Church's Plan for Services at Uptown Hits Snag

AN UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK might hamper efforts by the McLean Bible Church to set up Sunday worship services at the Uptown theater in Cleveland Park: D.C. zoning officials say the church must get special permission to operate inside the theater.

It's a development that's heartened opponents of the church's plan, who say they're concerned bringing the church to the Uptown could change the nature of the theater — even though the movie house's owner says the services won't interfere with the schedule of film showings, The Post's Jacqueline L. Salmon reports:

"It's the devil we know; it's the devil we love," said George Idelson, president of the Cleveland Park Citizens Association. "We would like it to keep running movies.... That's what it's there for, and that's what we like about it."

D.C. zoning laws allow churches to operate almost anywhere inside the city, Salmon reports, except in designated commercial zones, such as the one that surrounds the Uptown. There, the church needs its own certificate of occupancy.

The issue hasn't cropped up recently on the Cleveland Park Yahoo! group, but in July, residents engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth over the church's proposal. Among their concerns were parking, traffic and the mission of the church, which is linked to the controversial messianic group Jews for Jesus. Here are some snippets:

» From a July 21 post by Sarah Despres: "I am concerned that there is a sentiment expressed by a few that we should be allowed to set boundaries about who can or cannot come to our neighborhood for a lawful purpose. I am a secularist. I have no interest in having a mega-church in the neighborhood. I understand how a group whose mission it is to convert Jews to Christianity can offend. In fact, I find it troubling. But our streets are free, and somehow we all have to learn to live with that."

» From a July 21 post by Dennis Yedwab: "I am upset by the MBC Uptown campus and ... I will no longer attend any event at the Uptown. It's my simple protest at this decision that others will oppose, but for me, saving the Uptown in not worth the cost of inviting in the Jews for Jesus."

» From a July 19 post by Craig Albright: "Great news about MBC. Lon Solomon is a fantastic preacher. I look forward to going to services there."

» "Church's Plan to Worship At D.C. Theater Hits Snarl" [WaPo]
» Yahoo! Groups: Cleveland Park [Yahoo!]

Photo by Dennis Brack/The Washington Post

Posted By Greg Barber at 10:04 AM on October 25, 2007 Tagged in Cleveland Park , Free Ride , News , The District , Top Stories

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