Rev. Billy's 'Earth Church' returns to Avenue C with Amazon Labor Union leader Chris Smalls

After a late-summer hiatus, Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir are back with Earth Church services tomorrow (Sunday!) at 36 Avenue C at Third Street (at the former Capital One space). 

Chris Smalls, who helped unionize Amazon's JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island... and established the Amazon Labor Union, will join the Earth Church at 3 p.m.

The services will also be available via a livestream here.

A memorial for the cherry trees of Corlears Hook Park at Earth Church on Avenue C

Earth Church, the new space for Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir at 36 Avenue C, is hosting a Memorial for the Cherry Trees of Corlears Hook Park late this afternoon.

This past week, workers cut down multiple blossoming cherry trees in Corlears Hook Park as part of the ongoing $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

Today on the Lower East Side. @smdono5 #WeRefuseESCR pic.twitter.com/GNendPTsXp

— a thousand people a thousand trees (@1000treesNYC) April 11, 2022

Several activists, including Rev. Billy, were arrested this past week at the scene while trying to prevent workers from taking down the trees. 

The event, which includes a potluck, starts at 5 p.m. today on the NE corner of Third Street and Avenue C. 

Rev. Billy brings 'Earth Church' to this Avenue C storefront

Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir is hosting an Earth Church extravaganza (a "secular earthy gathering") early this evening at 36 Avenue C, a storefront on the NE corner of Third Street. 

The "Earth Service" starts at 5... with an after-party at 6. You can also watch from afar via Instagram Live @revbillytalen. 

Meanwhile, Rev. Billy and one other activist were arrested yesterday morning in Corlears Hook Park as workers prepared to cut down dozens of trees, including a stand of blossoming cherry trees. Work is now focusing on this area of East River Park as part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

A memorial for bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow

[This morning in Tompkins Square Park]

Rev. Billy and East Village residents are meeting tomorrow afternoon from 2:30-3:30 to hold a memorial for the leaning elm that the city removed last Saturday. From the EVG inbox…

The memorial will involve testimonials from residents of the community, including community garden, environmentalists and artists. The Stop Shopping Choir will sing.

The beloved 130-year-old elm was suddenly chain sawed on Saturday the 20th. Mystery surrounds the action taken by the Parks Dept., as the tree was healthy, not "structurally unsound" — as described in an anonymous sign. Bendy leaned to the east, as she has for more than a century.

The NYPD arrested Rev. Billy last Saturday after he tried to prevent workers from cutting down bendy tree. The NYPD charged him with Obstruction of Government Administration (he pleaded guilty), and sentenced him to time served — about 14 hours.

Previously on EV Grieve:
UGH: Bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park has been condemned

Bendy-lujah

That's it for bendy tree

NYPD arrests Rev. Billy for trying to stop Bendy Tree's removal

NYPD releases Rev. Billy after yesterday's Bendy Tree arrest

NYPD releases Rev. Billy after yesterday's Bendy Tree arrest

The NYPD arrested Rev. Billy yesterday morning after he tried to prevent workers from cutting down the leaning elm in the middle of Tompkins Square Park.

Rev. Billy tried to climb the tree, which workers were already removing. Then he stood on top of the Parks Department's cherry picker.

He argued that the tree was healthy enough to preserve, that the Parks Department should get other opinions from arborists.


[Photo by Gary Golembiewski]

Several people watching yelled back that, as sad as it was, it was time for the tree to go, that the tree presented a danger. Others pointed out that the branches that were being cut still looked healthy.

After a short prayer, Rev. Billy came down from the truck, where the waiting officers handcuffed him and led him away.

According to Rev. Billy this morning, the NYPD charged him with Obstruction of Government Administration (he pleaded guilty), and sentenced him to time served — about 14 hours. The NYPD released him a little before midnight.



Previously on EV Grieve:
UGH: Bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park has been condemned

Bendy-lujah

NYPD arrests Rev. Billy for trying to stop Bendy Tree's removal

Rev. Billy arrived this morning at Tompkins Square Park, where workers are cutting down the leaning elm in the middle of the Park.

He stopped work when he climbed atop one of the trucks…



The NYPD was called to the scene… and they eventually arrested him … no word just yet what the charges are…






[Via EVG reader Russ]

… then work resumed on cutting down Bendy Tree…



As previously reported, an arborist hired by the Parks Department found the favorite tree structurally unsound and recommended that it be cut down.

Previously on EV Grieve:
UGH: Bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park has been condemned

Bendy-lujah

Bendy-lujah

Earlier tonight, Reverend Billy And The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir stopped by Tompkins Square Park to say a prayer ("Bendy-lujah!"), offer commentary and sing for the doomed Bendy Tree, the leaning elm that an arborist hired by the Parks Department found to be "structurally unsound." It will need to be removed soon.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Updated 9/15

Here's video of Rev. Billy and the Choir via Gammablog's Tompkins Trees site ...

Prayers and songs tonight for the doomed bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park

Tonight at 8:30, Reverend Billy And The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir will perform ("pray and sing") at the bendy tree in the center of Tompkins Square Park.



As noted yesterday, a professional arborist hired by the Parks Department found the leaning elm to be "structurally unsound" … and it "poses a danger to the public." The tree will likely be removed this coming week.

The Church of Earthalujah starting 3-month residency at Theatre 80

Starting tomorrow night, The Church of Earthalujah begins a three-month-or-so residency at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place...

I asked Rev. Billy what attendees can expect.

The Church of Earthalujah at Theatre 80 is not a political rally in a theatre, not a comedy in an improv club, and not a church service with great music — but if isn't all three, you get your money back.

Find out more about what Rev. Billy is up to right here. Find him on Twitter here.

The Church of Earthalujah
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir
Theatre 80, every Sunday through June, 7:30 PM, 80 St Marks Place
$10, no one turned away

More on Rev. Billy's arrest

Following up on the item from earlier today....

Some excerpts from Courthouse News (via Gawker):

The self-ordained Rev. Billy Talen was arrested on Easter Sunday after putting a "holy hex" on JPMorgan Chase bank, which he calls the nation's largest financier of coal-mining mountaintop removal. The former New York City mayoral candidate and his green-robed chorus put the hex on two bank branches, saying Morgan Chase has helped destroy more than 450 Appalachian mountains, deforested 800 square miles and polluted more than 1,200 miles of streams.

The police did not arrive until the choir reached a second branch, at Astor Place, where the choir left another "deposit" of West Virginia dirt.

As Talen concluded his sermon, NYPD Officer William Svenstrup ordered him to withdraw his deposit of dirt from the bank floor.

The Rev. Billy refused.

"Then you are coming with me," Svenstrop said, while another officer took out the cuffs, and used them, and the choir chanted, "Free speech! Free press! Free people! Repressed!" Then the choir sang the text of the First Amendment.

Choir member Gaylen Hamilton said in an interview that Talen's wife was two weeks overdue on her pregnancy and had started experiencing contractions that morning. Several other choir members were worried that Talen would miss the birth of his child.

But at the 9th Precinct, an officer said that Talen had been released shortly after his arrest. Arresting Officer William Svenstrup, spotted at the precinct, would not reveal the charges, if any, against the Rev. Billy.

Rev. Billy arrested at Astor Place

Two weeks ago, there were multiple reports of the coal mountain mud left at the Chase branch at 10th Street and Second Avenue ... Rev. Billy & the Church of Life After Shopping, complete with the makings for another coal mountain, were holding protests last evening at the Chase branches at St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue and on Astor Place... according to readers R and M, Rev. Billy was arrested at Astor Place, as their photos show...





So, in the last few days, the 9th Precinct has arrested Rev. Billy and the chef of Pulino's... hmmm....

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on that coal mountain mud pile at Chase

More on that coal mountain mud pile at Chase

More details are coming in regarding that pile that WAS NOT manure (as some folks had been reporting) at the Chase branch on Second Avenue and 10th Street. We're embarrassed that we didn't realize this was the work of Rev. Billy & the Church of Life After Shopping... Per Rev. Billy's site:

On March 21st we built a mountain in the lobby of a Chase branch on 2nd Avenue & 10th Street in Manhattan made from the murdered mud of Coal Mountain in West Virginia. Perched on top we left a letter for the CEO of Chase Jamie Dimon. His bank currently finances 80% of the Mountain-top Removal mining that is killing Appalachia.