New York Church Fights Back after Being Threatened with $1,000 Fine for Drive-In Church Service

The Central Baptist Church in New York, which stopped its drive-in worship services after facing the possibility of a fine from the Massena Police Department, is challenging the claim that its drive-in services violate Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order.

The church’s representation, The Rutherford Institute, wrote a letter to the police chief saying the church is within their rights to hold the drive-in services, the Christian Post reports.

“You are mistaken in your assertion that church ‘drive-in’ worship services are prohibited under New York’s current emergency orders and could result in fines,” wrote The Rutherford Institute, a national, nonprofit civil liberties organization, to police chief Adam J. Love last week.

In early May, Love told Pastor Samson Ryman that the church violated the state executive order in its May 3 drive-in worship service, which included 23 people in 18 cars. Love told the pastor that the church could face a $1,000 fine.

But The Rutherford Institute says the “threats” could violate the church’s rights.

“Although federal and state governments have adopted specific restrictive measures in an effort to decelerate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the current public health situation has not resulted in the suspension of fundamental constitutional rights such as religious freedom, freedom of speech and the right of…