Drop All Charges against Pastor Chris Avell!

The arrest and charges against Pastor Chris Avell, who opened his church, Dad’s Place, to homeless individuals during extreme cold weather in Bryan, Ohio, have sparked national attention and debate. Pastor Avell’s decision, driven by compassion, has landed him in a legal quandary, drawing scrutiny over the balance between humanitarian action and legal compliance.

Pastor Chris Avell faces multiple charges for violating zoning codes after he opened Dad’s Place to the homeless amidst freezing temperatures. Avell, pleading not guilty, stands accused of breaking 18 restrictions in the zoning code, a response to his altruistic act of providing shelter to those at risk of freezing to death. This legal action follows his defiance of the Bryan City Zoning Commission’s order last winter, which prohibited the use of the church as a shelter due to its zoning as a central business area.

The issue came to a head when police arrived at Dad’s Place during a New Year’s Eve service, issuing the violations. Avell’s act of kindness, meant to protect the most vulnerable, has now positioned him at the center of a legal battle that raises questions about the role of community spaces in times of crisis.

The way this country treats the homeless is utterly execrable, and inexcusable. Pastor Avell was behaving the way a proper Christian - indeed, a proper human being - should. What kind of country are we, where not only the homeless but also those who help them are wrongfully punished?