A Davenport church that serves meals to the homeless is suing the city and three city officials.
The federal lawsuit was filed by Compassion Church, operator of Timothy’s House of Hope, and its pastors against the city of Davenport, two aldermen and a city zoning official. The lawsuit claims the city violated Compassion’s religious constitutional rights when it temporarily stopped Timothy’s House of Hope from serving breakfasts to the homeless.
Last April the city shut down the church for 27 days for what it said was a zoning violation at its new location. But the city later allowed the church to reopen as it considered changes to the zoning code.
The church says the city’s cease-and-desist order was unlawful. It wants monetary damages and an injunction to prohibit the city from interfering in the future.
(By Phil Roberts, Davenport)