Sun Valley, California’s Grace Community Church announced on Friday November 13, 2020, that they received a notice from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health saying they had been cleared of COVID-19 outbreak.
Grace Community Church’s website states:
“We are glad to announce that we received a notice from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Thursday, November 12, saying that we have been cleared of COVID-19 outbreak. After a thorough investigation, Public Health officials have decided to rescind all outbreak related requirements and restrictions on Grace Community Church.“
A health investigation took place after Grace Community Church reported that four people had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus back in mid-October.
ChurchLeaders reached out to the Los Angeles County’s Public Health Department on October 23, 2020 and confirmed they were investigating the reported outbreak at Grace Community Church responding with the following:
“Public Health can confirm it is currently investigating an outbreak at Grace Community Church and will list the church on our outbreak dashboard today showing 3 confirmed cases. As with all investigations of outbreaks, Public Health will work closely with the church to support outbreak management strategies that can limit transmission of COVID-19.”
Strip Clubs Can Open, But Churches Can’t?
John MacArthur and Grace Community Church have been defying state and county government COVID-19 orders since July, 2020 by holding in-person worship services, and they have had numerous trips to the Los Angeles Superior Court attempting to fight for their constitutional right to gather indoors. California’s current orders call for halting indoor church services, indoor dining, and indoor gym workouts.
Represented by attorney Charles S. LiMarandi, Grace Community Church returned to court this past Friday November 13, 2020 and was told by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff that he will allow pretrial discovery and the calling of witnesses in the contempt hearing scheduled for January 15, 2021. The hearing will deal with whether or not fines should be imposed on Grace Community Church and Pastor John MacArthur for holding indoor worship services despite being issued a preliminary injunction on September 10, 2020.
Attorney LiMarandi stated that the pretrial discovery that is being allowed by Judge Beckloff is necessary because the county has displayed more hostility with its COVID-19 orders toward churches than other places of businesses, saying that “tattoo parlors and nail salons have received greater consideration than have churches.”
The above is a reference to San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil who ordered California to refrain from enforcing COVID-19 restrictions on strip clubs. LiMarandi followed that up by saying, “You can’t pray to almighty God, but you can watch nude dancing.”
The court will also hear a separate lawsuit filed by Grace Community Church against the county for recently revoking the use of a county-owned parking lot they have leased since 1975.