Christian Family Sued to Stop Religious Activities on Their Farm

The owners of a Pennsylvania farm have been ordered by the Sewickley Heights Borough (near Pittsburgh) to cease and desist holding Bible studies on their private property.  Borough leaders accused Scott and Terri Fetterolf of improperly using their 35-acre farm as a place of worship, a place of assembly and as a commercial venue. 

They were served a cease-and-desist order in October 2017, the Post-Gazette reported.

The Independence Law Center (ILC) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the farmers against the borough alleging an egregious violation of the U.S. Constitution.

According to the lawsuit, the Fetterolfs were threatened with fines of $500 per day plus court costs for having Bible studies at their home, having meetings where religious songs are sung, conducting any religious retreats for church leaders or seminary students or conducting any religious fundraisers.

The property’s previous owner, Nancy Doyle Chalfant, who is one of the founders of the nonprofit Verland, “opened her home, and her beloved Dundee Farm, to church retreats, seminary picnics, youth groups and many other organizations she supported … for many decades,” quoting from her 2012 obituary.  The Fetterolfs, who attended church with Chalfant, bought the property in 2003, “to carry on the traditions started by Chalfant,” the lawsuit states.

“The borough has no business overseeing a group of people reading and discussing a book together on private property — even if that book is the Bible,” Randall Wenger chief counsel for ILC said in a statement.  The lawsuit accuses the government leaders of violating religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and equal protection.

“Government should not target religious activities for punishment, particularly when similar secular activities are permitted,” Jeremy Samek senior counsel for ILC said.  “In America, no government can categorically ban people from assembling to worship on one’s property.”

Todd Starnes of FoxNews says, “To that point, the lawsuit alleges the borough allows other activities and gatherings — ranging from political rallies to a Harry Potter event.  So if government leaders allow muggles to cavort in Sewickley Heights Borough, they should afford the same rights to Christians gathering for Bible study on private property.”

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel