Too bad they only got information from Mr Ireland and his hired spokesperson - PR hack. A good Journalist would have tried to cover both sides of the story by talking to some residents here in RT.
Keeping the faith: Christ Church faces latest challenges Thursday, January 26, 2006
By CHRIS SAGONA of The Montclair Times
Fifty administrative employees of Christ Church are commuting to Rockaway these days, to offices built on the 101-acre property purchased by the church for $10.2 million last August. Church members may also be driving to Rockaway for Sunday services, if their proposal to build a church, classrooms and campus at 140 Green Pond Road is approved by the Rockaway Township Zoning Board.
If the plans are approved and the facility is, in fact, built, then what will happen to the Christ Church building in Montclair?
“We intend to keep it,” said the Rev. David Ireland. “… If the finances are tight, then we will sell it. We would have a satellite service there. Live worship leaders, and one of the pastors will help facilitate the service, and we will pipe it in electronically from Rockaway.”
Church spokesman Marc Weinstein said that most of the church’s 5,000 members intend to follow Ireland to the church’s proposed Rockaway Township facility, despite the distance. He noted many members do not live in Montclair proper so actual travel time to the new facility for members is difficult to estimate.
The church alleges that efforts to win approval for redeveloping the property have met resistance from Rockaway officials, and last April the church filed a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination.
Weinstein claimed the township has come up with a series of objections including questioning an already granted state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) exemption and an inquiry into noise regulations. The church is awaiting word from the DEP, which is taking a second look at the church’s request for an exemption from the Highlands Protection Act.
In question is whether or not the church provided all information necessary for the decision, said Weinstein, noting that even with an exemption, the church has every intention of being environmentally conscientious.
The Highlands Protection Act is a law, signed in August 2004, preserving open space and protecting natural resources such as drinking water, which is supplied from the Highlands region to more than half of New Jersey’s resi-dents. The law establishes boundaries and creates a council to develop a master plan for the entire Highlands area, which also contains many sites of historic importance, provides recreational opportunities and has 110,000 acres being used agriculturally.
DEP spokesperson Elaine Hershey said, “Christ Church submitted an application to request an exemption as they are permitted to do and as other entities do and are fully entitled to. There was a comment period, but it has passed. However, if there were other comments, we would review them. Nothing has changed.”
Most recently, in a letter from Rockaway Township consultant Matthew Murello to the DEP, Murello requested clarification as to whether DEP noise regulations would apply to churches in the township.
Weinstein said church consultant Edward Potenta testified before the Rockaway Planning Board last week, noting that noise from Sunday services would be well within standards. Hershey said the church properties are not subject to DEP noise regulations and said the DEP has no plans on ruling otherwise. However, she said the DEP’s stance did not rule out the township’s option of creating local noise ordinances, which would be applicable to vehicles in church parking lots.
“They could do that,” said Weinstein. “But they would have to enforce it for all church parking lots. Otherwise it would just be singling out Christ Church for violations. And I don’t know if they are willing to do that, and if they would have the manpower to enforce regulations in every church parking lot.”
Asked whether the fact that Christ Church has a predominantly African-American membership plays a role in the Rockaway Township’s alleged resistance, Weinstein, a senior vice president with Spring O’Brien, a New York-based public relations firm, said he had no comment.
“It’s hard to put one’s finger on it,” said Ireland. “But we have received e-mails, phone calls from various parts indicating how we should stay in ‘Newark.’ It’s not all racial, though. I’d say it’s prejudice against a church, as a tax-exempt entity. Most communities don’t want to lose a ratable. Then there are other legitimate concerns such as engineering and traffic. But it’s all a moot point because anything we do will have to pass all of the DEP regulations and standards.
“A church does not manufacture anything except praise.”
Ireland said that if there is prejudice inherent in the church moving to the area, then it is perhaps in part due to Northern misconceptions about mega-churches.
“I think … that the large church has been misunderstood in the Northeast because it is so rare,” said Ireland. “But the large church, or mega-church, functions like any other. The only difference is the number of people.”
Ireland said Rockaway residents might be surprised to know that 20 percent of the congregation and 30 percent of the staff is Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian. And we do a lot of philanthropic work in the community as well as in the state and overseas. We know who we are, we are not afraid of the detractors.”
“I’m glad they [objectors] don’t represent the entire community of Rockaway,” said Ireland. “[The majority] may be timid about vocalizing their opinion.”
The next Rockaway Planning Board meeting will be held in the municipal building on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m.
Contact Chris Sagona at Sagona@montclairtimes.com.
