Church Challenged on Public Meeting Place
A church in Naples, Florida, has run into a stumbling block in holding services in a local park.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist group, wants the city of Naples to stop allowing Celebration Beach Church to worship at Cambier Park. Pastor Gene Scott told WINK News the church has done so for eight years, sometimes with more than 1,000 people in attendance.
“We have people here who are pro-life, pro-choice, gay, straight, rich poor, male, female, Republican, Democrat. It doesn’t matter,” says the pastor.
The church has had a five-year lease to meet in the park, and pays the same as everyone else. “We only use this space at that time on Sunday morning when no one else wishes to use this space and that time,” Scott points out.
But the Foundation contends the long-term lease means the city favors Christianity over other faiths, and complains that several members of city council attend the church. The Foundation argues those members should be removed from lease negotiations — but Mayor Bill Barnett says that is not feasible.
“That’s just not a reality — okay?” he states. “You know, if we were to do that for everything that comes up in front of city council, we wouldn’t be voting on anything.”
The Foundation is asking the city to offer the church only a one-year lease. The Naples City Council will vote on the matter in early November.
(Source: OneNewsNow.com)
