Church Defies Judge’s Order to Stop Worship Services, Worships Despite Gavin Newsom’s Lockdown

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s said the church couldn’t hold worship services or sing during the service. A judge ordered the church to comply with Newsom’s lockdown.

But Pastor Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church didn’t care. He opened the church for service on Sunday and chruchgoers attended and praise the God they love. And no law enforcement showed up to take them to jail.

As LifeNews reported on Friday, a Ventura County state judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the church from meeting under Governor Newsom’s unconstitutional COVID-19 no singing and no worship orders.

The state court order also names Does 1 – 1000, meaning the injunction includes every person who attends the church or who will attend the church. Anyone who dares visit the church to worship could be held in contempt of court, the order said.

But Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church came to church on Sunday with not one police officer in sight.

The church reportedly hit capacity and had to leave some parishioners outside. Others came to support the church’s worship while a few pro-lockdown protesters gathered to face the crowd. As observers noted there were no police in sight to enforce the restraining order, a disgruntled woman took to social media to tattle on the church to the local sheriff.

“Here outside Godspeak church this morning in Newbury Park, where the parking lot is filling up fast. Despite a temporary restraining order being put in place Friday, hundreds are showing up this morning for services. Services are planned for 9, 11 and 1,” Kyle Jorrey, editor at the Thousand Oaks Acorn, tweeted with a video of parishioners arriving.

SUPPORT LIFENEWS! If you like this pro-life article, please help LifeNews.com with a donation!

Here outside Godspeak church this morning in Newbury Park, where the parking lot is filling up fast. Despite a temporary restraining order being put in place Friday, hundreds are showing up this morning for services. Services are planned for 9, 11 and 1. pic.twitter.com/NLCh9HIHsc

— Kyle Jorrey (@KyleBJorrey) August 9, 2020

A large group of church supporters arrived with signs reading, “Church: More Essential Than Marijuana Shops and Abortion Clinics,” “Spiritual Health Is Essential,” “Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Freedom,” and “Free California.” In a similar case involving Grace Community Church Pastor John MacArthur, Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund lawyer Charles LiMandri noted that Gov. Newsom has supported Black Lives Matter protesters and is not extending the same lockdown rules he applies on churches to marijuana dispensaries, retail outlets, and abortion clinics.

Although the church knowingly violated a restraining order and Pastor McCoy warned his congregation that the first 1,000 people to attend would get a misdemeanor citation, the police appear to have been absent.

“No police, no county officials I can see here at the moment,” Jorrey tweeted.

Thousand’s at Godspeak Calvary Chapel this morning in support of religious liberty. pic.twitter.com/uJRMwX6FUN

— IIzThatIIz (@IIzThatIIz) August 9, 2020

Gov. Newsom’s orders allow the church to feed, shelter, and provide social services, but the same people in the same building cannot worship. In order words, non-religious services are acceptable but religious services are banned. People can receive food, but not take communion. People can be housed overnight, but cannot hold a short worship service, Bible study, or meet for prayer. People can receive counseling to find work but cannot be counseled on finding eternal life.

This case is the first in the country where church members and all future attendees are now considered defendants subject to contempt of court for entering a church to worship. An evidentiary hearing is now set for the end of the month.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “The same governor who encourages mass protests, bans all worship. The same governor who says the church can meet for secular services, bans the church from having religious worship. If people cannot see this obvious unconstitutional violation, they are blind. This unconstitutional hostility against religious worship must end. Enough is enough!”