Alberta Health Services (AHS) said it "physically closed" the building and will be preventing access to it until GraceLife "can demonstrate the ability to comply with Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health's restrictions."
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers barred congregants' access to the church Sunday.
According to reports, RCMP erected a three-layer fence around the church last Wednesday.
In response, churchgoers gathered outside to sing hymns and read bible verses.
In a video circulating on social media, hundreds of police officers are seen surrounding GraceLife church on Sunday.
RCMP issued a statement Sunday saying there were on the scene to preserve "peace" and "maintain public safety."
"The RCMP uses necessary measures to protect the fundamental freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, to promote the safety of all citizens, to enforce laws and to maintain peace and and order," the statement read.
Comment: Said without even a hint of irony.
In an email obtained by FaithWire, GraceLife Pastor John MacArthur praised the church members as they have begun meeting privately to hold worship services "amid a continued government crackdown on their freedom."
The church is meeting at an undisclosed location and broadcasting its services on YouTube.
"Amazing to have an underground church in Canada," said MacArthur. "This because the government of Alberta triple-fenced the church in and locked it so people couldn't get there."
MacArthur said the government has "no legitimate reason" to shutdown GraceLife Church noting the church's attendance is still 15% of its facility's total occupancy.
MacArthur pointed out that of the 4.4 million people living in Alberta, the province has recorded 2,013 COVID-19 deaths, more than half of which were people aged 80 years and older.
MacArthur said despite the intense restrictions, he is thankful for the "massive outcry" of support for the Canadian church.
Follow Annaliese Levy on Twitter @AnnalieseLevy
Comment: Notably, back in September, 700 UK church leaders declared that they would refuse to abide by more lockdowns, despite this more lockdowns were enforced, and with little to no (publicized) defiance from the majority of those leaders. However, if recent raids and arrests on clergy and churches - from the UK, to France, and Canada - are anything to go by, a resistance by the faithful seems to be building:
- French clergymen ARRESTED over lockdown-breaking Easter mass attended by hundreds of worshipers
- Video shows police shut down Good Friday church service citing lockdown restrictions, threaten attendees with fines & arrest
- Global tyranny: Police raid and put up fences around Alberta church that defied lockdown orders (Update) Church is now meeting 'underground'
This kind of tyrannical behaviour is nothing new; for an idea of how people of faith managed before, check out SOTT radio's: MindMatters: Interview with Rod Dreher: How to Survive the Coming Soft Totalitarianism