Two quotes that appear on Church web site

"Be shepherds of God's flock that are under your care, serving as overseers, not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money"

Not greedy for money?? That seems like a contradiction to what's going on here.

"When we must make decisions necessary for the direction of the church's journey with God, we do so with consideration for the views of others"

With consideration for the views of others?? That's an absolutely comical statement. There was absolutely no consideration of others, absolutely no outreach to anyone in the community, absolutely no attempt to answer any letters or e-mails from anyone. This has been a secretive process from day one.

Here's a quote from an article about a church leader taking his neighbors into consideration: "I am the treasurer of a small church, and appreciate how welcome extra income would be. But we strive to abide by the Golden Rule and would never, for silver or other payment, do something detrimental to our neighbors like contracting for a 6-story cell tower."

This church leader wouldn't even consider a 6-story cell tower. I wonder what he would say to a 13-story cell tower.

Not that anyone ever has the courtesy to respond, but their e-mail is Office@MonmouthChurch.org.

Money Changes Everything

Wow, here's a snippet from an article. No wonder why Monmouth Church of Christ is "celling out" their neighborhood and the safety of children if they're getting anywhere near this kind of money (although we don't know because they have refused to testify to the specific amount)

"T-Mobile will pay all expenses for the stealth tower to be installed at the north station. The North Bellmore Fire District will also receive rent from T-Mobile. Gibbons said that the rent from the new tower would likely be near $140,000 annually."

How about the houses that are within 110 feet of this monstrosity they want to build, any chance that the Church will share some of that money with the residents whose home values and quality of life are destroyed? How about the nursery school next door to the Church, any chance the Church will compensate them for their probable decreased enrollment, as what parent would send a preschooler to play on a playground with a cell tower hovering over it?

The Church leaders and parishioners will come by to worship Sunday mornings for an hour and go home and yet collect all this money. The residents will live under this monstrosity and its radiation emissions 24/7. Where's the fairness?

We welcome any response from the Church, just click on the comment button below.

Another interesting article

T-Mobile’s Big Lie
The Company that Claims to Love Kids Wants to Give them Cell Phone Tower Health Risks, Too
By David Steinman
All over television land, mobile cell phone company T-Mobile is running its kids are free ads. Join the T-Mobile network and your kids get free service. Why? Because T-Mobile just absolutely adores your kids, or so the new company line goes.
But, in fact, T-Mobile is playing fast and loose with kids’ health when it comes to “planting” microwave cell phone towers—especially as the company, shall we say, has a penchant for setting up their eyesores by elementary schools and parks, despite accumulating evidence that cell phone towers are linked with reproductive effects on the developing fetus. The big question is this: Is there a T-Mobile cell phone tower coming to your neighborhood next? Your local park? The answer could very well be yes, since regulating cell phone towers locally is a whole new frontier with plenty of federal intervention potentially limiting what local communities can do. Be fearful. Very fearful.

Letter from a Greenbriar Falls resident to Monmouth Church of Christ

Minister Rix, Mark Ciliento, Ashok Bruno,

Last week your outdoor bulletin board read "Together in Christ" in both English and Spanish. This is a lovely thought since it creates the impression that Monmouth Church of Christ fosters unity and peace. However, your current actions are placing you at odds with the concept of creating unity and peace. Your action of permitting T-Mobile to erect a 120-foot cell tower on your property does not foster unity, but instead is causing severe distress to your neighbors.

We all are experiencing difficult economic times. Your cell tower decision will further economic distress in this neighborhood by lowering the property values not just of the adjacent homes, but of those within the sight of the proposed tower.

The Elders' decision to provide a home for such an offensive sight is inconsistent with fostering community unity. We nearby residents perceive your actions as a "sell-out" of your own community and neighborhood for profit.

We hope that you reconsider your divisive actions and instead work towards reconciliation with your community.

Opinion piece published in the Asbury Park Press

Cell Phone Towers Unwanted, Unneeded

Last week we received a letter informing us that T-Mobile is proposing to locate a 120-foot cell tower in the rear yard of the Monmouth Church of Christ on Hance Avenue in Tinton Falls.

Our house is next to that rear yard, and any cell phone tower will negatively affect us and our neighborhood.

Some of the families in this area have lived here for more than 30 years. Who will want to buy our houses when they turn onto our street and see a cell phone tower?

The church will benefit financially if this is approved, but at our expense. I'm all for private parties making money by agreeing to have these towers on their property - if that property isn't in a residential area.

With the need for increased broadband access, maybe more cell phone towers are needed. But not in our neighborhoods.

We want the quality of life we expect living here, which includes aesthetics. Residents in Fair Haven and Lincroft felt the same way when the cell companies tried to encroach on their neighborhoods.

When will these companies get the message? Leave our neighborhoods alone.

Pat Hensler
Tinton Falls