New Church 32nd & Clinton

[Classof67]

They have services on Sunday that end at 12:30, but the members hang around outside on the sidewalk til at least 2pm,
Wednesday evening they start arriving at 5:30pm for 7pm -8:30pm services and don't leave the area til at least 9:30pm, congregating on the steps and sidewalk, actually yelling, whistling,kids screaming and running amok. 
Friday, is a replay of Wednesday. 
Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm-9pm a group, 20-30 people, uses the building for music practice.
They do have the front doors closed, but, they think they are rock stars and blast the music and it can be heard on the street.

Sounds like a church to me.

[Peridot 16]

I have showed backbone and call the police when the noise is ridiculous. I hate to say it, but because of 1st Amendment rights, the police are slow to react. I have called the police on the last 3 Wednesdays, telling the dispatcher, all I want is a squad car to drive by and document the noise level. According to the mayor 8:30-10pm is not that late, and members leaving the church will congregate. He has no idea what the volume is when 40+ people and there screaming kids are out on the steps and sidewalk. Of course, it doesn't help when a suck up neighbor(a friend of Bobby) tells the mayor when he & his wife walk there dog at 10PM everything is quiet. Funny thing, I have yet to see them walking the dog, as I like to sit on my porch and enjoy the cool evenings.
So this is why I say, I'm ready to book.

[Peridot 16]

They have services on Sunday that end at 12:30, but the members hang around outside on the sidewalk til at least 2pm,
Wednesday evening they start arriving at 5:30pm for 7pm -8:30pm services and don't leave the area til at least 9:30pm, congregating on the steps and sidewalk, actually yelling, whistling,kids screaming and running amok. 
Friday, is a replay of Wednesday. 
Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm-9pm a group, 20-30 people, uses the building for music practice.
They do have the front doors closed, but, they think they are rock stars and blast the music and it can be heard on the street.

Sounds like a church to me.

[Peridot 16]

Class of 67
Sounds like a church to you? Just stroll by on a Wednesday, especially after 9PM.
I can walk or drive by any other church in Berwyn, and there is no activity.

[OakParkSpartan]

Do you (or a friend) have a video camera Peridot?  Grab some footage, upload it to YouTube, and let people see exactly what is going on.  Let people judge for themselves.

[Beans]

Sounds like a church to you? Just stroll by on a Wednesday, especially after 9PM.
I can walk or drive by any other church in Berwyn, and there is no activity.

Bravo!!!

What Peridot 16 said...

That's what I'm talkin' about!

...and what about the rehabbing of ex-cons in our neighborhood!?! No one asked me or anyone else that I know of, if that would be o.k....obviously someone thought it'd be o.k. to plant this crap in a peaceful (past tense) neighborhood.

The risk factor has increased.

[Bonster]

A few disgruntled neighbors, YES, but the rest are just waiting for an upturn in the economy, waiting to put there homes fo sale, and when this happens, this area will be the "new north Berwyn".

I live in North Berwyn and it sounds a helluva lot better than what you guys are going through NOW:

I am fully surrounded - sex offender on the south, problem teens on the west, seriel thief on the east, and now the new questionable non-residents to the north. And there is absolutely nothing to do about it except shut the windows and stay inside.

Not my idea of a good environment for the kiddies and it actually is pretty stressful

So that's South Berwyn?  Beauuuuuuutiful!

[Bonster]

They have services on Sunday that end at 12:30, but the members hang around outside on the sidewalk til at least 2pm,
Wednesday evening they start arriving at 5:30pm for 7pm -8:30pm services and don't leave the area til at least 9:30pm, congregating on the steps and sidewalk, actually yelling, whistling,kids screaming and running amok.  
Friday, is a replay of Wednesday.  
Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm-9pm a group, 20-30 people, uses the building for music practice.
They do have the front doors closed, but, they think they are rock stars and blast the music and it can be heard on the street.

Sounds like a church to me.

Can't blame Class for that one - that description did sound like any other church!  Though most Catholic churches host choir practice as opposed to rock music.  I'd rather the rock music.   I'll have to check it out at night.  Do the hoodlums walk around the neighborhood?

[Bonster]

Of course, it doesn't help when a suck up neighbor(a friend of Bobby) tells the mayor when he & his wife walk there dog at 10PM everything is quiet.

So they are OK with it?  Or do they lie about it to suck up to Bobby?  

But, wait............

how do you know this hasn't already been discussed with the Mayor and the PD ?

I know for a FACT that this is being taken care of by the mayor and BPD.


Why did the mayor and BPD have to do the 3rd ward's aldermans job?

nevermind...this will soon be a non-issue.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

A few disgruntled neighbors, YES, but the rest are just waiting for an upturn in the economy, waiting to put there homes fo sale, and when this happens, this area will be the "new north Berwyn".

I live in North Berwyn and it sounds a helluva lot better than what you guys are going through NOW:

I am fully surrounded - sex offender on the south, problem teens on the west, seriel thief on the east, and now the new questionable non-residents to the north. And there is absolutely nothing to do about it except shut the windows and stay inside.

Not my idea of a good environment for the kiddies and it actually is pretty stressful

So that's South Berwyn?  Beauuuuuuutiful!

While most of the Depot District is still pretty nice you do occasionally get a block that has problems (unfortunately for Vic it seems she lives on one).  It's pretty unfortunate this new "church" is causing problems for the neighbors.  Don't they have a fellowship hall in the building where the members can congregate after church?  Most churches do.   

[Scouts Honor]

There is a huge hall in the basement of that church,
bigger than St. Leonards.

[billyjean]

@Vic.  We all have sex offenders that live around us.  Go to the sex offender registry and look Berwyn up.  We are loaded with sex offenders.  But so is every other town.  Many of us have problem teens that live around us, as well as troublemaker grade school kids.  As far as serial thief, I would think that if there was proof then police should have been contacted regarding any incidents.  As far as the Church, it's a Church.  I have passed by many a church and heard a chorus and its attendees singing to high "heaven".  It's expected.  When weddings are held, people hang around the church for hours, take pictures, act boisterous, laughing and talking loudly, and otherwise, celebrating the union between a man and a woman.  Heh.  Those that live on Wisconsin across from the Park get the noise from the Park, in addition to the goings on at Lalos, although complaints seem to have subsided, or maybe ppl just gave up.  There was a time about 10 years ago we had a problem with over 30 grade school kids congregating all in one spot by me.  It was horrible.  Just had to have police come shoo them away when you couldn't stand it one more minute.  Trains are too loud, people are too loud, kids are too loud, music too loud.  I love peace and quiet like the next guy but to expect tranquility at every moment is asking too much.  Right now I hear the sounds of construction on a daily basis for over a month now.  Neighbor is doing some big project.  I have no problem with it because they are trying to accomplish something for their home.  When it's done, it's done.  Then all will be happy.  People who want total QUIET, should try living out a ways.  Believe me, if you are a true neighborhood person, after awhile you wish you could hear something ... anything.  Had a friend over to watch a movie and at the exact point of putting in the DVD, neighbors who had someone over with a baby came out.  That baby screamed and cried for literally 2 hours.  We couldn't believe it.  Must have been teething or had colic or something, although friend pointed out they were doing nothing to console the poor kid.  Did it stop us from watching the movie ... well, it would have been good if the baby would have stopped, but it didn't so that was the backdrop through the entire movie.  Thankfully, it was an action movie, so it just became part of the chaos.  Police are there, use em.  When something is too loud, or you just can't take it anymore, call them.  

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

There is a huge hall in the basement of that church,
bigger than St. Leonards.

Welll then maybe someone from the city can have a friendly sitdown with the leaders of the church and ask that they perhaps ask their parishioners to congregate after services in their fellowship hall if they want to be considered good neighbors on their block.  They can still have their get together after services and the neighbors can have some peace and quiet and a sense of their neighborhood back on those days.  That would be a win-win solution I think.

[Classof67]

You know what, winter's right around the corner and I bet "fellowship" will start to drop off as soon as
the temperature goes south and for those that are committed, they will be indoors.

Give it some time.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Class is right, winter is just around the corner, but before ya know
it spring is here again!
My theory, watch what's going on and nip it in the bud!
I'd be curious to see if any kind of crime is increased in that particular area.

[Puttintange]

why not attend a service and see what the fuss is all about. Maybe you'd be surprised.

[Bonster]

You know what, winter's right around the corner and I bet "fellowship" will start to drop off as soon as
the temperature goes south and for those that are committed, they will be indoors.

Give it some time.

Saved By Zero?

[Bonster]

Many of us have problem teens that live around us, as well as troublemaker grade school kids.  As far as serial thief, I would think that if there was proof then police should have been contacted regarding any incidents. 

Police are there, use em.

bj:  Previous posts of hers spoke about a particular household of teens for the which police have been unable to serve them.  Regarding the sex offenders, I agree.  Check out the sex offender registry...Berwyn is LOADED with them...more than anywhere else but Cicero, Aurora, and Elgin...and I'm not even on that list!

[Peridot 16]

why not attend a service and see what the fuss is all about. Maybe you'd be surprised.

I did attend a Sunday & Wednesday service. I'm not sure what you mean by surprised.
The services are in Spanish(no problem for me, I speak it). Personally, I think this Mr. Castro, assumed this area is mainly Hispanic, (his former building at 2809 W. 59th St. Chicago is listed as Victory Outreach-Hispanic). After the Sunday service, I was surprised at many people commenting that there were so many weddos (white people) in the area.  I am part Mexican, and truthfully, I was saddened at the comments made about the residents in this area.
Also, you need to be aware this is an Outreach, that many members are ex-cons and supposedly reformed drug addicts and gang-bangers. Yes, there are many families that attend, and hopefully adhere to the guidelines of this church, but, when I read about a church that was founded 30+ years ago by some heroin addict found in a sleazy motel room with a needle in his arm and is now worth millions, I just can't help but think he and his ministers are profiting on the downtrodden.

[buzz]

Sounds like a church to me.

Can't blame Class for that one - that description did sound like any other church! 
[/quote]
No, she can hear it !  She can actually hear it.  Just like she can see Berwyn from her front porch.