A Colorado church is suing the town of Castle Rock to maintain its homeless ministry after local officials tried to shut it down. The church recently won a preliminary victory with a federal judge ruling the town must allow the humanitarian outreach to continue while the case proceeds in court.
The Rock church has provided shelter to those without homes by using an R.V. and a trailer that sit behind its building.
Last year, the town council ordered the church to stop its activities, claiming it violates zoning regulations.
The church responded with a lawsuit citing the Bible's commands to help those in need and calling it a religious freedom issue.
"The Holy Bible specifically and repeatedly directs faithful Christians like the Church's members to care for the poor and needy out of compassion and mercy for those who are experiencing significant misfortune and hardship," the church argued in its court filing.
Pastor Mike Polhemus further explained, "Our mission is to transform society by loving others as Christ loved us. This includes providing such a level of outreach and aid to the surrounding community that, if we ever close our doors, the entire community would feel our church's absence. It's shocking that the town is preventing us from providing temporary shelter and wrap-around assistance to people who are in their greatest need, thus helping to reduce homelessness in our community."
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Now U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico has ruled the homeless ministry can continue as the case goes forward.
"As the Church has emphasized, and the Town has not disputed, 'the Church has never experienced any public-safety or other related issues while carrying out this ministry, even as it has temporarily house(d) numerous individuals and small families,'" Judge Domenico explained. "Instead, the Town appears concerned about the precedent that would be set, which it suggests might allow either much larger housing projects on the Church's own property or other institutions or individuals to try
to use mobile homes in a similar manner."
Attorneys with First Liberty Institute are defending the church in court, arguing that the city has also interfered with the church's ability to serve as a Red Cross emergency shelter. They say Castle Rock even took it to the next level and retaliated against the church by threatening the business license of a coffee service located in the church, as well.
"Churches that take action to care for the homeless should be encouraged and affirmed, not opposed and retaliated against," said First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys. "It's not enough for the town to try to stop this church from using its property to provide temporary shelter to displaced single moms and their children. The town is also trying to prevent the church from partnering with the Red Cross in times of emergency."
CBN News reached out to the town of Castle Rock for comment. A spokesperson replied, "As this is pending litigation, we don't have any information to provide at this time beyond what's publicly available in the court file."
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