Construction on Greek church starts in twp.
Plans call for new church to be built on West Park Avenue site
BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer

A rendering of the new St. George Greek Orthodox Church at the West park Avenue site in Ocean Township.

OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Supporters of the Asbury Park-based St. George Greek Orthodox Church braved near triple-digit heat Saturday to attend the ground breaking for the parish's new church complex in the township.

"It was very successful," said Savas Tsivicos, president of St. George's parish council. "We had a very large turnout and we had all levels of government represented at the event."

Congressman Frank Pallone, Sen. Sean T. Kean, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, Assemblyman David Rible, Ocean Township Mayor William Larkin and Deputy Mayor David Heirs were among the roughly 150 parishioners at the ground-breaking celebration.

The event featured a blessing, performed by the state's metropolitan evangelos, who was assisted by the Rev. Andrew Eugenis, the parish priest. The blessing signifies that the parish is building a new church complex in the township, Tsivicos explained.

"It's a tradition in our church and for the Greek culture to have the presiding metropolitan to officiate the ceremony and give his blessing," Tsivicos explained.

"It wasn't the best day to be out there, but we survived," Tsivicos said. "Our projection, if everything goes well and we are successful with our fundraising, we will be moving into the new complex by the end of 2010," he said.

The parish's new facilities will consist of a church, an administration and classroom building for Sunday school, a banquet facility and a full-size gym.

Plans for St. George's new church complex call for a 47,000-square-foot structure to be constructed on a 6.5-acre lot at the intersection of West Park Avenue and Route 18.

The project is estimated to cost approximately $8 million, with the majority of the funding coming from fundraisers and donations to the parish.

"We have different organizations in the church doing their own things for this paramount undertaking," Tsivicos said.

In February, the church hosted its "Taste of the Shore" fundraising dinner. The event drew more than 300 people to the Eatontown Hilton and was the first fundraiser open to the general public. All previous fundraisers had been exclusively for members of the Greek Orthodox faith, according to Tsivicos.

"We envision [the new church] to be as our present one was," Tsivicos said, adding, "The jewel of the shore area and a beacon of orthodoxy and Hellenism in Monmouth County."

St. George's parishioners have worshipped at the church's current location at 700 Grand Ave. in Asbury Park for 80 years. Yet, according to Tsivicos, the continued growth of the parish has left the old building unable to support the church's expanding community.

The parish's current church facility, which is also used for Sunday school, measures roughly 23,000 square feet and is about half the size of what church officials say the new complex is expected to be.

"It's a drastic change, I would say, leaving a location after 80 years," Tsivicos said. "But, unfortunately it does not serve our needs any longer. We have no room to expand and no parking, and the center is very old."

Parishioners at St. George began planning to build the new church 15 years ago, when they purchased the 6.5-acre Ocean Township site.

When St. George opened its doors 80 years ago, most of its parishioners lived around Asbury Park, yet over the years, many of the members of the church have moved away from the city.

According to Tsivicos, the majority of the members now live in and around Ocean Township, making the transition somewhat easier.

"The absolute majority of parishioners are excited about the move," Tsivicos said.

Despite parishioners' excitement for the move, Tsivicos said the community will always remember where it came from.

"We are not forgetting our roots and the wonderful years we had in Asbury Park," Tsivicos said.

For more information about the St. George Greek Orthodox Church call 732- 755-2777.