Coronavirus: County fines pile up as Santa Clara church continues in-house services

North Valley Baptist Church of Santa Clara held its indoor service on Sunday in defiance of a Santa Clara County ordinance.

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SANTA CLARA — The South Bay church that has already racked up thousands of dollars in fines for defying public-health orders against indoor gatherings held another service Sunday, garnering a new citation even as parishioners spoke out in defiance.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of more sanctions against the church didn’t stop parishioner Priscilla Montes from attending service Sunday morning at North Valley Baptist Church, a controversial Santa Clara ministry that has continued to hold indoor worship in violation of a county public health order.

“What the state is doing is unconstitutional and evil,” Montes, 78, said outside the De La Cruz Boulevard house of worship. “They’re fighting against God.”

The church had already been fined a total of $15,000 — three separate fines of $5,000 for services held in violation of the order, twice on Aug. 23 and again on Aug. 26 — by the county, the largest fines thus far for defying ban. Pastor Jack Trieber told the congregation Sunday morning that the church had been fined again, and that he expected another levy for the Sunday-evening service.

“I never thought I’d live in a day where you’d be fined for going to church,” Trieber told the congregation, which he has led since 1976. “I can’t believe I am hearing this in my America.”

Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams said the fines were necessary to control a serious public health threat.

“These rules have been put in place by our public health officers, doctors whose entire practice area is dealing with epidemiology and communicable diseases,” Williams said Sunday. “So many faith leaders in Santa Clara County have been really diligent in keeping their congregations safe and keeping the broader community safe.

“It is just so disappointing that we’ve got a couple of examples here of a few churches who have chosen to behave differently.”

A reporter and photographer from this news organization were denied entrance Sunday into the church, which has a replica Statue of Liberty with a lighted torch on the six-acre grounds. The service was also streamed online.

Many of the worshippers who attended Sunday morning declined to speak to a reporter or give their names. One man said the service was “tremendous” but would not elaborate, adding, “I’m not authorized to talk.”

Parishioner Montes said she was not concerned about contracting COVID-19 and had regularly attended services in person since July. Montes said she wears a mask inside the facility and does not shake hands or hug other churchgoers, as is the custom.

Trieber told the congregation Sunday morning that he would stand by a side door and shake anyone’s hand who initiated the gesture.

“If I get COVID, it is going to be a great funeral,” Trieber told the audience. “If I get it I really don’t care. … We’ve social-distanced to death.”

On Friday, Trieber posted a video asking state and county officials to let him hold services, saying that he had reduced the church’s 3,000-person capacity by more than half and that worshippers wear masks, do not shake hands or hold hands in prayer.

Trieber said Saturday that the church-affiliated school, Golden State Baptist College, would hold fall classes online to avoid daily $5,000, which he said would bankrupt the school.

“I cannot potentially endanger you against the authorities of this state,” Trieber said in the statement. “We’re not allowed to have indoor teaching now.” Gov. Gavin Newsom has “moved us to a level that is almost impossible.”

On Sunday morning the pastor told the congregation that he would close down his church “for the safety of people” if he believed the country was facing a life-threatening pandemic.

County officials have said that if the church is willing to keep holding services and racking up fines, they may have to look at other ways to stop them.

“It appears for the moment that the fines have not stopped them from continuing the gatherings, and we’ll be looking at what other options we might have to take,” Williams, the county counsel, said earlier this week.

A week ago, the county counsel’s office posted a cease-and-desist letter on the church’s door that said that North Valley Baptist violated the health order for holding indoor services, failing to ensure mask-wearing and social distancing indoors, singing during services and failing to submit a social distancing protocol.

The $5,000 fine per service is the highest possible fine for business violations of the coronavirus health order permitted under the ordinance Santa Clara County adopted earlier this month. For the most part, Williams said, the county has avoided issuing fines in favor of working with businesses to bring them into compliance. Santa Clara County issued the highest possible fine to North Valley Baptist, he said, because of the number of violations and the level of risk caused by a large indoor gathering.

“We will continue to encourage compliance but continue other avenues of enforcement because it is absolutely critical for our community.” Williams said, though he declined to say what other actions might be taken. “We’ve been really effective in coming together as a community.”

North Valley Baptist Church has declined to comment directly to the Bay Area News Group. Trieber told the congregation Sunday that he had no intention of talking to the media.

“We’re going to have church,” Trieber said. “It’s essential.”