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Persecution in California

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  • #46
    Originally posted by mossrose View Post
    It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.
    Church was open as it has been.

    Here is the GCC attorney's press release from yesterday with the decision by the appellate court.

    https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/29a6d32

    The California Court of Appeal today set aside a lower court order that would have allowed indoor services to take place at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley.

    The Court of Appeal’s decision temporarily upholds the County’s Health Officer Orders prohibiting indoor worship services in order to protect congregants and the community as a whole from transmission of the highly contagious and potentially fatal COVID-19 virus.

    A full hearing on the matter is scheduled for September 4. A link to the court’s ruling can be found here: http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/la...hurchOrder.pdf

    Los Angeles County issued the following statement on today’s decision:

    Los Angeles County is pleased that the California Court of Appeal recognizes the vital importance of our Health Officer Orders in protecting the lives and health of our residents as we work to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

    We will continue to work closely with all religious institutions, including Grace Community Church, to make sure their congregants are protected and provided with accurate information about worshiping safely during this phase of the pandemic.

    Outdoor religious observances are permitted; participants must wear cloth face coverings and maintain six feet of distance from each other unless they live in the same household.

    The County is grateful to all residents and institutions for coming together to take the actions that will continue to move us forward, as a community, through our recovery.


    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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    • #47
      Now the county is filing papers to hold John in contempt of court.



      Source link



      The truth, of course, is that the county is guilty of contempt of the court of God.
      ~ Russell ("MelMak")

      "[Sing] and [make] melody in your heart to the Lord." -- Ephesians 5:19b

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      • #48
        Originally posted by The Melody Maker View Post
        Now the county is filing papers to hold John in contempt of court.



        Source link



        The truth, of course, is that the county is guilty of contempt of the court of God.
        They're also going against the constitution. Hence, they are breaking their own laws.


        Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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        • #49
          Originally posted by mossrose View Post
          They're also going against the constitution. Hence, they are breaking their own laws.
          Prayers for wisdom and God's Will.
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #50
            https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/pa...uperior-court/


            The Los Angeles County Superior Court announced on August 20, 2020, that there is no court order prohibiting Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church from holding indoor worship services. The renowned minister and his Sun Valley, California, congregation are being targeted by the County of Los Angeles, which has made repeated attempts to shut down the non-denominational, evangelical megachurch. Thomas More Society Special Counsel Jenna Ellis and Charles LiMandri are representing the church, defending the religious freedom of the pastor and congregants against the county’s unconstitutional violation of the right to worship together.


            Ellis responded to the judicial finding:

            “We are pleased with the outcome today. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff correctly found there is no court order prohibiting Grace Community Church from holding indoor services. LA County continues to harass and target Pastor MacArthur. Having failed to get a court order to shut down the church they have sought three times, they’re going to try again by hauling us back into court. Ironically, LA County said in its application for contempt that, ‘Grace Church cannot thumb its nose at the court when decisions don’t go its way,’ yet that’s precisely what LA County is now doing themselves. We will simply continue to defend our client’s constitutionally protected rights because church is essential.”


            This is great news! Pray these kind of rulings continue!


            Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

            Comment


            • #51
              And apparently they're due back in court (for the fourth time) on Monday.



              https://www.facebook.com/SO4JTV/videos/763047427778540/
              ~ Russell ("MelMak")

              "[Sing] and [make] melody in your heart to the Lord." -- Ephesians 5:19b

              Fight spam!

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              • #52
                Originally posted by The Melody Maker View Post
                And apparently they're due back in court (for the fourth time) on Monday.



                https://www.facebook.com/SO4JTV/videos/763047427778540/


                Thank you for posting that. I didn't know how.



                Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                Comment


                • #53
                  Originally posted by The Melody Maker View Post
                  And apparently they're due back in court (for the fourth time) on Monday.



                  https://www.facebook.com/SO4JTV/videos/763047427778540/
                  At this point, they're just being pedantic jackasses and trying to either bully him into submission or nail him on something illicit. But that's Commiefornia for you.
                  Have You Touched Grass Today? If Not, Please Do.

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                  • #54
                    Originally posted by Chaotic Void View Post
                    At this point, they're just being pedantic jackasses and trying to either bully him into submission or nail him on something illicit. But that's Commiefornia for you.
                    From my earlier post, in the statement from Attorney Ellis for GCC:
                    Ironically, LA County said in its application for contempt that, ‘Grace Church cannot thumb its nose at the court when decisions don’t go its way,’ yet that’s precisely what LA County is now doing themselves.


                    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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                    • #55
                      https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/pa...t-down-church/


                      Pastor John MacArthur Files Declaration Against LA County’s Repeated Attacks to Shut Down Church


                      Los Angeles County is returning to court on August 24, 2020, attempting—for the fourth time—to get a court order to shut down indoor worship services at Grace Community Church.

                      As the judge noted last week, the County simply refuses to accept the reasoned decisions of the California court. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff, who will preside over the hearing, told Los Angeles County attorneys from the bench on August 20, “As I see it, Judge Chalfant said ‘No’ to you and the Court of Appeal declined to make the order that you requested.”

                      MacArthur’s declaration to the court states in part:

                      “Worship-bans appear to take the position that we should lock our doors and force our congregants to gather to worship the Lord in parking lots, in parks, or perhaps beaches—but never in any church. From Grace Community Church’s perspective, this is nonsensical, and we view it as a direct ban on engaging in the worship which our faith requires. The size of our congregation means that there is no place for it to meet outdoors; the summer heat makes meeting outdoors unhealthy and even dangerous; our experts have refuted that meeting indoors significantly aids in the spread of the coronavirus; and most principally, Grace Community Church’s sanctuary itself is a spiritual refuge for our congregants—a refuge of which the county has no right to deprive them.”

                      “Thus, the county’s and state’s July 13 and 14 worship-bans burden my and Grace Community Church’s free exercise of religion by criminalizing activity directly required by our faith. As a church, we have a moral and religious obligation to continue allowing our congregants to gather in our sanctuary to worship the Lord.

                      “This church is the core of life for thousands from nursery to seniors. Our church is not an event center. It is a family of lives who love and care for each other in very intensely personal ways. So essential to personal well-being that people rushed back as soon as they could. The utter unnecessary deprivation of all our people by completely shutting down the mutual love and care that sustains our people in all the exigencies, pressures and challenges of life, was cruel. And after 63 years of sacrificial, kindness to our city, to be repeatedly threatened with court-ordered efforts to shut Grace Community Church down when no one is sick, reveals an inexplicable preference for a mostly harmless virus over the life-enriching and necessary fellowship of the church. Our leaders and congregation see no real health threat to warrant such restraint. We see this action against us as an illegitimate misuse of power.”


                      You can find the link to the entire declaration on the site where I got the article.

                      The same judge is presiding today that was on the bench last week. I don't think the county has a hope that this one will go any better.


                      Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Good thing Grace Community Church has the deep pockets to fight the government over this. Probably many churches would have folded because they couldn't afford the expense.
                        "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                        "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

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                        • #57
                          Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post
                          Good thing Grace Community Church has the deep pockets to fight the government over this. Probably many churches would have folded because they couldn't afford the expense.
                          I don't know as they have "deep pockets". Most of the money they receive in offerings, over and above operating expenses, is used to support the hundreds of missionaries they have around the world. Money that comes in from donors, like me, are used to produce the free resources they send out to people who want them. Maybe part of what I send them goes to missionaries, too. The Thomas More Society is defending them, and I don't know where they get their funding from.

                          That's something I haven't bothered to check. They haven't asked for money from people from the pulpit, nor in their monthly mailings.
                          Last edited by mossrose; 08-24-2020, 12:28 PM.


                          Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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                          • #58
                            https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/ma...feSiteNews.com


                            MacArthur Prevails – Judge Denies LA County’s Fourth Attempt to Shut Down Grace Community Church

                            On August 25, 2020, in California Superior Court, Judge Mitchell Beckloff issued a five-page opinion, County of Los Angeles et al. v. Grace Community Church et al., denying the County of Los Angeles’ renewed application for a temporary restraining order against the church and Pastor John MacArthur. Thomas More Society attorneys are defending the renowned pastor and his congregation against an aggressive assault by the county over the right to hold indoor worship services.

