CELEBRATION CHURCH

For months, Celebration Church has been in the midst of a bitter and public battle with its former pastors, and on Tuesday, a defamation suit filed against the church found its way in front of a judge.

The former pastors of Celebration Church accused the church of “taking a cult-like position” on an issue of their church membership in their latest court filing. The pastors also accuse the church of violating their rights to religious freedom.

The pastor who founded one of Jacksonville’s largest churches and resigned amid a bitter legal battle has announced his future ministry plans.

Newly filed court documents show Stovall and Kerri Weems want the court to dismiss an eviction notice they’ve been served by Celebration Church -- the church they founded in Jacksonville in 1998 and grew into one of the largest in the city.

Celebration Church filed an eviction complaint against its founding pastors, Stovall and Kerri Weems, in a move to get the couple out of a home the church owns on the Nassau River.

Celebration Church filed an eviction complaint against its founding pastors, Stovall and Kerri Weems, in a move to get the couple out of a home the church owns on the Nassau River.

The ongoing legal battle between one of the largest churches in Jacksonville and its founding pastor took another turn Tuesday.

The former pastors of Celebration Church owe more than $716,000, according to a lawsuit filed by First Citizens Bank.

The News4JAX I-TEAM is digging deeper into claims made against Stovall Weems, the founding pastor of Celebration Church.

The founding pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, announced Monday he’s resigned from his positions amid a legal battle with the church’s trustees.

The senior pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, took a moment during Sunday morning service to address a legal dispute between the church and its founding pastors.

A spokesperson for the founding pastors of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, says the couple did not misuse government PPP money as the church alleges in a court filing.

The founders of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, are in a legal dispute with the church that involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud.

Thousands are expected to show up Tuesday evening when the family of Tristyn Bailey holds a celebration of life for the 13-year-old who was killed last week in her St. Johns County neighborhood.

A drive-thru site in Jacksonville is offering vaccinations with no appointment necessary, and you don’t even need to get out of your car.

Celebration Church on the Southside of Jacksonville is a new vaccine site. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two new coronavirus vaccine sites opened in Jacksonville on Wednesday. According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the sites are located at The Legends Center in Northwest Jacksonville and at Celebration Church on the Southside. The site at the Legends Center will be open seven days a week while the church site is only closed on Sunday. The Legends Center site, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will also offer COVID-19 testing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Celebration Church welcomed its members back to the building on Sunday morning for its first in-person service in more than five months. March 7 was the last service before the church shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. We have to rethink the way we do everything.Celebration Church welcomed the congregation back on Sunday morning. Celebration Church is asking its members to wash their hands, socially distance themselves from others and not touch their faces. Celebration Church members entered the building on Sunday morning.

However, many churches in Northeast Florida told News4Jax they will not open their churches. Instead, they will stream Easter service online. At University Church, lead Pastor Frank Ciresi, said they will also stream Easter Service online. In addition to streaming Easter service, other churches are bringing people together at a safe social distance. Their drive-in Easter service will be held on Sunday at 10:15 a.m. in the Northeast Florida Fair parking lot to accommodate hundreds of worshipers.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We know many of you haven't been able to attend church in person in a few weeks. Celebration Church will be sharing their Resurrection Sunday service with us, and it will air at 9 a.m. on Channel 4. Celebration is a local church with a main campus in Jacksonville, and several other campuses in surrounding areas. The church said if you'd like to join in communion, just grab crackers and juice -- or whatever you have on hand. We hope you’ll join us this Sunday, and we can all feel a little closer as a community, despite having to stay apart.