Temporary Restraining Order Issued Against Grace Community Church

SUN VALLEY, CA — Calling their weekly church services an "immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic," a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Grace Community Church and demanded they cease indoor worship. The megachurch has routinely held normal services for as many as 7,000 people since unilaterally deciding to reopen in July.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff allowed the church to worship outdoors, but said congregation members must wear masks and social distance. Beckloff also said the church must allow county health officers to monitor the premises to ensure compliance.

"The county persuasively argues congregants of the church are not isolated amongst themselves, but circulate within the county outside of their times together in religious worship," Beckloff wrote. "All citizens of the community therefore — even those who do not worship at the church — would be at risk of infection through community spread."

Previously, Beckloff had declined to issue a restraining order against the megachurch, claiming he didn't have the authority to do so. The county sought a restraining order four separate times ahead of the September 4 hearing, and was denied each time. However, Judge Beckloff claimed Los Angeles County had finally "demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits" of its claims.

Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis praised the ruling, and claimed the county would assist all businesses attempting to comply with public health orders.

"The sole purpose of the health officer orders is to protect the health and safety of our L.A. communities, and we thank everyone who has taken compliance with the orders seriously in order to protect their business, their employees and the public," Davis said.

Representatives for Grace Community Church have repeatedly claimed that Los Angeles County is targeting the church and Pastor John MacArthur. Charles LiMandri, attorney for the church, claimed the coronavirus is "dying out" and that Pastor MacArthur cares greatly about the well-being of his following.

"He's very concerned about the health and well-being of his congregation," LiMandri said.

However, the pastor has spoken out against even minor coronavirus precautions in the past. At a previous service, Pastor MacArthur said it was "good news" the congregation wasn't wearing masks or social distancing because of the heatwave. In another sermon, Pastor Macarthur claimed there was "no pandemic" and that the county was using the virus as a smokescreen to keep the church from worshipping.

“We’ve all been suspicious of the fact that we’ve been meeting together now for weeks and weeks and weeks, and we don’t know anyone who’s ill,” the pastor said. “Nobody in our congregation has ever been to the hospital with this.”

Grace Community Church has also filed a separate countersuit that currently awaits trial in Burbank.

City News Service and Kenan Draughorne contributed to this report.