Good News Friday: Huge Victory for Pastor Chris & Dad’s Place Church
Just in time for Easter, we have a big victory to report for Pastor Chris Avell and Dad’s Place Church in Bryan, Ohio.
On Thursday, a state court issued a final order that dismisses the city’s civil lawsuit against the church. This ends nearly three years of harassment and attempts to shut down the church’s 24/7 ministry to the most vulnerable.
“This decision should put an end once and for all to the city’s relentless attacks on Dad’s Place and Pastor Chris,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys.
“I consider it no coincidence that this decision comes during Holy Week as our church joins Christians worldwide to celebrate Christ’s victory over death,” said Pastor Chris. “We praise God for this decision and the work it allows this church to continue in Bryan, Ohio.”
Thank you for supporting First Liberty. You’re the one propelling victories that restore religious freedom to everyday heroes like Pastor Chris. This win will have a ripple effect for the entire community in Bryan, ensuring the church can keep its doors open to serve anyone who needs help.
Amazon Won’t Deliver a Religious Accommodation
Amazon told one of its warehouse managers that it will not accommodate his Sabbath observance even though there is another open position that would accommodate him.
First Liberty sent a demand letter this week to the company on behalf of Connor Dorsey, a shipping manager in Canton, Mississippi. Connor is a devout Catholic committed to a Sabbath observance by attending Mass and refraining from labor on Sundays and other holy days.
Because he’s typically scheduled to work weekends, Connor requested a religious accommodation. He asked to switch to an open position so he could attend weekly Mass. Amazon said, “No.”
“Amazon could have easily worked with Connor and provided the accommodation he requested,” said Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “But instead they chose to ignore federal law simply because they considered it a mere nuisance.”
Our letter explains that Amazon is required by law to grant Connor an accommodation. We point to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in our Faithful Carrier case, Groff v. DeJoy. The Court made clear that a religious accommodation must be granted unless it poses an undue hardship on the business, not just a minor inconvenience.
Amazon has until April 15 to respond to our letter.
Even with a major victory at the Supreme Court, religious discrimination in the workplace remains a serious problem. Employers have also been slow to adjust their religious accommodation policies following our victory in Groff.
Please donate to First Liberty today. Your support will help us deliver a win so that Connor—and people all across our country—don’t have to choose between their faith and their job.
Easter & Passover Share a Common Theme: Freedom
This weekend, Americans celebrate two of the most important holidays: Easter and Passover.
I encourage every American to take a moment over the next few days to reflect on how blessed we are to live in a country built on the promise of religious liberty.
As we celebrate this special time of the year, I also want to express my gratitude to you for supporting First Liberty. You share a special part in every legal victory that brings new life to our clients and our country—including our recent U.S. Supreme Court win for evangelist Gabe Olivier, which impacts everyone’s freedom to share their faith.
I wish you and your family a blessed holiday weekend. Through God’s grace, and with your faithful support, we’ll keep winning the battle for religious freedom in America.
For Liberty,
Kelly Shackelford
President, CEO & Chief Counsel
Leading The Conversation | First Liberty in the News
Commentary: The Air Force Is Finally Restoring Honor to the Faithful It Wrongly Punished – Senior Counsel Chris Motz in The Daily Signal
Opinion: Harmeet Dhillon Is an Exceptional Choice to Lead Civil Rights Division – Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys in Townhall
Video: Becoming a FaithBlazer – Restoring Faith in America Director Andrea Justus in Front Line Policy
Book Review: Defending Private Property – Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy Senior Research Fellow Adam J. MacLeod in Law & Liberty
Detroit Runs Over the First Amendment
In America’s Motor City, you are banned from standing outside abortion centers on public ways and sharing religious, pro-life messages with people walking in, out, or by the center.
