Press Release Out For Tomorrow

Here's the press release that has been sent out ahead of tomorrow night's Press Conference at Brookhaven Town Hall and the Town Board meeting that follows.

Our attorneys have advised forming a separate corporation - Brookhaven Coalition For Religious Freedom. Speaking as its President, our church will be protected from any repercussions from what I say.



To: Assignment Editor
From: Brookhaven Coalition for Religious Freedom
Contact: Pastor Roger Blackmore, (Tel. - 696-5682)
Pastor Stephen Willoughby, (Tel.- 447-5782)
Richard Johannesen, Esq., (Tel. - 821-6234)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2005

Brookhaven Coalition for Religious Freedom seeks amendment to Brookhaven law to exclude places of worship

On Tuesday October 18, 2005 at 5:45 p.m., the newly formed Brookhaven Coalition for Religious Freedom will hold a press conference on the steps of Brookhaven Town Hall, located in Farmingville, New York.

Roger Blackmore, President of the newly formed Brookhaven Coalition for Religious Freedom and Pastor of Grace Ministries said:
“ On September 20, 2005, the Brookhaven Town Board passed a local law that limits the size of buildings in residential zones to 15,000 square feet. Unfortunately the Town failed to exclude churches from the local law. Our coalition will appear before the Town Board on Tuesday to request that they remedy their error and amend the local law to exclude churches and similar places of worship.”

Coalition member and Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Patchogue, Stephen Willoughby, said: “some people may ask why are we here tonight before the Brookhaven Town Board rather than feeding the hungry and ministering to the homeless. We are here because the local law will limit the size of our churches and therefore limit our ability to do what we are called to do.” Pastor Willoughby continued “By the words and example of the Apostle Paul, we are called to pray for those who rule us and appeal to them not to interfere with our goal of reaching out with the gospel (1 Timothy 2, 1-4).”

Richard Johannesen, Esq., co-counsel to the coalition with attorneys Kenneth Auerbach and Steven LoSquadro said “ The local law is a clear violation of federal law and the U.S. Constitution. I believe the Town Board’s failure to exclude churches from the local law was an oversight. My co-counsel and I offer our services, pro-bono, to the town to assist in amending the local law and resolve the oversight.”