Lodi church ordered to close refuses to stop holding services

Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi said it intends to keep holding in-person services in violation of the California shelter-in-place coronavirus order. Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi said it intends to keep holding in-person services in violation of the California shelter-in-place coronavirus order. Photo: Google Street View Photo: Google Street View Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Lodi church ordered to close refuses to stop holding services 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

This story originally appeared on KCRA.

LODI, Calif. — A Lodi church said it will continue to have Sunday services after the San Joaquin County public health officer ordered the facility to close amid coronavirus concerns.

Cross Culture Christian Center said it has a right to be open and gather for worship. The church, which has been open to parishioners during the coronavirus pandemic, said it hired a lawyer to defend its First Amendment rights.

Earlier in the week, police said the church continuing to stay open is a violation of the California health and safety code and California penal code, and posted a notice of public nuisance on the door.

On Friday, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Maggie Park issued an order prohibiting public assembly for Bethel Open Bible Church, the organization that leases space to Cross Culture Christian Center.

“On March 29, 2020, the City of Lodi reported to the County Public Health Officer that your tenant, Cross Culture Community Church was continuing to use your facility for public assembly, and that Cross Culture Community Church was aware of the County Order and intended to continue to meet in violation of the Order. As a facility for public assembly neither the building or the parking lot is part of the essential critical infrastructure as defined by State and Federal agencies,” the statement read in part.

The order says continued operation of church services will hinder the county’s ability to slow the spread of the virus and increase risk to the public.

On Saturday, the church’s lawyer released a statement in response:

“The church intends on continuing to safely gather for worship during Christianity’s most holy week, exercising unalienable and fundamental rights protected by the First Amendment’s right to peaceably assemble, freedom of speech, and the free exercise of religion, while simultaneously observing CDC recommended COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. The U.S. Constitution is not suspended by a virus.”

Although the church intends to meet, the order states that any person who does not comply is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by fine and/or imprisonment.

The child-care facility at the Bethel Open Bible Church is not affected by the order.