A Second California Church Opts For Civil Disobedience

On Thursday, I reported that Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti had issued a cease and desist order against Grace Community Church for holding indoor services that violate state and county health regulations. It plans to continue these services in spite of the order. As of Friday, a second church in the area was issued a similar legal order and also plans civil disobedience in continuing indoor services.

Godspeak Calvary Chapel, as far as I can determine from its website, is, like Grace Community, a large, "non-denominational" Evangelical congregation. Its website suggests YouTube has already removed some of its videos for being insufficiently whatever, and the home page carries the admonition, "If you desire to be socially distanced, we ask that you please remain in your cars and tune into our radio station."

The Christian Post gives the most complete account:

A California judge has granted a temporary restraining order against Godspeak Calvary Chapel and its Pastor Rob McCoy for holding in-person services in violation of COVID-19 health orders.

Ventura County Superior Court granted the order on Friday requiring McCoy and the church to adhere to statewide and county public health orders stipulating that church services be held outdoors with masks and social distancing or online, according to officials.

On Wednesday, Ventura County officials sued McCoy and his church for holding in-person services of up to 200 people after the church decided to return to normal services. The church had adhered to all social distancing regulations since Palm Sunday but recently decided to lift its restrictions on parishioners.

McCoy announced in a video message Friday that he will continue to hold indoor services. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this, I really do, but we will be violating the judge’s order. … We will be open this Sunday.”

He told church members, “Come to church, and if you’re one of the first thousand, you win a prize. You will get a citation. It will be a misdemeanor. It will go on your record; be mindful of that.”

Pastor McCoy's YouTube announcement is below:

The church is located in Ventura County, which neighbors Los Angeles County to the west along the coast. It serves an affluent area of far Los Angeles suburbs. Pastor McCoy, while his delivery is informal, does not come off as either a Bible thumper or a rube.

McCoy makes several key points in his YouTube announcement. One is that although the judge issued a temporary restraining order, such orders are emergency remedies meant to prevent immediate and irreparable damage. As I heard one judge put it, you move for such an order if "your hair is on fire".

A YouTube lawyer gave an example that it would prevent someone from bulldozing your house over the weekend. But McCoy points out that the church has been holding indoor services without masks or social distancing since May 31, and beyond that, nobody has gotten sick. In a low-key way, McCoy implies he's had legal advice.

Another issue is that the vote by the county board to secure the order was 3-2, indicating that the question is political more than health related. McCoy also points out that the county board is doing what it can to avoid creating martyrs, though it anticipates issuing more than 1000 citations. My guess is that many congregants will see an opportunity for witness nevertheless.

We should hear more about what happened at Grace Community and Godspeak by tomorrow. I would imagine that these cases are being closely followed.

UPDATE: The livestream of the 9 AM service today shows it was well attended. No information on whether congregants were cited.