(This is from Liberty Counsel http://www.lc.org
Under Gov. Janet Mills, Maine has become one of the most anti-Christian states in the nation. In fact, Liberty Counsel has sued this particular governor more than any other governor in the Union! And the only state we have sued more often in our 36-year history is California.
But even CA Gov. Gavin Newsom learned the hard way, during the COVID shutdowns, that Liberty Counsel will not allow anti-God governments to discriminate against Christians. But the State of Maine has somehow missed the message.
The anti-God political machine running the Pine Tree State seems bent on eradicating Christianity from the state.
ONE church appears to be “ground zero” for Maine’s anti-Christian attacks — Calvary Chapel.
Liberty Counsel is fighting back.
Maine has a rich religious history. Catholic missionaries arrived in the state in 1604. The first Christian mass in all of New England was held on Maine’s Swan Island in 1611.
During the colonial years, the Puritans, followed by the Congregationalists, dominated Maine. The colony even required towns to fund a Congregational church and minister. Methodists, Baptists, and Freewill Baptists arrived in the 18th century, and Jews soon followed at the end of the 19th century.
But fast-forward to the 21st century and Maine is tied with Vermont for being “the least religious state” in the nation.
Since being targeted by Gov. Mills’ unconstitutional COVID lockdowns on churches, Calvary Chapel of Bangor has birthed six churches spanning the sparsely populated state. Pastor Ken Graves and Calvary Chapel are working to change Maine’s spiritual landscape by sharing the gospel and transforming broken people. But an anti-God governor and a league of similarly minded bureaucrats is doing their darndest to try to stop the revival happening in Maine.
During the COVID shutdowns, ME Gov. Janet Mills threatened to throw the participants in Calvary Chapel Bangor’s drug rehabilitation program in prison if they read the Bible and prayed together during Mills’ unlawful church shutdowns. Mills ordered that the group could meet, so long as they DID NOT read the Bible or pray.
Liberty Counsel took Mills and Maine to court, and Mills and her crew had to end her outrageous restrictions on churches and places of worship.
In 2022, Maine lost again, this time at the U.S. Supreme Court when the state allowed vouchers for any schools — except Christian schools. The High Court ruled Maine’s law unconstitutional.
Then, a Maine state family court judge banned a member of Calvary Chapel from taking her own daughter to church. The judge cited the opinion of a Marxist California professor in declaring that churches are “cults.”
Liberty Counsel has taken up this case on appeal, and continues to fight for this born-again Christian mother and her daughter’s right to attend the church of their choice.
Now, the University of Maine System is refusing to sell an excess university property to the highest bidder solely because the winning bidder is a Christian church. That church is Calvary Chapel Belfast.
Liberty Counsel is taking Maine back to court again…and we intend to win.
Don’t let anti-God governors and bureaucrats silence the gospel! Support our legal fund today!
I don’t know what Gov. Mills and the anti-God political machine running Maine have against Calvary Chapel’s network of churches, which extend from the cold shores of Portland through the Highlands and right to the St. Crois Valley, which borders Canada. Maybe it’s because Calvary Chapel is saving so many souls, bringing lost people back into Christ’s flock.
What I do know is that discrimination against Christians and churches is against the law.
Liberty Counsel will not stop fighting until the State of Maine stops attacking Christians and their churches.
For over 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 thousands of 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.
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Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
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Sources:
“Catholic Sites in Maine.” Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. Accessed March 3, 2025. Portlanddiocese.org/catholic-sites-maine.
Hatlen, Burton, Joshua M. Smith, Peter Lodge, and Michael Hermann. “A Sampler from the New Historical Atlas of Maine: Religion in Maine.” Maine Policy Review 11.1 (2002): 48 -57, Digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol11/iss1/11.
“Least Religious States 2023.” Wisevoter. Accessed March 3, 2025. Wisevoter.com/state-rankings/least-religious-states.
Judd, Richard. “Religion on Maine’s Frontier.” Maine History Online. Accessed March 3, 2025. Mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/825/page/1235/display.
“The History of Our Presbyterate.” Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. Accessed March 3, 2025. Portlanddiocese.org/vocations/history-our-presbyterate.