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Bloomfield Bicentennial: Religion

THURSDAY OCTOBER 18, 2012, 1:30 PM

BLOOMFIELD LIFE

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Methodism begins and spreads: as stated on Park United Methodist Church's website. The

Methodist Church of Bloomfield was formally established on July 4, 1821, but actually it had

its beginnings many years before, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. The seed was planted

in 1729 when John Wesley, a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford University, met with a group

of young men-his brother Charles and a friend, George Whitefield, among them for the

purpose of acquiring holiness by personal effort. As stated in parkumcbloomfield.org, other

students at the university derisively called them The Holy Club and later dubbed them

Methodists because of their well-ordered program of religious observances and good work.

The club disbanded around 1733, but,

nevertheless, the three friends were still very

sincere in their feelings and within a few short

years they all had enjoyed a conversion

experience which sent them forth as eloquent

ambassadors for Christ, as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org. The turning point in

John Wesley's life came at a prayer meeting in

Aldersgate Street, London, on May 24, 1738. In

describing his experience and the wondrous

change which God worked in his heart through

faith, Wesley said: "I felt my heart strangely

warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ and Christ

alone for salvation," as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org.

The conversion of John Wesley was the beginning of Methodism. His preaching resulted in

so many people turning to Christ that he soon organized classes over which leaders were

appointed, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. These were held regularly in the homes.

Large preaching services were held out of doors. Meeting places were not called churches

then because Methodists all went to the Church of England for the sacraments and still

considered themselves members of that church.

Soon Methodists began migrating to America. British lay preachers came as missionaries to

the colonies and Methodist Societies were formed. The first person to embrace the doctrine

of Methodism in New Jersey was an Irishman, John Early. His intense zeal for God's cause

and the work he did illustrates the secret of the success of early Methodism through the

PHOTO COURTESY OF JON A. RUSSO

St. John's Lutheran Church as it appeared in 1923.

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services of lay persons giving their time and

talents as Christian leaders.

One of the greatest Methodist preachers to set

foot in the Garden State was Francis Asbury,

often called the Founder of Methodism in

America, was sent here by John Wesley in 1771

and traveled throughout the country for nearly

50 years, preaching several times every day. It

is believed he first stopped in New Jersey on

Nov. 7, 1771. From then on he visited here

frequently. On May 12, 1772, he wrote in his

journal, "Set off for the Jerseys. It is my desire

to en entirely devoted to God, who opens the

hearts of people to receive me; and my heart to

deliver His counsel to them," as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org.

The little stone church: As is the case so often

with new ideas and views, in the township of

Bloomfield as elsewhere in America the

Methodist doctrine was met with disfavor by

other denominations, as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org. Even though the

followers of John Wesley were given scant

courtesy, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org, a staunch little group of them continued

meeting together in Bloomfield on a regular basis. They do not know exactly when these

meetings began, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. But they do know that on July 4, 1821,

they formally organized the Methodist Church in Bloomfield, as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org. They elected a Board of Trustees composed of John Moore, Josiah

W. Crane, Anthony Brown, Dennis Osborne, Jacob Rutan, Dennis Harrison and John J.

Kingsland.

There were only two other churches in Bloomfield at that time, the Presbyterian Church on

the Green, founded 1794, according to parkumcbloomfield.org, and the Dutch Reformed

Church in Stone House Plains (Brookdale), founded 1801. Since Methodist lay preachers

weren't permitted to speak from those pulpits, the Wesleyans decided to build their own

sanctuary, according to parkumcbloomfield.org. One of the leaders of the group who owned a

large farm, Nathaniel Coit, donated a site for the church on the west side of Broad Street in

the Morris neighborhood about 300 foot north of Bay Lane, now Bay Avenue. It took a year

to get the new church completed. But under the energetic leadership of Brother Coit and his

sons, who later became eminent Methodist ministers, a small stone building with a flat roof

was erected, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. It came to be known as the Little Stone

Church.

No permanent Methodist preachers were assigned to churches in those early days.

Following the plan of John Wesley, itinerant preachers or circuit riders filled the pulpits

throughout New Jersey, indeed throughout America. They traveled over dusty and snow-

covered roads; through deep forests and snake-infested swamps; across wide streams and

high rocky hills. Usually they preached once a month at each spot and then proceeded on

horseback to the next church often as many as 10 miles away. Until the arrival of the first

permanent minister, Benjamin Day, in 1821, such circuit riders performed all the religious

duties at the Methodist Church in Bloomfield.

