Fighting COVID-19: Lodi Church Ordered To Close After Tenant Church Continued To Meet During Stay-At-Home Order
LODI (CBS13) – The San Joaquin County Public Health Officer has ordered a Lodi church to close their facility after a tenant of the building, another church community, continued to meet during the statewide stay-at-home order issued due to the coronavirus crisis.
The tenant, Cross Culture Christian Church was reported by the City of Lodi on March 29 after it continued to use the facility belonging to Bethel Open Bible Church for public assembly, according to the county's Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park.
"Any person who refuses or willfully neglects to comply with this emergency order is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and/or imprisonment," Dr. Park said in the order letter to Bethel Open Bible Church.
MORE: Lodi Church Fights Statewide Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order To Remain Open
In the order letter, Dr. Park said that continued public assembly will hamper the county's ability to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The City of Lodi said Cross Culture Christian Church defied a previous request from the Lodi Police Department to suspend its meetings.
"It's unfortunate we have to go to these lengths when the threat of COVID-19 is so clear," City Attorney Janice Magdich said. "It is gratifying, however, to see other churches in Lodi understand their responsibility to protect public health by suspending in-person gatherings."
Madgich said she encourages the church to conduct its services online via streaming as others are doing.
Pastor Jon Duncan of Cross Culture Christian Church has continued to hold his church services inside the South Ham Lane house of worship with parishioners gathering together for his sermon.
"I want to let people know that we as a church, we love people, we understand that the virus is a serious issue," Pastor Duncan said. "We do believe this right to meet is upheld by the first amendment."
Dr. Park said that Bethel Open Bible Church's operation of a child-care facility consistent with the State Public Health Officer's order issued on March 22 is unaffected by this order to close.