An Etobicoke pastor has started a Go Fund Me page that has raised almost $50,000 for a colleague who was charged by Windsor Police Service for allegedly opening his church to prayer services after it was ordered shut to avert the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Tony Costa’s Go Fund Me page has raised almost more than the $50,000 they require to fight a provincial charge of violating the Reopening Ontario Act for holding services on December 24.

The Harvest Bible Church, in Windsor, was visited by police and a charge of being open, in violation of provincial guidelines, was laid against Rev. Dr. Aaron Rock.

Costa says he’s known Rock, described as a man of ‘Godly conviction,’ for more than 15-years and they have pastored together in Canada and overseas.

“Aaron decided to open his church for the many who were hurting, depressed, anxious, under employed and some with suicidal ideations to provide a haven of support and ministry outreach,” Costa wrote on social media.

Police warned church officials that they face charges for attending church on Christmas Eve.

Rock’s church calls the charge a “national disgrace” and says that “barring Christian worship and public protests is discriminatory and unfair.”

If found guilty, Rock can be fined up to $100,000 or imprisoned for a year.

The churches plan to fight the charge and has called on congregation members of various area churches for donations to obtain legal counsel.

“Pastor Aaron’s fight is not just his alone,” Costa says. “He is fighting for the right of all churches to open and enjoy the freedoms to do so in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
Rock says he was “humbled by this outpouring of support as we stand against injustice for all.”
A Professor at the Toronto Baptist Seminary and the Pastor & Pulpit Ministry, he thanked the congregation for their support and will fight the charge.

This news comes after the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit medical officer of health, Dr. Wajid Ahmed, said in a release last week that he is “not recommending in-person gatherings of any kind due to the high risk of disease transmission.”

The church said that police promised to bar the congregation from entering on Christmas Eve. It said the banning of Christian worship is “discriminatory and unfair.”

Under grey-lockdown restrictions in Windsor-Essex, Ahmed said if religious institutions are moving forward with in-person gatherings, they must be limited to 10 people at any time, including officiants, parishioners and staff.

The charges against a respected pastor has angered many churchgoers online.

“We stand with you Aaron & Susie Rock,” says Irene Teichroeb, of Mexico, who made a donation.

“Church is essential.”

“Stay strong and thanks for being a voice of reason,” Anbnita Reume said on social media.

Joyce Zhu says she “supports Rock for the sake of our community and our country.”

Alexander Leslie was among the many who made donations.

“God bless you in your fight for justice, for the Church and ultimately for the gospel,”Leslie posted. “Never forget Christ is with you and so are your brethren.”