Date Set For Grace Community Church Coronavirus Contempt Hearing

SUN VALLEY, CA — A judge Friday set a January 15 date for a contempt hearing against Grace Community Church and its pastor for violating public health orders by holding indoor service. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff also said he will allow pretrial discovery and for witnesses to be called.

The hearing will determine whether the megachurch is forced to pay fines for continuing to hold indoor worship services, despite a judge ordering them to temporarily cease worship on September 10.

Lawyers for Grace Community Church wanted the deposition of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis. However, Los Angeles County lawyers said the depositions weren't necessary, as the only question was to the validity of the preliminary injuction.

Church attorney Charles LiMandri claimed only gyms have received worse treatment than churches during the coronavirus pandemic. He also argued tattoo parlors and nail salons have received greater consideration.

LiMandri also noted that in San Diego, a judge blocked Governor Gavin Newsom and San Diego County from enforcing coronavirus restrictions at a strip club, saying their activities were constitutionally protected expression.

"You can't pray to almighty God, but you can watch nude dancing," LiMandri said.

Grace Community Church is not the only one pushing to worship indoors again. Pasadena's Harvest Rock Church lost a court battle attempting to overturn Governor Newsom's coronavirus restrictions on indoor worship, as a federal judge said the order did not discriminate against churches. Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court denied another California church's request to ease the state's restrictions on indoor worship.

“Similar or more severe restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings, including lectures, concerts, movie showings, spectator sports and theatrical performances, where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said. “And the order exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.”

City News Service contributed to this report.