Church-going was an all day affair then. Parishioners were mostly farm families who came

from miles around. Some were affluent enough to travel in horse-drawn carts or carriages,

but most folks had to walk. And for many this meant three or more miles each way.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JON A. RUSSO

St. John Lutheran Church's first pastor, Charles H.

Franke, pictured in September 1908.

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However, everyone looked forward to Sunday . It was a time when they could join in

worship with friends and relatives to thank God for God's blessings according to

parkumcbloomfield.org. It was a time, too, to share a mid-day lunch together and , of course,

to catch up on the latest news and gossip, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org.

The old burial ground: Most churches of that era had their own burial ground next to or

behind the main building, according to parkumcbloomfield.org. The original Methodist

Church did not have its own burial ground, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. So a lot

belonging to the First Stone House Association located directly behind the Dutch Reformed

Church was offered to the Methodists for that purpose. It was a two acre strip of land and in

it were buried most of the original founders of the church. The old brown sandstone slabs

bear their names: Ackerman, Baldwin, Cockefair and Garrabrant. Over the years the

cemetery was neglected and became enmeshed in heavy weeds, brush and refuse. In 1996,

under the leadership of church member Ted Barrett, the cemetery was reclaimed by

Bloomfield Methodism's present-day successors. It was thoroughly cleaned and a new

plaque installed by the people of Park Church in honor of its founders, as stated on

parkumcbloomfield.org. A service of dedication and gratitude was held on Sunday, Oct. 20,

1996 with the pastor of Park Church at that time, The Rev. Wayne Jack Plumstead and the

president of the Northern New Jersey Annual Conference Historical and Archival Society,

The Rev. John Callanan officiating.

They seek a new location for their church: In 1852, Nathaniel Coit sold his farm, according to

parkumcbloomfield.org. Since most of the Methodists were now located in the lower part of

the township, a church was erected in the center of the village at the corner of Park and

Broad streets, its present location, as mentioned in parkumcbloomfield.org. The property

had been purchased in 1845 from Dury Bromley for $125. The old church was torn down

and parts of the foundation, roof and other materials were used in constructing the new

building. The cornerstone of the structure bore the date 1853, although the dedication

ceremony didn't occur until the following year.

During the summer of 1864 a parsonage next to the church on Broad Street was purchased

for $2,500, according to parkumcbloomfield.org. In 1871, the church had grown to a

membership of 161. In that year a chapel in the Watsessing section of Bloomfield was built

by a group of members of the church, who went on to establish a second Methodist Church

in the township. In 1881, the church changed its name from the Methodist Episcopal Church

of Bloomfield to Park Methodist Episcopal Church (mergers and changes in their

denomination resulted in subsequent name changes to Park Methodist Church in 1939 and

then, in 1968, Park United Methodist Church). To meet the needs of the church school, a

parish house was built and dedicated on Sunday, Dec. 10, 1911, as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org.

In January, 1920, the church succeeded in retiring all its debt and the old mortgage was

burned, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. But only five years later an active movement

was instituted to raise funds for a new church, according to parkumcbloomfield.org. The

money came in slowly, and the old building grew unsafe, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org.

The congregation had to abandon it as a place of worship. A final service was held in the old

sanctuary with some of the oldest living members of the congregation present, as stated in

parkumcbloomfield.org.

Services after that time were held in the parish house. A committee of 90 men and women

toiled on the campaign to raise funds for a new building, led by The Rev. Frederick G. Willey.

According to parkumcbloomfield.org, there was great joy when it was announced that

enough money had been raised to begin construction of the new edifice. The progress of the

campaign had been graphically shown to the general public by means of a large sign bearing

a picture of the old church. As each $10,000 was subscribed, a strip with a picture of part of

the new church was laid over the old. After the final returns had been made, everyone

poured out the front doors of the church and, amid songs and cheers and the din of

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automobile horns, watched the final strips placed upon the sign to complete the picture of

the new church, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. Demolition of the old building began

shortly thereafter, and On Sunday, Oct. 14, 1928, the cornerstone of the present church was

laid with appropriate ceremonies. The architecture is an adaptation of Fourteenth Century

Gothic, built of Mt. Airy gray granite stone shipped from North Carolina. The tower is nearly

1,000 feet high and the seating capacity is 776, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org.

