Pastor charged with violating fire safety codes for letting homeless people sleep in his church overnight

[Sector 001]

Published: Jan. 22, 2025
https://www.wistv.com/2025/01/23/pastor-charged-with-violating-fire-safety-codes-letting-homeless-people-sleep-his-church-overnight/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Railroads have a saying: "Every rule is written in blood."

Thanks for reminding me to make my annual post about the Chicago parochial school fire back in 1958.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire

I'll add Cocoanut Grove this year.

Edited: here's this year's post about the 1958 school fire.

Wed Dec 3, 2025: On Monday, December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois.

[rurallib]

2. My aunt taught at that school. Her day had ended and

she was back in the convent when the fire broke out.
I was just thinking about that fire this morning.

She was older - somewhere around 75 - and to say the least she was devastated.

[JT45242]

3. Thanks for sharing

I did not know this story.
But it explains why schools why schools built on the 1960s and early 1970s had so much asbestos spray on ceilings, furnace rooms, etc.

Such a sad story.

[sl8]

4. Wikipedia article about Pastor Avell:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Avell

Chris Avell is an American pastor and community leader based in Bryan, Ohio. He is best known as the founder and senior pastor of Dad's Place Church, which operates a 24/7 outreach ministry permitting overnight stays for unhoused persons. His pastoral and social work became subject to national scrutiny following a protracted legal dispute between the church and the City of Bryan from 2023 to 2025 over zoning, fire-code compliance, and religious-freedom claims.[1]

[...]

During 2023–2025, Avell became publicly known for the legal disputes surrounding his ministry.

Dropped charges and federal suit

Following the church’s expansion to 24/7 outreach, the City of Bryan initially filed multiple code and zoning-violation charges against Avell and Dad's Place Church. In February 2024, the city dismissed all those earlier criminal charges as part of settlement talks.[6] On January 22, 2024, the church and Avell filed a federal civil lawsuit against the City of Bryan, alleging that enforcement actions burdened Avell’s religious exercise.[5]

Conviction and sentence stay

On January 21, 2025, Avell was found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of a misdemeanor fire-code violation related to the church’s overnight use. He was fined $200 and given a 60-day suspended jail sentence, which the court stayed to allow appeal.[7][8]

In February 2025, a state appeals court stayed the sentence pending appeal.[9][10]

Dismissal of federal case and ongoing appeals

In September 2025, the federal lawsuit filed by Avell and Dad’s Place was dismissed by mutual agreement. Under the agreement, the church would seek required permits and the city would pause certain enforcement pending resolution of state appeals.[11][5]

Meanwhile, appeals involving Bryan’s zoning and fire-code decisions, and Avell’s criminal conviction, continued in Ohio’s Sixth District Court of Appeals.[5]

[...]

[orangecrush]

5. The law, in its majestic equality

"The quote is from French author Anatole France: "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread". It appears in his 1894 novel, The Red Lily, and is often used to highlight how nominal legal equality does not necessarily equate to equal application, as the wealthy are not in a position to need to perform these actions, while the poor often are."

Bastards.

[DFW]

6. Fake Christians arrest a pastor for acting like a real Christian

Christianity, American style.

I get and understand that many people hold sincere religious beliefs. I remain revulsed at how many people claim religious beliefs and do the opposite of what they claim their belief tells them to do.

The statement attributed to Gandhi rings so true.

[Kaleva]

7. Who on the city council claims to be a devout Christian?

[yardwork]

8. Being from Ohio, I was curious about Bryan, Ohio.

Turns out it's known for the Spangler Candy Company and the original company that made Etch-A-Sketch. The Chamber of Commerce is marketing it as a tourist destination.

https://www.visitbryanohio.com/

I would guess that powerful people in this town don't want homeless people or any of the "icky" people Jesus stood up for. I imagine that everybody on the town council identifies as Christian.