Coronavirus Cases At Grace Church After Flaunting Health Orders

SUN VALLEY, CA — After continuing to hold in-person worship services since July despite county mandates against large gatherings, coronavirus cases are beginning to pop up at Grace Community Church. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed the megachurch, which regularly welcomes as many as 7,000 people each weekend, has recently seen three coronavirus cases.

According to L.A. Times, health officials are investigating the outbreak and wants to help the church limit transmission of the virus in the building. The county did not specify if cases were from staff or worshippers.

Grace Community Church and Pastor MacArthur have routinely dismissed the coronavirus and accused the county of targeting them. During one August sermon, the pastor called it "good news" that attendees were not following social distancing guidelines aimed at limiting transmission.

"The good news is, you're here, you're not distancing, and you're not wearing masks," he said. "And it's also good news that you're not outside, because it's very hot out there. So the Lord knew we needed to be inside and unmasked."

In September, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered the church to cease indoor worship, calling their services an "immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic." Despite this, the church has continued to hold indoor worship, with MacArthur claiming following the county's rules would "completely shut the church down."

Jenna Ellis, church attorney who serves as an advisor to the Trump 2020 campaign, downplayed the new coronavirus cases in an email to Patch.

“Three very mild positive tests among more than 7000 people is hardly news," Ellis said. "0.0004% is not an ‘outbreak.’ The LA Times and others’ grossly misleading and fear-mongering headlines aim to mischaracterize Grace Community Church as irresponsible and a superspreader. It has never been the Church’s position that it is only safe to hold services if no one ever tests positive, or for example, if no one ever gets the flu during flu season. Our position has been that LA County shutting down churches indefinitely amid a virus with a 99.98% survival rate, especially when state-preferred businesses are open and protests are held without restriction, is unconstitutional and harmful to the free exercise of religion."

Patch asked a church representative if they plan to hold service this Sunday after the announcement of multiple coronavirus cases, but did not immediately receive a response.