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The Orion welcomes readers’ feedback and opinions. Please use the comment section to tell us how you feel about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom (2021).
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 5 that California may still enforce limited restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in churches, but the state may no longer ban indoor worship.
Some Chico religious leaders are celebrating the 6-3 decision.
“[O]ne of the big things we’re seeing is just the need for the spiritual, emotional and physical health of our people that comes from spiritual sustenance,” said Pastor Donald Jackson of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chico, located at 750 Moss Ave. “We are grateful for the ruling, and the value that the Supreme Court has seen in religious liberty and practice in our state.”
Maine Church Asks Supreme Court to Relax Pandemic Restrictions
A Maine church is asking the Supreme Court to put Maine Gov. Janet Mills’s strict pandemic-related restrictions on places of worship on hold while it appeals an unfavorable ruling from a lower court, arguing the high court has already forced some lower courts to comply with its recent rulings loosening such restrictions.
The emergency application in the case, known as Calvary Chapel of Bangor v. Mills, asks the high court to stop the Democratic governor’s clampdown on churches, which the church’s lawyers describe as “the most severe restrictions in the nation on places of worship,” and would deal with a Dec. 22, 2020, ruling against the church by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit.
WASHINGTON, D.C. â Liberty Counsel has filed on behalf of Calvary Chapel of Bangor to the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to issue an injunction pending appeal and/or to vacate the lower court decisions regarding Governor Janet Millsâ unconstitutional orders against churches.
Ken Graves is the founding and senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Bangor. The church also has the Calvary Residential Discipleship program, a biblical-based ministry that helps men and women who are seeking a way of escape from drugs, alcohol, and other life-controlling issues. The year-long residential program operates two homes with 24 women and 24 men for a total of 48 full-time resident on the church property. C.R.D. is a Christ-centered alternative to secular programs within the drug and alcohol community and includes a work program, daily Bible studies, devotional readings and prayer. Regular attendance at church services is paramount to this program.
Though some La Jolla churches are embracing the opportunity to resume indoor services after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week cleared the way for them to do so, several are opting not to right away.
Late Feb. 5, the high court lifted California’s ban on indoor worship during the COVID-19 pandemic, ruling that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s strict orders appeared to violate the Constitution’s protection of the free exercise of religion. The court left in place restrictions on indoor singing and chanting and allowed the state to limit attendance to 25 percent of a church’s building capacity in areas, such as San Diego County, considered to have widespread coronavirus risk. Newsom’s office the next day issued revised guidelines for indoor church services.