Local Pastor faces legal charges for helping homeless people

An Ohio pastor was arraigned in municipal court on Thursday after being slapped with 18 zoning law violation charges related to keeping his church open around the clock to house the homeless.  Pastor Chris Avell, who pastors the nondenominational Dad's Place in Bryan, which is a town of around 8,400 people about 50 miles southwest of Toledo, pleaded not guilty to the charges, his attorney told The Christian Post.

“Yesterday, the city of Bryan, Ohio, arraigned Pastor Chris on criminal charges for having his church open 24/7," Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, told CP. "He pled 'not guilty,' as any pastor should who is simply doing what churches throughout history have done: care for those who walk through their doors no matter the time of day." "We hope Mayor Carrie Schlade will drop all of these charges and begin talking with us about how Pastor Chris and Dad’s Place will continue to contribute to the wonderful community of Bryan," he added.