Ocean City Countersues St. Paul’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

OCEAN CITY, Md. – The Town of Ocean City (OC) is countersuing St. Paul’s by the Sea Episcopal Church amid a months-long dispute surrounding the church’s zoning requirements as it functions as a homeless shelter.

The church made the announcement on Monday evening, saying the City is asking the court to shut down their Shelter By-the-Sea. This follows St. Paul’s original lawsuit, filed Jun. 16, seeking protections under the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The church is also seeking damages, citing stress caused by the ongoing dispute.

“Our shelter is not separate from our ministry—it is our ministry,” the church said in a post on social media. “We believe that providing a safe place to sleep for people who have nowhere else to go is part of our religious calling and an expression of our faith.”

The countersuit comes days after the church shared a letter written by their attorney outlining the ongoing challenges the church has faced in obtaining a permit for plumbing work at the building. The letter details that St. Paul’s has tried to contract three separate plumbers to install laundry facilities, all of which were reportedly turned down by Ocean City. Specifically, St. Paul’s attorney says Benjamin Franklin Plumbing submitted a permit application on the church’s behalf, but it was denied without explanation or accompanying documents.

“We ask for your prayers for our guests, our congregation, the leaders of Ocean City, and everyone involved in this case,” the church concluded. “We remain committed to serving our neighbors with dignity, compassion, and love, and we will continue to share updates as they become available.”

WMDT has reached out to the Town of Ocean City for comment.