First Liberty is suing the city in federal court. We represent Matthew Lipscomb, who was denied the opportunity to share life-affirming messages with women visiting the Scotsdale Women’s Center. A new ordinance criminalizes individuals who stand within a 15-foot radius of an entrance or approach someone within 100-foot radius of an entrance of any abortion center in the city.
“Silencing someone’s speech just because someone else disagrees with it is wrong and violates the First Amendment,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. “The city is criminalizing compassion and clearly discriminating against individuals with an alternative message to abortion.”
No one in our country should be censored for sharing their faith or expressing their convictions. The city needs to do what’s right, respect the First Amendment’s protections for religious speech, and allow Matthew to express himself freely on public property.
2,050 People of Valor – and the Year 2050
by David K. Holmes, Exec. Vice President & Chief Legacy Officer
In the year 445 B.C., the prophet Nehemiah asked the Lord to remember His promise to gather His people from their dispersion – if they repented. The Lord heard his prayers, and the Persian king, Artaxerxes, astoundingly allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the walls of the city, to repair the gates of the temple, and to build Nehemiah’s house.
When I read of the conditions under which the people labored to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, amid the scorn and threats of its neighbors, I can’t help but think of our work to rebuild the fortresses of religious freedom in this country. The walls of old Jerusalem were torn down and set afire, analogous to the erosion of our religious liberties here over the past decades. And yet, like the Hebrew people and their restored walls, we have steadily regained ground and rebuilt our defenses against forces that would destroy our religious freedom.
Look at our victories in the last 10 years that have had landmark, precedent-setting impact: American Legion v. American Humanist Association, Carson v. Makin, Groff v. DeJoy, Kennedy v. Bremerton, and others. Ten, in fact. Hold that! Late breaking news: First Liberty just won its 11th! We prevailed in our public evangelist case, Olivier v. City of Brandon, Mississippi. And we have more headed to the Supreme Court in the pipeline!
Like the various tribes in Israel, who carried swords and bricks, we are constructing strong fortresses against religious discrimination with legal victories in one hand, and our Constitution in the other. Yet, we need more workers and more victories. We need more people to buy bricks, in other words, to help restore religious freedom in America. Forever!
Can 2,050 mighty people of valor step forward now and indicate they will join us in a new and exciting way? I am referring here to future cases and future challenges.
Imagine if 2,050 Americans bequeath $25,000 in their wills or living trusts. Think how that would strengthen the legacy of liberty you could leave your family – all the way to the year 2050 and beyond. 2,050 for 2050!
So, in addition to your current support, we ask that your prayerfully consider becoming one of the 2,050 Mighty People of Valor for Religious Liberty for the year 2050.
If you are able, please leave a $25,000 gift from your will or living trust to help rebuild the walls of religious liberty and establish a legacy for your family. This isn’t “here-and-now money” from your cash accounts; it’s future money from your estate after the Lord has called you home. This could have a profound impact on religious liberty for your children and grandchildren, much like the cases I cited earlier.
Please email us at wills@firstliberty.org to indicate the dollar amount of your estimated intentions. Such an indication is not legally binding – you can change either the amount or the named beneficiaries in your will at any time without even notifying anyone.
If you recall, there were enemies of Israel who wanted to keep the walls in shambles. In our times, the enemies of religious freedom wish to keep the Constitution and religious liberty in shambles. And we can’t let that happen.
Thank you for your current support and for your prayerful consideration of the future of religious liberty in 2050.
DISCLAIMER: This article does not provide tax or legal advice. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for transactions or investment advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any estate planning.
Editors’ Picks | Stories Around the Nation
Trump Administration Makes Faith Central in Strategy to Combat Illicit Drugs – The Daily Signal
Departments of Defense, Labor Sued for Organizing Christian Prayer Services – Military.com
CPAC International Faith Summit Talks Post-COVID Religious Freedom, Charlie Kirk Legacy – The Christian Post
NYC Bill Allowing Protest ‘Buffer Zones’ Around Houses of Worship Passes with Veto-Proof Majority – New York Post
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