Operation Shut - Down

Pastor Corey Brooks, 40, of New Beginnings Church of Chicago has targeted a Super Motel across the street from his church for shut down. He and his congregation say that the motel is ridden with prostitution, drug selling, drug use, and underage youth having use of the rooms. All of which begets violence.

Every weekend for the past nine weeks, Brooks has disrupted the motel’s usual weekend business by holding protest rallies in front of the motel. Beginning on October 1st, the church had a non-stop, 72 hour rally from 6pm Thursday to 6pm Sunday with over 400 people participating in various shifts.

Pastor Brooks said that New Beginnings does a lot of social outreach to institute change in people’s lives but are now demanding change in their surrounding area. They have formed an alliance with the 3rd District Chicago Police Department who will assist in the undertaking.

On September 26th, Chicago Police apprehended a suspect who ran inside New Beginnings during a chase. The suspect hid over $10,000 worth of heroin inside the church before the police caught him. The police then returned to the scene after the church’s carpenter found the drugs in a cabinet that needed painting.

New Beginnings Church is located at 6620 S. King Drive in Bronzeville residing on the border of Woodlawn and Englewood. Brooks said he wants total transformation in the community - social, economic, educational, and moral. He and the church are determined to take back the community, one block at a time.

Brooks said New Beginnings has tried to love people into change but his church and other churches need to take a stronger stand and say “we are not going to allow this anymore.”

“We have tried to negotiate and have tried to purchase the property but the owner asked for $1million over the market rate.” said Brooks, refusing to let-up.

“They will have to sell it, shut it down, or change drastically.”

In preparation of buying the property, Brooks has already spent $15,000 to have blue-prints drawn up and wants to build affordable apartments with businesses on the first floor.

Brooks founded New Beginnings in 2000 and held worship service at Doolittle Elementary School on 35th and Cottage Grove until 2005. When enough money was raised, the church transformed an abandoned skating rink into their new home. The church also has a private school called Masters Academy for grades K-8.

The location of New Beginnings Church of Chicago is not without history. The site is where Chicago’s only Black show club hailed, the Chicago Show Club, owned by the legendary Herman Roberts.

“We decided to open the church on King Drive because of the need in this area. The call of the church is to help the people and reach their needs and our congregation reaches for and reflects the community. Most of them walk to service because they live so close. All are welcome at New Beginnings.”

Brooks invites everyone to support their efforts by joining their protest rallies every Friday and Saturday from 9pm until 2am. Metropolis

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