Charitable meal services are treated like restaurants when granted licensing from the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Restaurants are not allowed to operate in residential zones, according to the Brookings Municipal Code, and churches in Brookings are in residential zones, according to the news agency.
However, the church and diocese are standing their ground.
“The parishioners of St. Timothy’s are obeying the teachings of Jesus when they provide food and medical care to their community,” said the Rev. Diana Akiyama, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, in the statement. “Providing hospitality to all who enter St. Timothy’s in search of help is integral to our beliefs.”
This article originally appeared on ReligionNews.com.
