Castle Rock, Colorado, has closed the on-site temporary shelter hosted by The Rock, according to the complaint filed on behalf of the church by First Liberty, a legal defense fund that defends religious freedom.

The church, which occupies 54 acres on the edge of Castle Rock, has a congregation of about 250 on Sundays.

It has parked an RV and a trailer on its land to serve as temporary shelters for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Its goal is to help them get back on their feet with stable employment and stable living arrangements.

According to court documents, the trailer and RV are parked over 400 feet from the neighboring residential areas, and they have been used as temporary shelters since 2018.

The church also has entered into a partnership with the Red Cross to provide shelter in its main church building during times of emergency, such as after a severe winter storm or fire.

According to First Liberty, the town of Castle Rock has no other emergency or temporary shelters within its limits for individuals suddenly without a safe home.

In a press statement, The Rock’s pastor, Mike Polhemus, said the church wants to provide “such a level of outreach and aid to the surrounding community that, if we ever close our doors, the entire community would feel our church’s absence.

“It’s shocking that the town is preventing us from providing temporary shelter and wrap-around assistance to people who are in their greatest need, thus helping to reduce homelessness in our community,” he added.

The Rock church has been involved in other benevolence ministries as part of its mission to “Pursue God, embrace people, and transform society through real family.”

It began operating a food bank in 2018 and distributes 400,000 pounds of food to residents each year. The Rock also has a “Blessing Room” closet to provide clothing and other personal supplies to the needy.

In 2016, it started the Winter Shelter Network in coordination with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners to shelter homeless people overnight from Nov. 1 to March 31 each year. It ceased operations in March 2023 due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Liberty is seeking a preliminary injunction in federal court so it may continue its temporary shelter ministry. It argues that the city is violating the church’s free exercise rights under the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

The church attempted to resolve the matter without having to resort to the legal process, it said in its court documents.

MinistryWatch has reported on other cases of church ministries being threatened for zoning violations: Dad’s Place in Bryan, Ohio; Gethsemani Baptist Church in San Luis, Arizona; and Mechanics of Faith in Henrico County, Virginia.

This piece is republished with permission from MinistryWatch.

Kim Roberts is a freelance writer who holds a Juris Doctor from Baylor University. She has homeschooled her three children and is happily married to her husband of 25 years. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate.