from www.al.com – You just can’t drive by Sixth Street Peace Baptist Church without thinking about strippers.

Three large billboards just across the street on the corner of Sixth Street and Third Avenue West near Smithfield displaying images of seductive, scantily clad women compete for attention alongside a steeple, crosses and stained glass.

The billboards feature ads for two strip clubs, The Palace and Club Volcano. One sign for Club Volcano, in Ensley, features a woman in very short red shorts lying down with one leg pointed up as dollar bills rain down on her.

It’s not exactly the image the Rev. Geroid Caldwell said he and his members want to promote during his senior and youth programs.

“Our kids are already exposed enough. I’m seeing it all the time. It’s not something that’s hidden,” said the pastor of the 90-year-old congregation.

“It’s not good for our youth, it’s not good for our senior citizens and it’s not good for our community period.”

Caldwell said Third Avenue West is already the location for two adults clubs, Mike’s Crossroads and the Palace, and Mike’s is just a few blocks away. The addition of the billboards just adds to the negative imagery, he said.

“You’re going to put it right there by the church? I’m just trying to see if they can put up some presentable signs besides naked women,” he said.

Caldwell said he and members are embarrassed each time visitors come to the church and are certain to see the signs. There’s no escaping them, he said.

But last Sunday’s service might be the last one where worshippers are greeted by images of ladies in body-hugging black dresses and pants promoting The Palace.

Representatives from Lamar Advertising, which owns those signs, said the signs will be taken down and moved further from the church.

“That’s not our policy of putting that in front of churches and schools,” said Jeff Handley, Lamar’s sales manager. “We’re in the process of moving it now.”

Handley called the placement an error and said the sign will be moved about mile down the street.

“We’re not in the habit of doing that,” he said. “Sometimes we make mistakes like that.”

While the Lamar signs are new, The Club Volcano sign featuring the lady in red shorts has been on the corner for about seven years, said club manager Antuan Law. Law said he was surprised to learn of any complaints but would address them.

“I’m going to handle this situation as best as possible and see if we can get everything under control,” Law said Monday. “If anybody has any problem, I would like to know that. I looked into it and we going to see what we can do about it.”

Caldwell also called Councilwoman Carole Smitherman, whose district includes the church, asking for help. Smitherman said Lamar’s plan to move the sign offers a good compromise.

“Some degree of sensitivity should be shown when you have diverse kinds of interests, and I’m pleased Lamar is yielding to the concerns and sensitivities of the church,” she said. “We all have to find a way to coexist in a country where the foundation is the First Amendment and freedom of speech. This is good example of where it all works out.”

BIRMINGHAM — [AP]- The pastor of Birmingham’s Sixth Street Peace Baptist Church says his congregation shouldn’t be confronted with huge pictures of strippers.

Three large billboards just across the street display images of scantily clad women. The billboards advertise strip clubs.

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Geroid Caldwell, says the image is not one he and his members want to promote. He says that he and church members are embarrassed each time visitors come to the church, where they are sure to see the signs.

Representatives from Lamar Advertising now say the signs will be taken down and moved further from the church. Jeff Handley, Lamar’s sales manager, says the current placement was an error.