A church in northwestern Illinois has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide restrictions amid the coronavirus, seeking an immediate injunction that would allow it to conduct worship services.
The lawsuit was filed by the Thomas More Society on behalf of The Beloved Church of Lena and its pastor, Stephen Cassell. It alleges that the Stephenson County health department delivered a cease-and-desist notice to Cassell on March 31.
The complaint says the church, which is about 40 miles west of Rockford, intends to “reopen and hold public worship services this Sunday.” It goes on to say church leaders “fear arrest and prosecution if they do so, without immediate relief from this court.”
“Plaintiffs believe that, in these dark times, Illinoisans need the Spirit of Almighty God, but Pritzker’s orders have left them to settle for the lesser spirits dispensed out of the state’s liquor stores,” the complaint states.
The complaint also cites lawsuits filed by state Reps. Darren Bailey and John Cabello, even borrowing some legal arguments from Cabello’s lawsuit.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
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