Noisy church giving us hell

Dear Pastor,  

I hope things are well with you and your family. I am messaging you on behalf of the citizens of a district in St James. 

For at least 15 years, our community has been tormented by a certain church. We don’t know its name as the members don’t display a sign board. This church operates its music system very loud. Even if you are in another community, you can hear the shouting and screaming from this church. It operates at any hour of the day or night and the members are extremely loud.

This church is a Sabbath church, but as early as the sun rises on a Sunday morning, members are out there with the noise until the following day, sometimes for two weeks non-stop. It is day and night as if they operate on shifts.  

Pastor, our sick and elderly are unable to sleep, our children are unable to sit in their yards and study, and we are unable to have recreational time in our own yards. Sometimes some of us work from home and even when we decide to lock our doors and windows, it’s as if they are trying to tear down the walls to our houses with the noise. We have to be wearing headphones in our own houses in order to not hear them. 

Pastor, residents of the community have been begging and pleading with the pastor/prophet and other leaders of this church and they still don’t have any mercy on us. They curse us over the microphone whenever we complain to them about the noise and call us sinners, demons and that when God’s people are working, we don’t deserve any rest. 

This church lock its doors on community members, kick out community members, import hostile strangers into our community and these strangers come, adopt the hostile attitude towards community members and the cycle continues.  

Pastor, we have spoken to the police from constable to superintendent. We have spoken to the parish council from municipal police to the head of the parish council. We have spoken with the Community Development Committee and all other governing authorities to assist us with this church and it only gets worse after every complaint. They have people who call them when the police are coming so they turn down or shut off and when the police are gone, they start again.  

Pastor, if you are a member of this church, they separate you from your family members unless that family member is also of this church. They confiscate the community football field and prevent us from using it with all sorts of threats including obeah.  

Whenever this church, as a body, is using a public space in the community, they try to prevent us from using that space until they are finished because “we are not a part of their flock” according to them. They block the road to the community water pipe, they block farmers and prevent us from accessing our farms.  

Pastor, there is so much I could say about this church but one column isn’t enough for the almost two decades of torment that we face from this church. We are tired and we really need help as the citizens are now planning to take up arms against this church because the authorities don’t seem to be effective in this situation.  

We have video evidence of this church in action and residents are willing to speak to you if possible. We are seeking assistance from all churches and pastors across Jamaica. All we are asking is for this church to be a part of the community and stop being hostile to us.  

Please help us. Thank you.  

Citizen  

Dear Citizen, 

You have described this group of people as a church, but have you considered that this organisation may not be one. But is it operating under a disguise? 

It might be a cult. I wish to be very careful about what I say, but a church considers the welfare of others. According to what your letter says, for this organisation, the welfare of the people in the community is not considered at all. 

How could a church exist and not be willing to listen to the members of the community? It seems as if this is not a normal community church. A church is a group of people who have organised themselves after they have embraced Christ as their Saviour and Lord. A true church is not expected to disturb the community day and night.  

I hope that some attention from government agencies might come to the rescue of the people who live in the community. I can assure you that we will be praying for the people of your community. 

Pastor