California Church Opens New Worship Space After Dispute With City
Anchor Stone Christian Church in Santa Ana, California, has begun worshipping in its new church home following a dispute over the congregation’s ability to use the property for religious services.
Pastor Steven Lee said the first service took place on October 18, 2026, according to an update published November 6 by First Liberty Institute, which represented the congregation. Lee also said interior work was continuing ahead of a dedication ceremony planned for December 8.
The service followed an agreement allowing the church to renovate the property. First Liberty reported in July 2025 that Santa Ana had agreed to approve the necessary permits after the congregation brought a federal lawsuit challenging restrictions on its proposed worship space.
The congregation began as an in-home prayer group in 2018 and had grown to about 50 people by the time of the earlier legal update. Its members purchased a property to provide a permanent location for worship and community activities, according to their attorneys.
The dispute centered on Santa Ana’s treatment of religious gatherings within its professional district. The lawsuit alleged that nonreligious assembly uses, including museums and art galleries, were permitted without the discretionary approval required for a house of worship.
The U.S. Department of Justice supported the church’s position through a statement of interest in the federal case. The department described the congregation as consisting of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans and said its application for a conditional use permit had been denied.
The case involved the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a federal law protecting religious institutions against certain burdensome or unequal land-use restrictions. The department argued that the city’s zoning rules treated religious assemblies less favorably than comparable secular gatherings.
First Liberty said the restrictions had prevented renovations and left the property vacant for two years. The organization also reported that the delay cost the congregation more than $500,000; that figure was provided by the church’s legal representatives.
Photographs accompanying the November update show musicians and congregants participating in worship inside the new space. Lee thanked those who supported the congregation during the dispute and said the church would share further photographs once preparations for the December dedication were complete.
References
First Liberty Institute — November 6, 2026
firstliberty/news/anchor-stone-christian-church-holds-first-worship-service/
First Liberty Institute — July 4, 2025
firstliberty/news/victory-anchor-stone-church-can-renovate-its-building/
U.S. Department of Justice — March 17, 2025; updated April 25, 2025
justice/opa/pr/justice-department-files-statement-interest-california-religious-land-use-case-brought-small