Park Church and Thomas Alva Edison: One of the unique features of their present sanctuary

is the antique lighting fixtures, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. They were the gift of

Thomas Alva Edison. Edison's wife was an active Methodist laywoman in nearly West

Orange, where Edison maintained his studio. She encouraged her husband to make this

contribution, according to parkumcbloomfield.org. Throughout the years Edison scholars

have often visited the church to see the fixtures, which have become well known due to their

connection with their famous contributor, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org.

The new building was dedicated on June 23, 1929. Edison was present for the service,

although, according to parkumcbloomfield.org, he had to be coaxed. He was to die only a

short time later and on this day he was, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org, apparently

beginning to feel the effects of the illness that would eventually claim his life. But when it was

learned that he had decided to remain outside in his car, the District Superintendent, The

Rev. Archey D. Ball, personally escorted him in, as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. Edison

made quite a site in his three piece suit and red bedroom slippers, according to

parkumcbloomfield.org.

The new Parish House: On Feb. 1, 1953 the church celebrated the burning of the mortgage,

as stated in parkumcbloomfield.org. The church remained debt-free for only a few years.

Since the 1911 Parish House was sadly in need of repair, as stated on

parkumcbloomfield.org, it clearly had to be demolished and a modern Christian Education

wing erected in its place. A fundraising drive for this purpose began in the spring of 1960

under the direction of The Rev. Robert F. Ramm and his successor, The Rev. Clifford A.

Hewitt. The new addition was designed by Levon M. Khachadourian and is composed of

granite from the same Mt. Airy quarry as the main church. It was consecrated on Nov. 28,

1965.

The parsonages and other properties: The old parsonage, built in 1864, as mentioned on

parkumcbloomfield.org, was beginning to show its age 1965. In that year, it was demolished

and a new parsonage, located on Oak Street, purchased. In 1997, a second parsonage, on

Beach Street, was purchased. Later, the Oak Street property was sold. Also during these

years the church purchased several other homes, as stated on parkumcbloomfield.org.

These homes adjoin the church property. They were purchased between 1958 and 1999 and

are still owned by the church.

On July 1, 2011, Bishop Sudarshanda Devadhar appointed current pastor, The Rev. Joel

Daniel Hubbard III.

On the marker commemorating John and Charles Wesley in Westminster Abbey, there

appear three statements, two of them by John Wesley and well known, as stated on

parkumcbloomfield.org: "I look upon the world as my parish," and "The best of all is, God is

with us." However, the third statement, by Charles Wesley, is also worthy of note according

to parkumcbloomfield.org: "God buries his workmen, but carries on his work."

The beginnings of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church date back to July 7, 1896, when

the church was incorporated with 36 members, according to Jon A. Russo. Before this

congregation obtained a church building, the members of St. John first met for worship in

their homes and then in a space over a store in Bloomfield Center.

In 1897, the congregation purchased land on Liberty Street and Austin Place for $1,400.

This location was the former site of Christ Episcopal Church, which burned in 1892, leaving

only the foundations. The original chapel of St. John's was built on this property, but

eventually came to be too small for its expanding congregation.

In 1900, the present church building was purchased from the Westminster Presbyterian

congregation. This building, erected in 1870, was moved from its location just a block from

the present day site in 1901. It was placed on the foundations of the former site of Christ

Episcopal Church. Thus a Presbyterian Church building which was erected on the

foundations of an Episcopal church now serves as a Lutheran church.

The original St. John's chapel is still standing and is used as a recreation hall and Sunday

school section.

Originally a German language church, English was introduced in 1917. Meetings and services

were held in both languages until 1938, when German was discontinued.

The early church experienced slow growth due to frequent ministerial changes. In 1908, the

congregation called The Rev. Charles H. Franke, who belonged to The Lutheran Church-

Missouri Synod. Franke served St. John's until 1912. The stained glass rosette window

carrying the thorn-crowned head of Christ was installed above the altar of St. John's and

dedicated to the memory of Franke.

St. John's purchased the first parsonage at 37 Almira St. in 1910 at the cost of $3,000,

according to information submitted by Jon A. Russo.

Succeeding Franke were pastors Otto Mappes and J.N.H. Jahn. During this time the

congregation joined the Atlantic District of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio

and other states, now known as The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

By the 25th anniversary in 1921, the church had 150 communicants and 80 Sunday school

students.

The Rev. F. W. Weidmann became pastor in 1925 and served until his death in 1951.

Weidmann would be the longest-serving pastor of St. John's, according to information

submitted by Russo.

Many improvements were made to the church during the 1920s, according to information

submitted by Jon A. Russo. Electric lights replaced gas fixtures and a new heating system

was installed.

In 1926, to provide a larger parsonage, the Almira St. property was sold for $7,500 and a

new parsonage was purchased at 9 Clinton Road in Glen Ridge for a total of $14,000.

In 1927, a new pipe organ was purchased at the cost of $7,800. The new Estey organ was

custom built for St. John's with over 990 working pipes. Some "dummy pipes" were placed

near the altar to be visually pleasing and offer a symmetrical balance.

In 1935 the church's Men's Club donated both labor and money toward the renovation of the

basement for use as a Recreation Hall.

In 1942, the adjoining land and dwelling located at 208 Liberty St. was purchased for

$6,500. The building was opened in 1946 as a provisional parish house and for Sunday

school classes. Later, this property became the church parsonage as the dwelling on Clinton

Street in Glen Ridge was sold for $12,000.

In 1946, St. John's celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a Golden Jamboree. A War

Veteran's Rally, choral vespers, socials and a banquet was held at the Wedgewood

Restaurant in Montclair, according to information submitted by Jon A. Russo. After a half of

a century the church membership numbered 372 communicants and had 200 Sunday school

students.

The Rev. George H. Zimmerman served the church from 1952 until his death in 1971.

During the 1950s, the church experienced its biggest growth, according to a write-up

submitted by Jon A. Russo. A second service was added in 1954, and average Sunday

attendances through the 1950s were more than 200. Easter attendances reached 400.

Sunday school enrollment leveled off at 200. In 1955 an addition was added to the church

which is now the kitchen and part of the fellowship.

In 1959, the old parsonage was torn down and a colonial-style home was built for $26,000 in

1960, according to a write-up submitted by Russo.

During the 1960's and 1970's, membership declined, which reflected a decline in town

population and school enrollment, according to information submitted by Jon A. Russo. Also

the expansion of Bloomfield College changed the surrounding neighborhood by purchasing

surrounding residences and converted them into college facilities.

In 1971, communicant membership stood at 299. Following the pastorate of the Rev. Mark

Spelzhausen, the Rev. William Pekari was installed in 1978 and served for nine years. At this

time the church was renovated, a church office was dedicated, and St. John's became more

active in mission work, as stated in a write-up submitted by Jon A. Russo.

The present pastor, the Rev. David Rowold, has provided spiritual direction for St. John's

since 2003, according to a write-up submitted by Russo, and St. John's has served the

community's spiritual needs for more than 115 years over three centuriesand with God's

blessings, we hope to serve for many more years to come.

According to information submitted by The Rev. Charles J. Miller, from the beginning, there

has been a vitality at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish a spirit of generosity and a shared sense

of purpose has served the spiritual needs of the Brookdale section of Bloomfield, the Spring

Garden section of Nutley and the North End of Glen Ridge.

The parish was founded by the Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh, who once said that he named

the parish after his patron saint. On June 25, 1939, the Rev. Thomas Herron celebrated the

first Mass in a 60- by 100-foot tent along with the founding 300 families. According to

information submitted by Miller, to this day these individuals are still known as the

"tenters." The tent was used until the completion of a church and school building was

complete. A convent for the Sisters of Charity and a rectory for resident priests were also

soon completed.

Throughout the years various parish activities were organized, many of which like the

Rosary and Holy Name Societies continue today, according to information submitted by

Miller. Activities were also organized for the young people of the parish including athletic

teams, scouts and CYO.

According to information submitted by Miller, Parish growth led to expansion of the school,

under the Rev. James Flanagan, and the completion of the church in 1960, under the

direction of the Rev. Michael Magnier, the third pastor. Monsignor Vincent Coburn led the

expansion of the school to accommodate 750 students, with another 1,500 attending

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes. Under his direction the directives and values

voiced by the Second Vatican Council were implemented at St. Thomas Parish with the

increased involvement of parishioners in all aspects of parish life. These included the

formation of a Parish Council, and Committees for Liturgy, Finances, and Home and School

with men and women serving in various liturgical ministries.

The parish continued to grow with the arrival of the fifth pastor, Monsignor Franklyn Casale,

who promoted the formation of small Christian communities within the larger parish, and

the implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Monsignor Casale supervised

the complete renovation of the lower church to provide the parish with meeting rooms and

offices for the various ministries that serve the needs of parishioners, the sick and

homebound, and people in need beyond the parish, according to information submitted by

Miller. More recently, Monsignor William Hatcher led the parish in the establishment of

spiritual development programs, like the Men's and Women's Cornerstone, and in the

renovation of the church interior worship space. According to information submitted by

Miller, this beautiful and functional renovation makes it possible for the parishioners to

better celebrate the revised worship ceremonies today and into the future.

Currently St. Thomas the Apostle Church with over 3,000 families continues to build upon

the achievements of those who have gone before them with their new pastor, The Rev.

Charles Miller. According to information submitted by Miller their parish goal is to work

towards living out their mission: The Roman Catholic Faith Community of St. Thomas the

Apostle recognizes God's call to be a sign of his kingdom in the communities they serve.

According to information submitted by Miller they respond to this call by: leading people to

a deeper relationship with Christ by providing opportunities for spiritual growth, renewal,

education, the celebration of the Sacraments, and the worship of God in the sacred liturgy;

encouraging a commitment to justice and to service of those in need; promoting good

stewardship of our time, talent and treasure and building a community of hospitality and

support in the daily living out of Christian ideals by nourishing mutual respect and

understanding within their church, families, community and other faith traditions.

According to a Catholic Advocate article, published in 2003, Sacred Heart Parish has served

vibrant Bloomfield for 134 years.

The church was founded when Bishop Michael A. Corrigan, Bishop of the then-Diocese of

Newark, named Father Joseph M. Nardiello pastor of the newly-formed parish in June of

1878.

Father Nardiello opened the first building on Bloomfield Avenue and Liberty Street in

November that year.

The pastor also built the first school building in 1882, now known as Nardiello Hall, which

serves as the parish hall as well as a second school building in 1896 (present-day convent).

This second school building was added to in 1905, and in 1924, became the convent, once the

present-day school building on Bloomfield Avenue was finished.

Nardiello was instrumental in the purchase of the site which is now Mount Olivet Cemetery.

In 1892, he oversaw construction of the current church building on Broad and Liberty

streets. For a cornerstone, Nardiello obtained a stone from Capernaum, where Jesus

performed several healing miracles. In 1902, due to an increase in enrollment at the school,

Nardiello coordinated building a new school. A year later, he was named irremovable rector

of the parish. What makes his accomplishments even more impressive is that For the first

25 years of his pastorate, Father Nardiello served without a parochial vicar. The first

parochial vicar was assigned in 1905.

In 1915, Father Nardiello died. He was succeeded by Father Timothy M. Donovan.

The memory of the parish's founder was not forgotten. A life-size statue of Father Nardiello

was erected on the Liberty Street side of the church building in 1917. The inscription reads,

"The Rev. Joseph M. Nardiello, M.R., Founder of this Parish, June 21, 1878, Died March 25,

1915, Beloved of God and Man, Whose Memory is a Benediction."

Donovan watched the parish more than quadruple in size. He led the construction of the

current school building, completed in 1924. The old school was modernized, and was the

parish convent.

Donovan was named Domestic Prelate, with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor, in 1929.

As monsignor, he advocated the founding of a new parish in the Brookdale section of

Bloomfield, which eventually became St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.

Monsignor Donovan died in 1941. He was succeeded by Father Thomas F. Burke.

Burke led the successful remodeling and enlargement of both the church and school

buildings. a church and school expansion completed in 1951. Kindergarten classes were

added to the parish school. He also saw the beginning of the construction of the present

rectory.

Burke was named a Domestic Prelate, with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor, in 1949.

Monsignor Burke died in 1958. The meeting room in the basement of the church bears his

name.

Succeeding Msgr. Burke was Bishop Walter W. Curtis, who was an Auxiliary Bishop of

Newark at the time.

Under his pastorate, the current rectory was completed, and he established the Sacred

Heart Blood Bank. The Bloomfield-Glen Ridge Clergy Association was also founded during

this time.

In November 1961, Curtis was named bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn. He was

succeeded by Monsignor Walter G. Jarvais in January 1962. During his time at the parish,

the school was seriously damaged in a fire. Classes, however, were not cancelled.

Jarvais was succeeded in 1965 by Monsignor Thomas M. Reardon, who served the parish

for a decade.

During his pastorate, Monsignor Reardon oversaw the installation of carpeting throughout

the church, a closed-circuit television system (so that parishioners whose view was blocked

by support columns could see the altar) and air conditioning. He also established the Parish

Council.

Reardon retired and became pastor emeritus in 1975. Father Daniel A. Danik succeeded him

as pastor.

Danik, in accordance with directives of the Second Vatican Council, moved the altar closer to

the congregation. He also installed confessional rooms, and placed the baptismal font within

the sanctuary.

In the first year of his pastorate, a fire broke out in the church. Repairs were completed in

time for the parish's 100th anniversary in 1978.

Danik also oversaw repairs to the steeple in 1980 and 1981, as well as a repainting of the

church in 1983. He led the successful "Campaign Steeplejack" in order to restore and repair

the steeple in 1991.

Danik retired in 1996 and was succeeded by Father Richard Kwiatkowski. Kwiatkowski led

the successful fund drive for the restoration of the church and also oversaw church

restoration.

Father Richard Kwiatkowski was succeeded in 2008 by Father James Brown, who is the

current pastor.

The formation of Temple Ner Tamid ("Eternal Light") was the result of a truly historic

decision, according to nertamid.org. Reasoning that the needs of a Jewish community take

precedence over individual ideological differences, the leadership of Temples B'nai Zion and

Menorah came together to create a single synagogue committed to both liberal values and

traditional expression, according to nertamid.org.

Following months of meetings in private homes, as well as the two congregations, a

consolidation committee led by Julius Fisher and Manny Rothenberg helped create Temple

Ner Tamid. According to nertamid.org, on a sunny day In June 1980, the Torahs of Temple

B'nai Zion were paraded down Broad Street and entered into the sanctuary of the new

Temple Ner Tamid.

Nevertheless, what Ner Tamid has become cannot be separated from the foundations laid

for us by a century of devoted and visionary Jews, according to nertamid.org. Their history

is TNT's legacy.

The origins of Temple B'nai Zion ("Sons of Zion") are to be found in the formation of the

Zionist oriented "Montclair-Bloomfield Camp of the Order of B'nai Zion" in 1915. It was soon

after re-named Bloomfield Camp No. 48. According to nertamid.org, Within a short time, the

Bloomfield Talmud Torah was created, and in 1917, the Mother's Club was organized with

Dora Sax as its first president. The following year saw the acquisition of the community's

first sefer Torah and the purchase of a small building on the Franklin Street site, where, 10

years later, Temple B'nai Zion's first and only synagogue structure would be built.

Temple B'nai Zion was re-chartered in 1926. It is not clear why this was done, although the

presence of Congregation Shomrei Israel, a short-lived Bloomfield synagogue, in 1922, may

indicate that the Bloomfield Jewish community was religiously split in the early 1920s, as

stated on Temple Ner Tamid's website. By 1926, however, B'nai Zion appears to be the

major Bloomfield congregation with Abraham Lipton as the first president of the newly re-

chartered temple. Two years later the original building was razed, and the following year, on

June 9, 1929, the cornerstone for the new building was laid.

For the next 50 years Temple B'nai Zion demonstrated itself to be a significant conservative

congregation while maintaining its strong Zionist identity. Having persevered through the

Depression of the 1930s and World War II, the post-war years witnessed a revitalization.

The year 1947 saw the establishment of a Consolidated School between the conservative

congregations of Bloomfield, Montclair, Verona and Caldwell. Three years later, however,

with an upsurge of enrollment, the B'nai Zion Religious School was reconstituted. The

recipient of numerous highly-coveted Solomon Schechter Awards, the religious school had

close to 200 students in the late 1950s, while 1955 welcomed Bloomfield's first Jewish

nursery school.

With the 1960s came serious questioning of relocation to a more suburban setting. As was

written in nertamid.org, no doubt This was, in part, due to the creation of Temple Menorah.

Nevertheless, the trustees of Temple B'nai Zion chose to affirm its commitment to the

downtown community of Bloomfield by refurbishing the Franklin Street building instead, as

was mentioned in nertamid.org.

