Second Baptist raising funds for expansion Addition to include new sanctuary and classrooms BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer LONG BRANCH - Plans to expand the Second Baptist Church building on Liberty Street are under way and church members are asking the community for help with fundraising. To help fund the multi-million dollar expansion project, the church is offering opportunities to purchase items, such as memorial bricks, that will be displayed in the new addition to its building. "This is just a vision that the membership has had for a long time that is now coming to fruition," said David A. Brown, the church building ministry chairman. "I'm just elated about the opportunity to be able to lead in this effort," Brown said. The 15,000-square-foot addition to the church will house a 700-seat sanctuary, 12 classrooms, a 300-seat banquet hall and extra office space, according to a press release. The church is selling memorial bricks, pavers and pews to the community to help support the project, according to the release. Memorial bricks will be located in the church foyer and can be purchased by members of the church or in memory of former members for $250 each. A maximum of 1,000 bricks are available. Local businesses or members of the community can purchase pavers at a cost of $500 each. There is a maximum of 1,000 pavers available, and they will be placed outside the church along the walkways. There are also 75 pews that will be available for sponsorship by church members or to be dedicated in memory of former members for $1,000 each. The church is also offering local businesses or members of the community the opportunity to sponsor resource rooms for a minimum donation of $50,000. "We look forward to building a facility that is going to be able to more adequately accommodate the community," the Rev. Aaron N. Gibson Sr. said in the release. "Truly God has brought us this far and we know that He will be with us throughout this venture," said Gibson, who was installed as the 13th pastor of the church in 1996. The church celebrated its 120th anniversary in March and over the years has become an integral part of the community, according to the release. The church serves as a host site for Monmouth County Head Start, the New Hope tutoring program and the Meals at Noon food ministry. The church was originally organized in the home of Ephraim Bell on March 21, 1887, and in the early years it had several pastors, including the Rev. Asbury Smallwood. Smallwood was responsible for erecting the foundation of the stone building in 1904 that the congregation still worships in today. In the fall of 1978, the church began construction of what would come to be known as the educational wing. On Sept. 5, 2000, the church began offering two Sunday services at 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to accommodate its increased membership, according to the release.