Neighbors complain about noisy tent church

NEW YORK, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Neighbors of a noisy New York City tent church say they have had enough.

The tent was set up in the Flatbush neighborhood by the Gospel Tabernacle Church and the congregation is holding spiritual revivals every night for the entirety of August to spread the word of God, WCBS-TV in New York reports.

Neighbors complain the religious fervor is so loud, they can't sleep.

"Even with the windows closed, AC running, TV blasting, I feel like I'm sitting in the middle of the revival," said Stacie Williams, who lives nearby.

Janee Harvey concurred, "My son, who is 4 years old, says at night 'I can't go to sleep because I can hear the church.'"

Neighbors, who have reported the noise levels to the church group, police and city officials, were awaiting the results of Department of Environmental Protection measurements to determine whether the noise coming from the tent rises above the 65-decibel nighttime restriction.

Bishop Kingsford Bloomfield said the Gospel Tabernacle Church is tackling the problem.

"We have tried to keep our levels down, but still enough so the community can hear us," Bloomfield said.