The issue of religious freedom is hitting close to home for Roger Clark and his neighbors.

Clark operates the Northlight Christ Church from his home at 1930 Skyline Drive in northeast Orem. The church is a blend of American Indian, new age and Christian spiritual principles.It also incorporates traces of other disciplines Clark has studied over the past 30 years - archaeology, anthropology, cultural spirituality and ancient processes of self healing.

As minister of the Northlight Christ Church, Clark uses prayer, firewalking, rebirth processes, drumming circles, a sweat lodge and other methods to foster self-healing and personal growth.

For some people, the Northlight Christ Church is just what they've been searching for. But it's the last thing Clark's neighbors expected to pop up next door.

Uneasy co-existence

The uneasy co-existence between the Northlight Church and its neighbors came to a head recently when Clark asked the Planning Commission for a conditional use permit.

Clark has held Northlight Christ Church meetings in his home for the past 18 months. Fifteen to 20 people typically attend Tuesday night prayer meetings at Clark's house.

A similar number turn out for monthly Saturday night firewalking and sweat lodge ceremonies in Clark's back yard. Clark and his wife, Becky, are certified with the Firewalking Institute of Research and Education to teach firewalking.

"What I'm doing is through our processes allowing people to heal and learn forgiveness of all transgressions against them," Clark said. "They learn to love again, as is the one simple law (Jesus) gave us: `I give you a new law. Love one another.' "

But Clark's religious practices - particularly the firewalking, drumming and sweat lodge - have also disrupted his neighborhood.

Neighbors complain of drums beating late into the night, audible despite closed windows and doors. Some neighbors don't like the idea of strangers parking in front of their homes several nights a week and congregating regularly at Clark's house.

The neighbors also are concerned that the bonfires Clark builds to create coals for the firewalking ceremonies may endanger their homes, which are nestled in the foothills.

Concern vs. religious freedom

Yet while they are concerned about his activities, neighbors say they don't want to infringe on his right to practice his religion.

Some neighbors acknowledge their apprehension about Clark's activities may be due to ignorance.

"This is very different to a lot of us and we feel threatened over it," said Nanette Merrill, whose backyard abuts Clark's. "I think Roger's a decent guy trying to do what he thinks is right. I don't want to put his church out of business.

"But I would like to see him move it to a space where it can be This is very different to a lot of us and we feel threatened over it. Nanette Merrill

Clark's neighboraccommodated in a more feasible way. Firewalking and a sweat lodge are not appropriate in a back yard where children are."

Anne Fackrell, who lives across the street from Clark, says she sought refuge from busy city life when she moved to the neighborhood.

"If I had my druthers, I would rather not live near any church," Fackrell said. "It's a close-knit neighborhood. We all know each other, watch out for each other and each other's kids.

"He's bringing all these people into our neighborhood who we do not know and who we fear don't share values that we share in our neighborhood. A neighborhood is not the proper place for such activities."

Clark says public attention has focused unfairly on the most visible aspect of his religious practice - the firewalk ceremony.

"To say that the firewalk is my whole religion is as incomplete as saying MIA is the total basis of LDS doctrine or that confession is everything to Catholicism," Clark said. He also bridles at the negative characterizations made of the people who attend his services.

"My people feel so violated that I don't even want to be here," Clark said.

New channels of communication

The neighbors tried to resolve some of the problems on their own, but nothing changed, Fackrell said. However, the airing before the planning commission may have opened new channels of communication between the neighbors and Clark.

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Several neighbors have agreed to erect fences (in one case, to put slats in a chain link fence) so Clark's church activities will be more private.

Clark has agreed to do away with firewalks in his back yard.

"The sweat lodge is very sacred to me and I still want to do that in my back yard," he said. Ideally, he'd like to move the church's operations out of his home.

He may get a hand. Jim Loveland, a neighbor, says residents are willing to find a way to assist Clark in a new location to give him a two or three month head start.

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