City of Albany challenges church’s music ministry
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The Rev. Maurice Drown |
Sept. 7, 2006
By Sandra Brands*
ALBANY, NY (UMNS) — When the Rev. Maurice “Mick” Drown of Trinity
United Methodist Church stepped into a courtroom July 20, he was glad to find
that more than 50 people from the interfaith community had come to support him.
“We even had a person here from Beijing, China,” he said. “Her
parents were here visiting and they came.”
Those attending included the Rev. Jim Fenimore,
Albany District superintendent for the United Methodist Church. Drown said
the district
superintendent’s
presence was “very important, very significant.”
“It affirms the importance of connectionalism — that you don’t
stand alone, that by being in the United Methodist Church, you don’t
face an issue alone,” Drown said. “That gives you more confidence.”
Drown was in court after being cited by the Albany police for operating a
nightclub in the basement of the church without a permit and using the building
as a nightclub without an occupancy certificate. Since alcohol is never served
at the New Age Cabaret, the charge was changed to operating a non-alcoholic
dance club without a permit or occupancy certificate before the court date.
The ticket came after a few people in the neighborhood
of the church filed a complaint with the city about the noise and disruption
caused by the New
Age Cabaret, a ministry of the Artist’s All Faith Center.
A judge’s decision is expected by Oct. 10,
according to Drown.
Empowering kids
The force behind All Faith’s New Age Cabaret
is the Rev. Joyce Hartwell, and since moving to the area in 2000, she has
helped
youth plan more than 600
shows.
The idea behind the ministry is to provide people with the tools they need
to express spirituality through artistic expression. Over the years, the nondenominational
church has worked with recovering addicts and welfare mothers, teaching them
skills to help them find meaningful work and stay sober.
Before moving to the Albany area, Hartwell ran
a community center in Manhattan. “I
became a minister because I saw people who lost their heritage and their culture
and their religion. I didn’t want to tell people what to think; I just
wanted them to realize that they could find truth and understanding through
art, music, theater and literature.”
The New Age Cabaret is an outgrowth of that.
“I empower the kids to do their own shows,” she said. “I
train them, show them how to account for the ($10 door charge) they collect,
but I don’t do it for them. We provide a venue for all types of performance,
including music, and an opportunity for socialization in a drug-free environment.”
Worship experiences
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A UMNS photo courtesy of Trinity United Methodist Church The Artist's All Faith Center's New Age Cabaret was held at Trinity United Methodist Church.
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The
Artist's All Faith Center's New Age Cabaret, youth performances planned
by and for area youth, was held at Trinity United Methodist Church in
Albany, N.Y. Trinity's pastor, the Rev. Maurice Drown, has been charged
with operating a non-alcoholic dance club without a permit or occupancy
certificate after some neighbors of the church filed a complaint with
the city about the noise and disruption. A UMNS photo courtesy of
Trinity United Methodist Church. Photo #061029. Accompanies UMNS story
#528. 9/7/06 |
All Faith originally held the cabaret on Pearl Street in Albany, but last
fall, it lost its lease. The church entered into a facility-sharing contract
with Trinity United Methodist.
“To have Trinity say, ?Come here, let’s do it here’ ? that
was wonderful,” Hartwell said.
“These musical programs are (Hartwell’s) worship experiences,” Drown
said. “We spend $40,000 a year at this church for people to perform because
we do it Sunday morning. Is it different when we do it Wednesday or Thursday
evening? It’s people gathering and expressing the spirit inside them.
“It is a worthy, spiritual endeavor,” he said. “If
you get to know any of the kids, you would be encouraged. They are 14, 15
and 16.”
For some, he said, it’s a stretch to see
the religious component in the cabaret.
Police Chief James Tuffey was quoted in the Albany
Times Union as saying: “An
organ recital is a church event. This is not a church event.”
Fenimore disagrees. “I think it is very disturbing when city officials
or a court dictates what church music is and is not,” he said.
“These are wonderful kids,” Hartwell said. “The danger is
that they can’t wait to leave the capital region because they feel there’s
no place to go. They don’t like the bar scene. There’s no place
where the young people feel welcome. They want more artistic places where they
can talk and share. Their music is very much how they share their ideas and
concerns about the world.
“You must listen to them, you must give them a place (to gather),” she
said. “If there is a problem and a chance to help, at least you’re
communicating with them.”
Complaints of noise
When the news of the citation broke in the local
press, it sparked a flurry of letters to the editor and blogs commenting
on the
issue. Some were sharply
critical of the program, voicing complaints about noise, parking problems,
the offensiveness of some of the punk groups’ names or lyrics, and the
appearance of the youth — Goth and punk fashions, including tattoos,
spikes and studs, are common.
But many others have sent letters in support of the ministry, stating that
the outreach provides a safe place for youth to gather while bringing them
into a church environment.
Most of the youth who attend, Drown said, have
adopted a “straight-edge” lifestyle.
It “requires abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, drugs and casual sex,” he
said, “and it’s centered on personal development and well-being.”
While Drown agreed some of the lyrics may be controversial, he said the Cabaret
is a place where youth can discuss ideas and think critically about the messages
in the music.
The basic issue
Drown said he wasn’t certain what precipitated the complaint. “We
soundproofed the hall when someone claimed it was too loud. Then they complained
about kids congregating on the sidewalks, so we changed the entrance.” The
church’s efforts included meeting with neighbors at the Washington Park
Association.
For Drown, the issue goes beyond permits and occupancy
certificates. “The
issue is: does a church need to seek permission from a municipality in the
fulfillment of its mission?”
Attorneys representing the church and Drown filed a motion for dismissal on
the First Amendment rights that guarantee freedom of religion and assemblage
on July 27. On Aug. 3, the city responded by saying the citation was not about
constitutional issues, but about city code violations.
Aside from hosting the New Age Cabaret, Trinity United Methodist provides
office and classroom space for a day care, the New York State Nutrition Consortium,
the Albany Area offices of the United Methodist Church, and other faith and
nonprofit organizations.
Recently the director of Albany’s Division
of Building and Codes, Nicholas DiLello, issued a cease-and-desist order
to the church,
prohibiting advertising
office space availability for nonprofits and faith-based organizations.
The Cabaret case now awaits the judge’s decision to dismiss or support. “If
he supports, we’ll appeal,” Drown said.
*Brands is director of communications for the
United Methodist Church’s
Troy Annual Conference.
News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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