BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Whatcom County Council has decided to withhold federal COVID-19 funds from the Lighthouse Mission over its hiring practices.

The mission had requested $750,000 for its new facility from funding the county has yet to receive from the American Rescue Plan passed by congress in 2021.

Councilmember Carol Frazey introduced a motion at a meeting on Tuesday, May 9th, to deny the funding because of practices she says are discriminatory.

She related a conversation she had with mission director Hans Erchinger-Davis, in which she asked him whether he would hire a Christian minister who is in a same sex marriage.

“He said no, because of tradition sex ethics,” said Frazey. “So, it’s not just that you have to be Christian. The Lighthouse Ministries discriminates against the LGBTQ community.”

Councilmember Kathy Kershner said she understands that some have concerns about the mission’s hiring practices but points to the good it does for the community.

“Sometimes it feels like we’re cutting off our nose to spite our face,” said Kershner. “We’re going to stand for one thing but at the same time we’re going to lose a whole lot.”

She ended up abstaining from a vote on the motion, which passed 4-1.

Mission Director Hans Erchinger-Davis tells KGMI that the mission does hire people based on its Christian principles.

“We ask our staff to sign our statement of faith and to abide by basic traditional Christian tenants of faith. Some of those tenants relate to sex ethics,” said Erchinger-Davis. “And for sex ethics, I mean around marriage and whatnot.”

He says they have taken on LGBTQ staff, but only if they pledge to live by those “sex ethics” and abstain from same sex activity.

But he says they serve anyone.

“All groups, all minorities that come in our doors, we train our staff along those lines of how to engage people,” said Erchinger-Davis. “Which also include the LGBT community.”

He calls the council’s action disappointing but says loss of the funds will not hold up construction of the new facility on Holly Street.

Listen to the full interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis on our Podcast page.