WAUCONDA, Ill. -- A mail-order minister said parties at the Universal Life Church were a form of worship, but a judge called the church a public nuisance and ordered it shut down forever.
Lake County Circuit Judge William Block ruled Wednesday the Universal Life Church, operated by David and Nancy Sholl, violated local building and zoning codes and was a public nuisance.
Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Margaret Mullen said the judge also ruled church parties violated liquor license laws. Block issued a summary judgment against the church and ordered its doors closed permanently.
Sholl said he may appeal.
Block said he based his decision in large part on facts provided by the Sholls, Ms. Mullen said.
The church -- a 10,000-square-foot, $395,000 mansion -- contains an indoor swimming pool, a stage, sauna, bars, Ping-Pong and pool tables, dance floors and an indoor waterfall.
The Sholls charged $8 a head for birthday parties, wedding receptions and other private parties booked through the church.
The couple first opened the mansion as a party house in 1979, but local officials said it violated fire and zoning codes and liquor laws.
Sholl argued the zoning codes were satisfied when he turned the mansion into a 'church' in the spring of 1981,and became the minister by paying the Universal Life Church in Modesto, Calif., $30 for a mail-order ordination.
A 1981 court order limited the parties to no more than 50 people. Sholl said extensive remodeling satisfied the fire code requirements and a policy that hosts bring their own liquor skirted liquor laws.
Sholl told the Chicago Tribune those who attended 'find joy and enjoy other people' at church parties.
'How is any church a scam?' Sholl asked. 'Has anybody seen God? The Universal Life Church celebrates life. We figure that goes with what we're doing here.'
Sholl's neighbors became increasingly vocal in their opposition to the church in recent months.
'We've had many complaints from people in the area,' said Lake County sheriff's Detective Fred Heidecke. 'Numerous accidents, disorderly subjects, intoxicated subjects, subjects unconscious on the lawn -- things like that.'
