If you’re going to worship Christ, we demand you do so quietly. That seems to be the message the liberal leaders of the City of Oakland sent to the West Oakland’s Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. To drive the message home, the church could be hit with a $3,500 nuisance fee and $500 fines daily unless they quiet down their choir practice. But the church isn’t going to quiet down – in fact, they’re considering taking their choir practice outside!
The church, which has stood for 65 years, has never received a noise complaint before.
“Kind of hard to believe because we’ve been here about 65 years in the community and all of a sudden we get some concerns about the noise,” said Thomas A Harris III, the pastor of Pleasant Grove.
According to the letter sent to the church from the city, Pleasant Grove’s choir practice was a public nuisance.
The congregation says it was never consulted before the letter was received. But in response, they have some fun plans with local churches – local pastors have started thinking about coordinating some outdoor services, so that everyone in the city could enjoy the good word and their joyful noise that much more.
“The music of the church reveals the life of the church, the enthusiasm of the church,” said Michael Wright, pastor at nearby Solid Rock Baptist Church.
In the meantime, Pleasant Grove has announced plans to continue it’s choir practice as normal next Thursday.
Here’s what some residents were saying about the fines –
#Oakland wouldn’t fine the nightclub that shook my windows at 4AM, but they fine a Black church for worshiping? Oy. https://t.co/Hgpv1LvKWi
— OK Council (@OKcouncil) October 15, 2015
I went to Pleasant Grove over on Adeline St when I was a kid. Damn shame…reporting a CHURCH for noise. SMH https://t.co/q14sh8tovm — DeMarcus Davis (@DeMarcusRFNET) October 15, 2015
It is their First Amendment right to worship however they please. Sing on brothers and sisters. Sing on!
Amen, Max! America is just sick!
Don’t let anyone stop you. It is your right to serve our Lord! If people don’t like it the they can leave this country and live with the people that doesn’t believe in God! God bless all of you.
Last I checked, ear plugs were quite inexpensive….Give em a try Lib’s !
Ain’t right !
Hang tight !!
God Bless
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalm 1009:1.2
Keep up the singing and praising the Lord just as he commanded us to do. How dare the city to stop or find the church for praising his name in song. The Lord deals with those that persecute his people.
Praise God that the church is still going to sing to the Lord. Racists is nothing to do with it. Satin is working hard to SHUT THE CHRISTIANS DOWN. ITS US AGAINST THEM, NON CHRISTIANS. Jesus say, I will protect you, if you come unto ME
GOD BLESS AMERICA. IN GOD WE TRUST. ITS ALL IN HIS PLAN. HE KNOWS THE END. WILL MEET YOU ALL IN HEAVEN. IN CHRIST NAME………AMEN
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. -Psalm 100
Choir song request: Please sing “He touched me” SO LOUD that maybe it will
touch the souls of those who are complaining…..
God bless all with the courage to stand up for religious freedom
if the noise bothers you move! The church has been there for over 65 years! Most people do their homework before moving into an area. They usually know what their neighbors are before moving in. They can’t expect the neighborhood to conform to them. Shame on the city for not seeing this for what it is. Harassment!
Roberta Bigge: You said it better than I would have. (and more politely)
Choir rehearsals are usually only an hour or two, & only 1 day a week. Yet bars & nightclubs are noisy up until the time they close, 7 days a week. Go after them first & leave the church alone. I want a front row seat, when the Lord goes after them. Keep singing & praising our Lord & King.
Perhaps the church members should go door to door and find out who needs prayer and pray with them if they are open to having prayer. And then sing in the practice and pray for their neighbors. And especially pray for the city council for the members there. And then sing in practice. And then go to those bars and offer a free concert in the establishments for those willing to listen. And see who responds to the objectional music offered from the night clubs till the wee hrs. Of the morning.
Thee Eternal Spirit is all around, I hope for the complainers that they find the national spirit
Of worshiping in a free country, especially when it lifts spirit’s to awesome strengths to cope
With liife’s troubles.
We do not seek the approval of man; we seek approval of God. Keep on singing, Brothers & Sisters!!
Amen! Sing on!
I’ll bet they wouldn’t quiet the blasphemous loudspeakers of the Moose-Lims, though!!
Take it the way it is or take it where the sun don’t shine
But the Muslim loudspeakers would NEVER be quieted, would they?
shout it out Yeshua is coming soon and very soon we are in God’s Arny stick together brothers and sisters
God bless you all AMEN!!!!!!!!!