Fresno pastor will defy Newsom’s church capacity guidelines, join lawsuit

Pastor Jim Franklin of Fresno’s Cornerstone Church said Wednesday that he planned to defy Gov. Gavin Newsom’s guidelines to limit capacity at places of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic when church doors open May 31.

Franklin said the governor’s guidelines — which limit attendance to 25%, or a total of 100 inside a church, whichever is lower — are a violation of religious freedom, and that he planned to join a federal lawsuit against the restrictions.

Franklin, who presides over the downtown church at Fulton and Stanislaus streets, said church officials intend to practice social distancing, provide face masks to those who don’t have one, and discourage those at high risk to the coronavirus from attending services in person. The church’s capacity is 1,400, so 350 would be allowed to attend.

But he said that there is no substitute for allowing those who can to worship with fellow members to do so.

“By keeping the church doors closed, we are denying them a vital part of their religious freedom,” Franklin said at a news conference.

“We will be safe,” he added. “We just want to be treated fairly. If a big box store can do this, so can we.

“I would do nothing to put (church members) in harm’s way.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 10:57 AM.