When Calvary Chapel Belfast outscored two other competitors to secure the winning bid to purchase an excess University of Maine building, the two pro-LGBTQ groups who lost that bid conspired with university officials to CANCEL Calvary’s win and designed a scheme to take the building for themselves.

The conspirators made plain that their aim was to prevent a Christian church from operating in the community.

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As so often happens when governments try to attack churches, Calvary Chapel Belfast was one of SIX churches planted by our client Calvary Chapel Bangor. As you may recall, the State of Maine tried to unlawfully shut down Calvary Bangor, until Liberty Counsel sued the state — securing a victory for the church.

For the last two years, Calvary Chapel Belfast has been meeting in the University of Maine’s Hutchinson Center. When the University announced it would be selling the building, the church jumped at the chance to purchase the building that had been serving as the young congregation’s new home.

Calvary Chapel Belfast outscored two other competitors and “rightfully earned” the winning bid to solely negotiate the purchase of the Hutchinson Center, a building no longer in use by the university.

The two failed bidders protested Calvary Belfast’s winning bid SOLELY because of the church’s religious beliefs. Once the University announced the church as the winning bidder, two losing bidders sent a series of protest letters to the university attacking the church’s religious beliefs. They urged the University to rescind the award because “a Christian church would necessarily discriminate against gays and lesbians.”

They did not hide their animus, claiming that the church must not receive the property because its “very design” as a church with biblical views was discriminatory and had no place in the community.

The groups claimed that a church had no place in the community because of its Biblical beliefs!

Then they conspired with university officials to rescind Calvary’s win, in hopes of securing that building for themselves . . . and kicking the church out.

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A second bidding process was announced, rigged to ensure the very folks who protested the church’s biblical beliefs, Waldo Community Action Partners (WCAP), would win.

This unlawful conspiracy discriminated against the church on the basis of religion in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

Liberty Counsel argued this point before the court last week and won to prevent irreparable infringement on the church’s rights. The University has “paused” its planned sale to WPATH.

But “pausing” is not enough. The University of Maine System has violated the First Amendment by discriminating against Calvary Chapel Belfast because of its Christian beliefs.  

The church participated in the bidding processes in good faith, but the university unlawfully discriminated against the church’s religious beliefs. Such discrimination is unlawful and may end up being a costly mistake for the University of Maine System.

We continue to litigate — not just for Calvary Chapel Belfast — but for all churches. Because we cannot allow ANY state to engage in religious discrimination or rob citizens of their religious freedom. 

For 35 years, Liberty Counsel has been defending life, religious freedom, and the natural family. We’ve won 37 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and countless others before state courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeal. We NEVER charge for our work because most people — and churches — could not afford to defend themselves against anti-Christian governors and governments. Our clients rely on YOU, the faithful Liberty Counsel supporter, to ensure liberty remains free.

A generous supporter has established a special Challenge Grant to support our work. But that grant only kicks in when you do. Every donation made to our legal fund today will be DOUBLED in impact. Even recurring monthly donations will be doubled for the duration of the grant! Help us END the WAR on Churches by supporting our legal fund today.

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel