<body><div><h2> The church, Dad's Place, responded by filing a federal lawsuit against the city </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4LKCnN_0qwc58UO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4LKCnN_0qwc58UO00" width="2000" height="1118" ><figcaption>Chris Avell, the pastor of Dad’s Place in Ohio, appears in court on Jan. 11 after police in Bryan charged him after he opened the church for homeless people. WTVG via AP </figcaption></figure> A Christian church in Ohio whose pastor was hit with 18 charges from local police this month after he opened the place of worship for <a href="https://themessenger.com/news/homelessness-america-statistics-crisis-2023" rel="nofollow"> homeless </a> people filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the city, according to a report. Police in Bryan, <a href="https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-backed-ohio-candidates-campaign-in-violation-of-pentagon-rule-on-political-ads" rel="nofollow"> Ohio </a> , about 65 miles west of Toledo, charged Pastor Chris Avell, alleging that his rented church building violated a zoning ordinance, lacked proper kitchen and laundry facilities and had unsafe exits and inadequate ventilation, the <a href="https://dailyprogress.com/news/nation-world/ohio-church-homeless-ministry-dads-place/article_82289450-2e55-5f27-88d8-0098d7a1ee3f.html#:~:text=Police%20this%20month%20filed%2018,ordinance%2C%20lacked%20proper%20kitchen%20and" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Associated Press </a> reported. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> The church, called Dad's Place, which is located next to a homeless shelter in Bryan, announced in March that it would remain up 24 hours a day, seven days a week as a temporary shelter “for people to go who have nowhere else to go and no one to care for them.” The church responded Monday by filing a federal lawsuit against the city. Jeremy Dys, a lawyer for Avell and the church, said they believe city officials do not want Dad's Place in town, calling it a "not in my backyard" issue. “Nothing satisfies the city,” Dys told the AP on Monday after the lawsuit was filed. “And worse — they go on a smear campaign of innuendo and half-truths.” Avell, who pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this month, insisted that the church will welcome everyone at any time. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> “I truly believe that everyone who walks through the door of Dad’s Place walks out a better citizen,” Avell said in an interview Tuesday. An attorney for the city denied the church's claims. “We absolutely deny any allegation that the city has treated any religious institution inappropriately,” city attorney Marc Fishel said, adding that the mayor supported the church opening four years ago. “The city has been and continues to be interested in any business, any church, any entity complying with local and state law," Fishel said. In a meeting Tuesday with a federal judge, both sides agreed to allow the church to remain open for those who want to use its religious services until March 4. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> At that time, the judge will consider the church's request for an injunction against the city. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

The church, Dad’s Place, responded by filing a federal lawsuit against the city