                            In a very well-reasoned analysis of the prior proceedings, the court held that the county’s attempt to obtain a restraining order did not meet statutory requirements and that the Court of Appeal’s order did not justify a new temporary restraining order; rather, it simply stayed Judge Chalfant’s August 14 order and gave the county permission to enforce its own health order.

                            Thomas More Society Special Counsel Paul Jonna explained, “The court correctly concluded that Los Angeles County’s renewed application for a temporary restraining order was both procedurally and substantively defective. This was their fourth unsuccessful attempt to obtain a court order prohibiting indoor worship services at Grace Community Church. We look forward to fully vindicating our clients’ constitutionally protected rights in subsequent proceedings for this important case.”

                            .....

                            Thomas More Society Special Counsel Jenna Ellis added, “This should signal to LA County that California courts will not quickly or easily trample the constitutionally protected rights of churches. We maintain that their health order is unconstitutionally burdening the right of churches to worship, and there exists no rational basis, much less a compelling interest, to try to shut down indoor services at this point, particularly when the county is allowing strip clubs to operate and massive riots to take place – and not seeking restraining orders against them. We look forward to making those arguments at a subsequent proceeding, where we will ask the court to properly check this power grab by Los Angeles County and the State of California’s executive branch.”

                            The next hearing in the case is scheduled to take place on September 4, 2020 in Los Angeles Superior Court.


                            The hearing on Sept. 04 is the one set by the original judge 3 weeks ago. At that time the church agreed to the judge's request for social distancing and masks, but the county didn't want to allow them even that compromise.


                            Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Of all the low-down, sneaky things for the county to pull...

                              The County of Los Angeles decided to circumvent the order. The County's Public Works Department Issued a 30-day termination notice to the church for a lease agreement for a large portion of the parking lot, which has been in place continuously since 1975.

                              According to the documents reviewed by Townhall, the church has to evacuate the property on October 1. Any items that are left in the parking lot at that time will be considered County property.

                              Jenna Ellis, the Special Counsel to the Thomas More Society and legal counsel for the church, said this is a way for the County to retaliate against her client.

                              "Los Angeles County is retaliating against Grace Community Church for simply exercising their constitutionally protected right to hold church and challenging an unreasonable, unlawful health order. In America, we have a judicial system to ensure that the executive branch does not abuse its power, and Grace Community Church has every right to be heard without fear of reprisal," she said in a statement. "The Democrats' message to Americans is clear--if you don't bow to every whim of tyranny, the government will come after you. The Church has peacefully held this lease for 45 years and the only reason the County is attempting eviction is because John MacArthur stood up to their unconstitutional power grab. This is harassment, abusive, and unconscionable."


                              Source: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethba...hurch-n2575331

                              If the county is deliberately trying to make themselves look bad, they're doing a terribly good job at it.
                              ~ Russell ("MelMak")

                              "[Sing] and [make] melody in your heart to the Lord." -- Ephesians 5:19b

                              Fight spam!

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Originally posted by The Melody Maker View Post
                                Of all the low-down, sneaky things for the county to pull...

                                The County of Los Angeles decided to circumvent the order. The County's Public Works Department Issued a 30-day termination notice to the church for a lease agreement for a large portion of the parking lot, which has been in place continuously since 1975.

                                According to the documents reviewed by Townhall, the church has to evacuate the property on October 1. Any items that are left in the parking lot at that time will be considered County property.

                                Jenna Ellis, the Special Counsel to the Thomas More Society and legal counsel for the church, said this is a way for the County to retaliate against her client.

                                "Los Angeles County is retaliating against Grace Community Church for simply exercising their constitutionally protected right to hold church and challenging an unreasonable, unlawful health order. In America, we have a judicial system to ensure that the executive branch does not abuse its power, and Grace Community Church has every right to be heard without fear of reprisal," she said in a statement. "The Democrats' message to Americans is clear--if you don't bow to every whim of tyranny, the government will come after you. The Church has peacefully held this lease for 45 years and the only reason the County is attempting eviction is because John MacArthur stood up to their unconstitutional power grab. This is harassment, abusive, and unconscionable."


                                Source: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethba...hurch-n2575331

                                If the county is deliberately trying to make themselves look bad, they're doing a terribly good job at it.
                                wow
                                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                                Comment

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