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A federal judge has ruled that a southern Oregon city can\u2019t limit a local church\u2019s homeless meal services.<\/p>\n
U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke found that an ordinance passed by the small city of Brookings, on the southern Oregon coast, violated the religious freedom rights of St. Timothy\u2019s Episcopal Church,\u00a0KGW reported<\/a>. He issued his opinion on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The 2021 ordinance limited the church\u2019s homeless meal services to two days a week, and required a permit to serve free food in residential areas. It was passed in response to resident complaints.<\/p>\n The church sued the city<\/a>\u00a0in 2022, saying the ordinance violated its right to freely practice religion.<\/p>\n KGW reported the church\u2019s Rev. Bernie Lindley describing feeding people as an expression of religious belief.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the way we express our faith: by caring for people who are on the margins, especially people who are hungry,\u201d Lindley said.<\/p>\n Attorneys for the city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n The church has served free meals since 2009, according to KGW. During the pandemic, they increased meal services to six per week, which prompted the resident complaints.<\/p>\n In his ruling, Clarke said the city didn\u2019t provide a sufficient reason for restricting the number of days the church can serve free meals.<\/p>\n But the church\u2019s legal battles are not over yet. KGW reported that the city is asking the church to stop shower and advocacy services, a move the church has appealed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSubscribe to the new Fortune CEO Weekly Europe newsletter to get corner office insights on the biggest business stories in Europe. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n