the “Stand Together Worship Protest” at Queen's Park at 3 p.m.

Aimed at stopping or at least interrupting new transmissions of COVID-19, the lockdown in both Toronto and neighbouring Peel Region means that, among other emergency measures, churches are effectively closed, and outdoor public gatherings are limited to 10 participants.

“We will stand in solidarity with churches in Toronto and Peel,” said Rock, who is aware of church members from at least Windsor, Toronto, Alliston and Waterloo going to the protest.

Given recent developments — Windsor-essex County has been upgraded from orange-restrict to red-control effective Sunday night — Rock is convinced “we're not far behind” those same churchgoing restrictions.

Hearing that some Windsorites might be attending a Sunday protest in Toronto, local medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said he hoped those people would consider the best interests of their community and of family and friends.

“It definitely puts our entire community at risk even though our case counts are increasing at a rapid rate as well,” he said Friday.

Rock said he remains unconvinced. He wants to speak for “the little guy,” for those feeling frustration and anger at how the pandemic is being tackled and at the high cost to the community.

“These are traumatic times. Suicide rates are up, and we are not talking about that. We are not talking about the desperation of people losing their businesses,” he said, adding that the church as gathering place is vital at a time like this.

“Socially and spiritually, I am also a front-line worker,” said Rock. Church leaders, he said, provide emotional and other support to the vulnerable, the sick and discouraged and those struggling with poverty, and they help combat isolation and fear in the community.

Zoom can't replace that outreach, he said.

Rock said he's not a conspiracist and doesn't oppose protective measures such as wearing face masks. But he said people are taking “personal offence” at such “inconsistencies” as the Beer Store and big box retail stores being deemed essential while some small businesses are facing economic “devastation” and churchgoing by the faithful is restricted.

Ahmed, the local area's top public health doctor, said gathering in places where the COVID-19 infection rate is high “puts them at an increased risk of contracting, an increased risk of spreading — and, God forbid, if something happens as a result, it would be unfortunate.”

Said Rock: “I'm a Christian pastor. The notion that I'd purposely harm my people is ludicrous.”

Harvest Bible is a non-denominational church with a younger and ethnically and economically diverse congregation, said Rock.

“Based on my conscience, I'm prepared to break lesser laws. I'm expecting it, that at some point I might be charged,” he said, adding Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which includes individual and religious rights, “is the highest level of law in our land.”