This morning I decided to go to the Common Grounds Coffee Bar that lets the Common Ground Church have periodical services there. The room was filled with good folks who believe in Jesus and believe in God and just want to spread the word of LOVE.
Even their t-shirts they wear says LOVE is greater than Hate.
Today's prayer by pastor Mike Olive included the mayor and city commission. The sermon was short and sweet and extra chairs had to be brought out to accommodate those who came to listen. Their next service will be on the steps of City Hall on March 3. There is no commission meeting that night but they will be there spreading the word. Freedom of speech is not yet banned by the city.
Guess you will havetogoto the Church where you vote.....
ReplyDeleteI absolutely will be going to the church where I vote and will be a poll watcher on election day.
ReplyDeleteIf I have to get a business license and a rental license and an inspection for my rental apt., why shouldn't a church have to get a license too? The issue is not what they are doing but whether there is enough exits, sufficient parking, bathrooms. Smoke alarm, etc.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't be an issue if they are operating in a commercial building but why shouldn't they follow the rules. No one, religious or not, should be exempt.
Their argument, I believe, is that they have ll the necessary licenses for the shop. Now, for 1/2 hour on Sunday, they have a little service there that has bathrooms, smoke alarms and exits. To them, it is no different than Brogues or Rotelli's or The Beach Club allowing NA's to have meetings, etc. These are not-for-profits too.
ReplyDeleteThere is no difference - all their businesses are properly licensed as I personally understand it. They met at Rotelli's & N Grade Elementary as a church AND AT COMMON GROUNDS coffee shop!
ReplyDeleteThe 'Hoodie & undercover operation' shows a serious disconnect between what we the people want and what our employee's are instructed by the elected to pursue - revenue generators! Look at all the License letters sent out to all the poor churches and anything that 'looks like it can pay'...walking wallets as Mr Timm called it...if you don't know who Mr.Timm is you haven't paid attention - we need to name something after him!
We actually can afford to have a code employee sneak around on a Sunday morning to out a bunch of Christians holding a church service?!? With all of the freakin blight in this town, THIS is what Michael Bornstein makes a priority???? The church I was raised in, Guardian Angels Episcopal in Lantana, met in a store front in the Lantana shopping ctr. until they could afford to break ground on their own church. What about the Kiwanis and other organizations that meet in our local restaurants? What about Chamber of Commerce meetings? What about the neighborhood meetings, Sierra club ,etc? A city Commissioner can sell porn out of the back room in his shop but people can't meet for .5 an hour on Sunday mornings to worship the Lord???? Dear Lord, please do not destroy Lake Worth and the people in it. Not all of them are evil.
ReplyDeleteIf Andy had just focused on the goat milking at the Scottish Rite church on North D St on Sunday mornings at 11 AM instead of ordering William Waters to do an undercover investigation, Code could be pursuing more important issues and Andy could have pursued his avocation.
ReplyDeleteA commissioner said to me that the church is one that "prays away the gay". I have no knowledge about them or their beliefs, but if that was thought to be the case it could explain why they are not welcomed with open arms.
ReplyDeleteSam Goodstein
Are you a gay basher, basher? Does the church have to conform to your beliefs before it is a church? Statements from a commissioner that are unsubstantiated provoked the city to get involved in a code issue?
ReplyDeleteThe pastor there said that they have gay members and they are welcome as are all people.
Churches are not the same as business. Churches have 1st amendment protection and municipalities cannot regulate churches. According to the U.S. Justice Department, this is a civli rights issue. See U.S Dept of Justice
ReplyDeleteIt is well settled law that laws can be used to regulate religious activities in existing facilities that were built for non-religious purposes.
ReplyDeleteZoning laws are neutral and the city can enforce or respond to complaints. Why not simply apply for the required license like everyone else has to.
we should find out want andy does in his home
ReplyDeleteWhy in heck would we want to do that, anony at 5:04? Your home should be a sanctuary.
ReplyDeleteChurches DO NOT actually have Constitutional protection. That has been a false interpretation of the amendment for a long time. The Constitution has only one line regarding religion which states that CONGRESS shall pass no law regarding religion. Not a single word about churches or how they are treated under the law.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect Thom, churches DO have First Amendment, Constitutional protections, which where further defined and clarified in the Florida Constitution, the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. It is a violation to require licensure of any individual or group to practice their faith, or non-faith, if they so choose. There are many protections within the Constitution that have "only one line" to broadly define rights and freedoms. That does not diminish their intent or their scope.
ReplyDeleteNow that being said, if the facility being used by Common Ground Church meets all zoning requirements for assembly under the law, which it does, then they are under no obligation to apply for a special permit or license to use or occupy the space for said assembly. Should they need facility upgrades to comply with life safety issues required by building or zoning laws, then they (or the building owner) would be required to obtain building permits and make those changes just like anyone else. But in this case, the zoning for the coffee shop is sufficient for the assembly use as defined by State zoning laws, and all inspections are in place and in compliance. The only thing missing in the eyes of the City of Lake Worth is their permission to assemble and the payment of the fee, which amounts to a tax on religious practice... a violation of the Federal and State law.
For the arguments against Common Ground Church to hold any water under the law, a special permit would then need to be required of any assemblies, including every open mic night, any special event, weddings, community meeting, school club, etc. Should all these types of assembly be required to obtain a license, and only then would the church also need to comply. But that is not the case.