NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
May 12, 2026
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 12, 2026 /Standard Newswire/ — Anglican Watch, the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church, today condemned ongoing efforts by Ocean City Maryland to violate an Episcopal Church’s rights to religious freedom. In addition, Ocean City is in direct violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act 42 USC §2000 c c (a)(1).
The group’s announcement comes after the Ocean City zoning department again tried to shut down a low-barrier emergency shelter operated by St. Paul’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church.
Previously, the city tried to shut down the homeless shelter because it was a tent camp on church property, which became illegal after the County passed ordinances making sleeping on public property illegal, even though there is no year-round low-barrier shelter option within Ocean City itself.
The church responded in good faith by moving all shelter activities inside.
Now, Ocean City is demanding that the church cease operating its indoor shelter by June 8, 2026, despite the church working closely with community agencies and receiving referrals from the Homeless Outreach Team, healthcare workers, and law enforcement officers seeking safe placement for individuals with nowhere else to go.
In just 42 nights of operation:
• 892 individuals have slept safely at the shelter
• The church currently averages 27 guests per night
The shelter operates as a ministry of the church, rooted in the Gospel call to care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). It provides low-barrier sheltering without requiring identification, sobriety, employment, or participation in programs as conditions for receiving help.
“Federal law is clear: the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act requires that any zoning provision that interferes with a church’s ministry must be based on a compelling government interest, and narrowly tailored to achieve that objective,” says Anglican Watch official Eric Bonetti. “We fail to see how ensuring that Ocean City residents are unhoused constitutes a compelling government interest.
“Moreover, at a time when the government is increasingly cutting back on services to those in need, it is in the best interest of all involved to allow churches to assist.
“Ocean City’s conduct is facially discriminatory, and we call on all people who believe in freedom of religion to boycott Ocean City this summer,” Bonetti concludes.
Founded in 2015, Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. The organization addresses sexual and non-sexual abuse in the Episcopal Church and other faith communities, as well as issues that otherwise affect the well-being of the church.
SOURCE Anglican Watch
CONTACT: Eric Bonetti, 240-331-6977, eric@anglicanwatch.com