Los Angeles County modified its restrictions to allow indoor worship in December, while most statewide restrictions that applied to churches had been eliminated by mid-June. The hearing, if necessary, is now scheduled for July 30. The Associated Press. Account. But the church contended that it was following safety precautions, including requiring masks and social distancing. Worship, Bible Studies, Sports, and Music. Its unfortunately prevalent in child abuse and intimate partner violence as well. At this point, its not something that is allowed., Under Pressure, California Church Postpones Conference for Thousands, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/us/John-MacArthur-covid-grace-community-church.html. When she challenged the pastors advice to return to and trust her husband, she said she was reminded of passages like love believes all things and that Jesus said to forgive seventy times seven times. The elders had called out sin where there was none, he insisted. Jaclyn Cosgrove is an assistant editor at the Los Angeles Times. Black Teenager Shot in Kansas City, Missouri. Saturday, April 22, 6:00 am6:00 pm in the Tower Basement. In February, the high court struck down the all-out ban on indoor services after a series of California churches brought a case. As Cho wrote in a 20-page memo to top leaders at Grace Community Church last March, I genuinely believe it would be wrong to do nothing. Southern Baptist leader Brent Leatherwood calls on the state to restrain evil through Governor Lees plan to keep weapons from those deemed a threat to themselves or others. On Sunday, MacArthur told congregants the natural immunity that God has designed is the greatest protection. MacArthur cited a study suggesting those who recover from COVID-19 have more immunity than people who didnt get COVID-19 and got the vaccine. She said when she read about Eileen Gray last year, she thought, This sounds a lot like what Ive been told. "We are grateful to the county's faith organizations for their continued partnership to keep their congregants and the entire community safe and protected from COVID-19," the statement continued. His appeals drew from Scripture, sometimes quoting more than 20 verses on reconciliation, wrongdoing, and justicelike James 4:17: Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (NASB 1995). Now, they say theyre spending their retirement paying for it. | Screenshot: Grace Community Church Public health officials in Los Angeles have lifted all outbreak-related requirements and restrictions on Grace Community Church, which were put in place last month after three cases connected to the California church were confirmed. We need to be together, with our brothers and sisters. In one, a Catholic diocese and a group of Jewish synagogues successfully challenged New Yorks restrictions on churches. Two other leaders at Grace said they would testify on the wifes behalf, but the couple reached an agreement in January prior to their court date, so none of the pastors ended up needing to testify. John 19:1642 | The Crucifixion of Jesus. (Hamilton did not respond to requests for comment.) Gavin Newsom and other state, city, and county officials, saying the states restrictions on large group meetings and singing restricted its religious freedom. The county pointed to an interview that Mr. MacArthur had done with Tucker Carlson of Fox News in which Mr. MacArthur said he had held a Sunday service for 3,000 people who hugged each other and they didnt wear masks and they sang songs., Mr. MacArthur had argued that government officials had no power to forbid such services, pointing to Scripture to declare that no earthly state has a right to restrict, delimit, or forbid the assembling of believers.. The pastor shared in his statement that the handful of congregants who were hospitalized and/or died from COVID-19 from within GCCs 6,000-plus attendees did not get infected at Grace Community Church, because they were not attending services. MacArthur pointed out these people had prior medical conditions and were following strict protocols to avoid getting sick by staying home. Because of those rulings, resolving this litigation is the responsible and appropriate thing to do, they said. 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When Cho continued to call the elders to do justice on the womans behalf, he said he was asked to walk back his conclusions or resign. The county then sought contempt proceedings against the Roscoe Boulevard church and its pastor, John MacArthur, for continuing to hold indoor services and for not enforcing masking and social distancing in violation of Beckloffs injunction. All Rights Reserved. In that context, the countys legal battle with the church has found its way to a settlement, as houses of worship have gone back to business in the wake of the lifting of many mandates on June 15. He argued that the health orders were untenable opinion and policy, which unfairly chipped away at the ability to exercise the most fundamental right at a time when the risk of harm was leveling off. Would my sharing sooner have brought about change at Grace Community Church or other churches who follow their leadership model? All women are invited to join us as we resume our study in the gospel of John. Grace Community Church reversed course after Los Angeles County health officials warned that indoor conferences were prohibited and that the event could worsen the spread of the coronavirus. Both attorneys represented the church through the Thomas More Society, a law firm that advocates on behalf of conservative causes, frequently defending antiabortion activists. "From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County has been committed to protecting the health and safety of its residents.". Saturday, April 22, 2023 6:00 am6:00 pm. The church discipline happened in 2002, a few years before Cho came to faith at Grace Community Church. MacArthur also said many people contracted the coronavirus, adding it probably went through our church in maybe December or January.. Grace Community Church is led by MacArthur, one of Americas longest-standing and most influential pastors. If public safety always outweighed liberty, then wed never have liberty, she told the court at the time, an argument that paralleled with the argument of church attorney Charles LiMandri. 