Churches ask court to grant an injunction lifting restrictions created by Gov. Kate Brown’s executive orders. VIA GOOGLE MAPS – Calvary Chapel in Southeast Portland has sued Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. Ten congregations in the state have filed suit challenging the governor’s lock down on individuals and businesses to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In a suit filed Wednesday, May 6, in Baker County Circuit Court, Calvary Chapel Newberg and nine other plaintiffs claim that Gov. Kate Brown’s orders requiring social distancing and other measures violate their religious freedoms and exceed her constitutional authority. Senior Pastor John Terry of Calvary Chapel Newberg said in a prepared statement the churches who signed onto the lawsuit don’t question the governor’s intent to keep Oregon citizens safe. "However, we respectfully submit that Gov. Brown’s executive orders are in violation of our constitutional rights," he added, citing specifically the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom to assemble and worship. Terry argues that the church in essence "is a hospital of sorts" and, as such, is a necessary component of the community that should remain open, "especially when people are experiencing hopelessness and despair in these very stressful days." Brown’s edicts are particularly […]
