Wal-Mart Suing Church

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is suing a Riverside church that set up tables to seek donations in front of its stores, saying the church has failed to abide by the discount chain’s policies.

Since January, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart has filed 10 suits in several counties against the 1,000-member Missionary Church of the Disciples of Jesus Christ, seeking to keep church members away from its doors. The cases were consolidated and will be heard soon in San Bernardino County Superior Court.

The church gathers about $15,000 a month in donations for food, clothing and other aid for the poor, said Louis Zepeda, a volunteer missionary with the Covina-based church.

Wal-Mart representatives say the retail chain is only trying to enforce its policies for solicitors. The guidelines include signing store forms that detail how the groups collect money and where members will stand or set up tables.