Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA - Religious Freedom Bolstered in Irwin

April 15, 2008
By Patti Dobranski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The National Day of Prayer on May 1 will herald a landmark moment in Irwin when a church from outside the borough becomes the first religious group permitted to worship openly at one of the community parks.

Irwin council voted last week to allow Suburban Community Church, located on Arona Road, east of the borough, to use one of the parks after the American Center for Law & Justice threatened litigation for violating the congregation's First Amendment right to access the borough's public parks, which are traditionally public places for expressing religious beliefs.

"Our clients are excited and pleased that police will not come and tell them they are engaging in an allegedly illegal event," said Kristina J. Wenberg, associate counsel for the American Center for Law & Justice, a Washington-based agency dedicated to the education and protection of constitutional rights to express religious beliefs.

Suburban Community Church Pastor Paul Baer said about 200 members of the Irwin Ministerium are expected to attend the observance.

The minister said that while the church has a constitutional right to worship in a public forum, he sees the resolution as a step toward healing and nurturing the community.

"They were misguided, and they were challenged. But I'm pleased they had a change of heart. We are extremely grateful that all of our community parks are available. We pray for the community leaders because they do a job that is difficult," he said.

Last summer, the borough denied permission for a church group to conduct an overnight camp at Irwin Park. At that time, Solicitor Todd Turin said the borough did not restrict religious groups, but denied that group access because they sent a letter asking the borough to "sanction their actions," which they would not do.

Wenberg said the borough's initial oral refusal to permit Suburban Community Church to use the park this year was so ambiguous that she sent Solicitor Alan Berk a "demand letter" to protect the church from being driven out of the park the day of the event.

The attorney said the church was told it could not "reserve" the parks for the church's activity.

"I was very surprised to receive the response from the borough," Wenberg said. "There was no discussed regulations or anything specific. It just said the church's request could not be approved and that the borough 'has never granted permission to any organization to use the borough's property, and the borough's parks and playgrounds have been exclusively reserved for sports, recreation and entertainment activities to be enjoyed by the community generally.' "

Last week, Councilwoman Danyce Neal stated at the regular board meeting that Berk directed the board to only permit recreational events at the parks.

"We got a letter from an Irwin resident that was addressed to me," Neal said. "It was a rebuttal about not allowing religious groups, based on our policy to normally reserve parks for recreation. You (Berk) said 'no'; we can't do it."

Berk said he never precluded religious groups from using the parks.

Neal countered, "You said 'no.' It's on tape."

Council then recessed to an hourlong executive session and subsequently voted unanimously to allow the church to use one of the parks with hours determined by the borough.

The church's plans for the observance include an honor guard by the North Huntingdon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 781, a precision team by the Knights of Columbus, two vocalists, and prayer by various community pastors and individuals.