City fines church $1,000 per dayโfor having a homeless shelter.
Served first citation soon as they opened doors to feed the hungry.
Church refuses to turn people awayโnow suing the city.
"We will file for federal protection so that our rights to live our faith are protected," said Rev. Jill Williams.
She added that the church believes its work is also protected under the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
City administrators had already made the church close its outside shelter where they allowed the homeless to sleep in tents on church property.
Now say the church is violating zoning issues for moving inside the building.
St. Paulโs By-the-Sea Episcopal Church is located in Ocean City, Maryland.