Published: June 24, 2008 11:10 pm            

Noisy feud between church, neighbor rocks quiet community

EBENSBURG — The quiet village of Revloc, Pa., is being startled by a noise battle between the newest church with its often loud contemporary services and a neighbor who cranks up his rock ’n’ roll in response.

The feud landed before the Cambria Township supervisors at their meeting Monday, as members of Believers Fellowship Church said they are being harassed.

Township Solicitor Dennis Govachini said the congregation could file a charge of harassment against its neighbor.

“We’ve done everything we can to love our neighbor,” Pastor Brian Tunstall said. “But he brings his big speakers outside and turns them our way and plays hard rock.

“It makes it very hard when it’s in the midst of someone trying to get in touch with God,” he said.

The neighbor, Joseph Vermeulin, and another resident have been circulating a petition to limit the church’s hours of service. Vermeulin said he has collected 21 names.

He did not attend the meeting but said Tuesday in a telephone interview that there is screaming and loud music in the church four times a week until 10 p.m. or midnight.

“Many times the noise would wake my daughter up," he said. "I can’t sit outside and have a conversation or watch TV. I don’t make plans to do anything at my house anymore."

Revloc, a small coal-mining town, has four churches within blocks of each other.

The former Roman Catholic church, across from the post office and next to the fire hall, was closed and later sold several years ago.

Believers Fellowship took over the church building, and Vermeulin moved into the parsonage.

“We’ve been there for six years, and the police have been there two times,” Tunstall said. “We’re a contemporary church, and we minister to the younger generation. We use drums, music - and 80 to 100 people can be found at our services.”

About a dozen parishioners came to Monday’s supervisors’ meeting with the pastor, and several spoke in support of the church and its unconventional services.

Church on Sunday is from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Wednesday night services end at about 9:30, they said. Prayer meetings are held and other groups also gatrher at the church.

Vermeulin said the noise sometimes lasts until midnight and often includes screaming.

The noise battle escalated about three weeks ago, when the temperatures reached the high 90s and the church’s windows were open.

“We had about 120 people there, and then his music started,” Tunstall said. “The police came, and he told them it was intentional. Are we breaking any ordinance?”

Congregation member Dennis Stock, who identified himself as a former police officer, said he heard music by the hard-rock group AC/DC.

“He kept cranking it up," Stock said. "It was a clear case of harassment, and it really disrupted the service.”

Vermeulin said he has tried talking to the pastor, but the noise has been an ongoing problem.

“I’m not against religion, but I don’t think I should have to subject my daughter to this behavior," he said, "and it’s not fair to the people of Revloc.”

Supervisors said that while there is not a separate noise ordinance, the zoning code limits noise to about the level of a lawnmower.

        

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