Although there will be no jail time for Calvary Chapel pastor Mike McClure and youth pastor Carson Atherley, a Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge upheld some $1 million in fines against the church leader at a hearing last week.
“The court held that our client is in contempt of court for violating a preliminary injunction,” said attorney Mariah Gondiero, who represents the pastors. “The state court found in favor of Santa Clara County.”
As previously reported in the Southern California Record, McClure violated the injunction, which prohibited Calvary Chapel in San Jose from holding indoor services for its 1,800 members.
“Pastor McClure feels he's called to continue to keep the church doors open,” Gondiero told the Southern California Record. “No one's been harmed and the church has been a lifeline for a lot of people.”
Some 500 parishioners reportedly gathered in front of Santa Clara County Superior Court in the rain last week to support McClure while Santa Clara County Superior Judge Peter Kirwan was presiding over the contempt of court hearing.
“The judge said if they shut down services, the Court wouldn't uphold the fines against Mike McClure and Carson Atherley personally but there would still be fines against the church,” Gondiero said in an interview.
According to the Calvary Chapel San Jose website, Sunday services are ongoing at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
“My hope and desire are to honor our government and our officials,” McClure said in a Youtube video filmed in front of the courthouse last week. “Honestly, in all that they do, I'm so thankful for the rules, the law, for the police and sheriffs. But the church, we are the source of hope. The church is the only place you're going to find the light.”
Under the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, Tier 1, also known as the purple zone, is the most restrictive of all tiers and zones. Santa Clara is classified under Tier 1, which bans indoor church services.
While the county of Santa Clara sued Calvary Chapel and has fined the pastor more than $1 million for defying public health orders banning indoor events, Newsweek reported that the church received some $340,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.