1,881 were here. After they had separated or secured legal protection, they said pastors urged them to reconcile. MacArthur, in July 2020, held in-person services with congregants singing and sitting next to each other without masks, flouting COVID-19 public health orders that temporarily banned indoor religious services at the time. It's Not the Role of Government to Protect Us From Apps, Don't Put Tiktok Out of Business Based on Hypotheticals, Biden Admin Uses Trump's Own Words to Blast McCarthy's Wall St. Featured; Sunday Bulletin; Newsletter; Videos; Books; Opportunity Sheet . Contact. MacArthur on Sunday said the settlement money would go to the Thomas More Society, which represented the church in this court case. Age discrimination, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rainn Wilson, Schiff reports major cash advantage over Porter and Lee in Senate race, The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf: 110 essential Los Angeles books, This exclusive island town might be Californias biggest violator of affordable housing law, Despite storms, many Californians are still coping with dry wells and awaiting fixes, Column: Lefties never liked Dianne Feinstein. I was doubting if God is real. Thats when I began to realize how many people were ill.. In a statement, county public health officials said the settlement was prompted by U.S. Supreme Court rulings that restricted public health measures against houses of worship. He also said that she twisted the words of one of GCCs leaders for a large adult Sunday school class to create a false impression.. Up to that point, the county repeatedly cited the church, which prompted county officials to seek an injunction requiring the church to adhere to health regulations, saying they were essential to control the spread of COVID-19. Its not just another thing to do. MacArthur and his wife, Patricia, were among those who contracted the virus during that period, taking about two weeks to recover, he said. Now that the facts are indeed known, it is not too late to do justice even at this late stage, almost 20 years later, he wrote to the elder board. Under the agreement, which the board unanimously approved without discussion, the state of California will also pay the church $400,000. Sun Valley and the surrounding areas continue to have among the highest case rates of Covid-19 within the county, and have for some time, Dr. Davis said, and a gathering of this magnitude will create additional opportunities for Covid-19 transmission, both to the people that attend this gathering and the other people in the community.. They completed a master of legal studies degree at UCLA School of Law in May 2022. The preliminary injunction was issued last Sept. 10 by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff as a way of stemming the spread of the coronavirus, based in part on evidence presented by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that Grace Community Church was holding indoor Sunday services, prompting the county to sue the church on Aug. 14. Sign up for our newsletter: The Opportunity Sheet is a weekly publication of Grace Community Church, offered as a courtesy to our church family. Gray had refused to follow leaders counsel to lift a restraining order against her abusive husband, David Gray. County attorneys reasonably anticipated that the court would continue along those lines, said Barry P. McDonald, a professor at the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. California's Grace Community Church announced that Los Angeles County health officials have cleared the congregation of causing a COVID outbreak this summer. But the church essentially ignored the injunction, continuing to hold indoor services and violating other health mandates. The postponement came after county health officials had said they were exploring their legal options in response to the conference. This is an egregious sin.. Los Angeles County had sued the church and its pastor, John MacArthur, last August after officials said he had he opened the church and held a large indoor worship service with unmasked attendees, in violation of state and county rules. This fall, Cho found himself once again reviewing court filings from a member at Grace Community Church who sought a restraining order against her husband in hopes of protecting herself and her young children from abusethis time at the womans request. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT: European Evangelicals Organize Against Abuse, ERLC President, Covenant Parent Urges Tennessee to Pass Proposed Gun Reform. Sun Valley, CA 91352 Maps and Directions. After leaving, he kept contacting top leaders at Grace, asking questions and offering to discuss his concerns privately. Just because someone quotes a verse to you and theyre in a position of authority doesnt mean theyre doing it well, she said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in early August saying vaccination offers higher protection than previous COVID-19 infection alone. A representative for Grace Community Church said the conference would be held on a later date, which has not been announced. Editors note: Over the years, some readers have wondered why we publish evidence of wrongdoing by ministry leaders otherwise doing good in the world. Van Nuys man, West Covina woman arrested in Vanowen Street shooting, Man hired to remove gang graffiti killed, 3 other men injured in Northridge shooting, Eric Claptons Crossroads Guitar Festival is coming to Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, Comedian Sinbad making progress 2 years after stroke, family asks for donations, Gunmen storm Mexican resort, kill 7 people, including a child, California is changing how it goes after illegal cannabis farms, Caught off guard: How South Floridas rare storm compares to others, and where it sits in history, The final encore for Phantom: What the show means to one New Yorker who saw it dozens of times, For Varland brothers, now both in the MLB at same time, a dream come true, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The women who spoke to CT about their counseling experiences had been members of Grace for years, some over a decade, and had sat in the services when MacArthur announced church discipline. Grace Today . Responding to Roys report,MacArthursaid, I have never heard or seen any evidence indicating that any of the people on that list believe they were infected with COVID-19 in some gathering at Grace Community Church. We need to worship. Last year, Hohn Cho concluded Grace Community Church had made a mistake. This undated file photo shows a face mask sitting atop pages of a Bible. Come pray with our elders for our church, our nation, and the world. By December, when the county finally modified its health order, allowing houses of worship to once again host services inside their buildings. Now, they say theyre spending their retirement paying for it, US Coast Guard, Mexican officials search for 3 American sailors last heard from 11 days ago, Rui Hachimuras aggressive shooting pays dividends for Lakers, UCLA footballs first-team offense begins to take shape, Beneath DTLA, ghost trains take final testing of LA Metro Regional Connector. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County has been committed to protecting the health and safety of its residents. Eileen Gray was repeatedly disbelieved and accused of being bizarre, which wasnt relevant to the reason for her discipline, and leaders cast doubt on her account despite David Grays history of deceit. The church is not only a building but is the bride of Christ and exists to proclaim the truth.. Heres why we do it. In 2022, they will manage a yearlong initiative that will explore a variety of issues around mental health medical, structural, personal, societal and definitional. How Bethel and Hillsong Took Over Our Worship Sets, Died: George Verwer, Who Asked Christians Are You Ready To Go?, United Methodists Lose 1,800 Churches in Split Over LGBT Stance, Lawsuit: Pastor Judah Smith Expects Staff to Leave a Money Trail, Ravi Zacharias Hid Hundreds of Pictures of Women, Abuse During Massages, and a Rape Allegation. They made me look differently at men. As we explore this vital account of the incarnation, ministry, and atoning work of Jesus Christ, our faith will be Wednesday, April 19, 2023 7:00 pm9:00 pm The Opportunity Sheet is a weekly publication of Grace Community Church, . Eileen Gray said hearing about other women who had been blamed, accused, and often retraumatized by leaders at Grace motivated her to share her account publicly years later, once her children were adults. In Gods providence, he kept placing reminders in front of me, completely unbidden. Celebrating 45 Years of Worship with Stephen Sturz, Planting Gospel Seeds: An Invitation to Serve Our Children, A Shared Calling: Church-Based Pastoral Training, The Entrusted: The Convictions and Legacy of John MacArthur. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. When my wife and I were asked by a friend to pray for a woman my wife happened to know, she reached out in concern, and we were horrified to discover the same awful patterns of counseling were still happening at GCC, Cho told CT. This is when I sadly came to believe beyond any personal doubt that GCC congregants who we still love could effectively be playing Russian roulette if they ever needed counseling at GCC, especially anything involving the care of women or children. Though the case settled in January, after the woman sought court-ordered protection last year, two pastors had filed declarations on her husbands behalf. Childrens Ministry has been actively planning for Vacation Bible School, and we invite you to join us! This agreement, county officials said, was reached in the context of the US Supreme Courts decision in February that told California it couldnt enforce a ban on indoor worship because of the coronavirus pandemic. M-F 8:00 am-5:00 pm 818-909-5500 . People arriving for a service at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., in December. Over the summer and fall, Cho held out a faint hope that the 37-member elder board would reconsider Grays case, praying that God would soften leaders hearts and change their minds. Cho never imagined himself being in this position and advocating from outside Grace Community Church. (RNS) On Easter Sunday, the worship band at Bethel Community Church in Redding, California, opened the service with "This Is Amazing Grace," a 2012 hit that has . . News . We need that. Six pastors and elders were contacted for comment by phone and email repeatedly over a three-week period prior to this articles publication, as well as one former pastor and elder. Cho and his wife resigned their membership the next day. Its not unique. Scripture, unless otherwise noted, is taken from the NEW AMERICAN . December, when the county finally modified its health order, allowing of... 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