By the end of the 1960s, it became clear that with major shifts in the Jewish population, the

religious school could not be maintained on its own, as was stated in nertamid.org. In

September of 1970 the combined religious school of Temples B'nai Zion and Shomrei

Emunah began. By the end of the 1970s, the leadership of Temple B'nai Zion "consolidated"

with reform Temple Menorah in an affirmation of the Jewish "community" of Bloomfield,

according to "The Story of our Temple," 1969, by Rabbi Phillip Sigal.

The earliest beginnings of Temple Menorah are rooted in Temple B'nai Zion. Popular legend

has it that a number of families at B'nai Zion were uncomfortable over an emphasis upon

tradition, as was mentioned in nertamid.org. Some accounts place the issue of mixed

marriage as a central factor, as nertamid.org states. A small group, led by Morris Wein,

broke off to form a synagogue that was more responsive to liberal values, as stated in

nertamid.org. Joined by a number of unaffiliated families already living in the Bloomfield,

Montclair and Clifton area, Temple Menorah was chartered as a member of the Union of

American Hebrew Congregations in 1955. Irving Shakin was its first elected president.

The property for the new synagogue was a sheep farm and nursery located at Temple Ner

Tamid's present site on Broad Street. It was purchased for the sum of $42,000. The farm

house, which served as the congregation's building for five years, was restructured for a

sanctuary in the living and dining rooms, and classrooms were made from the upstairs

bedrooms. During this period, Temple Menorah would hold High Holy Day services at the

Watchung Presbyterian Church, as stated in nertamid.org.

The early years of Temple Menorah saw rapid growth, particularly due to the post-war

"baby boom" and the suburban relocation of the Passaic and Newark Jewish communities,

as stated in nertamid.org. The year 1960 witnessed two important landmarks for Temple

Menorah: the construction of a synagogue building and the hiring of Rabbi Nathan H. Fish,

as stated in nertamid.org. During the 1960s, Temple Menorah continued to grow with a

religious school population well over 200 students, requiring classes to be held in split-

sessions over Saturdays and Sundays.

With a new congregation in adjacent Clifton, however, and the continued population shift

further west, Temple Menorah's membership stabilized and began to gradually decline. As

the close of the 1970s, the leadership of Temple Menorah reasoned Bloomfield would be

better served by a single congregation rather than two separate, smaller synagogues. Thus,

in 1979, Temple Menorah and Temple B'nai Zion agreed to consolidate. Following the sale of

the Temple B'nai Zion property, the newly formed Temple Ner Tamid was dedicated in the

Temple Menorah building in June 1980.

Beth Sholom began in 1960, when a group of Passaic and Clifton families organized to

provide an alternate Jewish style to the existing orthodox learning experiences at the

Ahavas Israel and Temple Emanuel. They wanted, among other things, equal access to

Hebrew and religious training for girls as well as boys. The congregation grew and the

leadership began raising funds for a permanent home. Before they had a space of their own,

they rented space in the Odd Fellows Hall on Lexington Avenue. The Torah was taken to the

home of one of the founders each week for safekeeping.

During the early years, BSRT had student rabbis serving the temple: Rabbis Sills, Secher

and Soslow. When ordained, Edwin Soslow became the first full time rabbi. When he left to

go to Cherry Hill, Rabbi Skolnik, another rabbi with an "s" last name, came in 1975 and

remained their spiritual leader for 35 years.

BSRT had many cantorial soloists and students from HUC and other schools including JTS.

It was at BSRT that the first woman to be certified as a cantor from HUC served as a

student cantor and remained after that to make BSRT the very first temple in the country

to have a fully certified woman cantor, Barbara Ostfeld.

Through a high level of volunteerism, BSRT specialized in self generated programs and

activities creating a strong sense of community among the membership. Passover Seders

were cooked and prepared for members, guests and outsiders. There were countless hours

of volunteerism for numerous outreach programs, and bingo. On the more fun side, there

were barbecues, canoe trips and trips to Atlantic City.

BSRT suffered, as did other non-orthodox Passaic-Clifton congregations, from the

demographic shift toward orthodoxy and the loss of families as their children became Bar or

Bat Mitzvah. Unlike some of the other congregations which either folded or became

orthodox, BSRT remade itself as a "regional" congregation and held off the entropy which

trapped other temples. BSRT survived many years beyond predictions through effort and

voluntarism, creative rental projects and attracting local and regional members. BSRT

members joined Ner Tamid in 2010.

The merger of the German Presbyterian Church on Park Avenue at State Street with the

First Presbyterian Church on the Green brought a little known problem to Pastor Merle

Irwin of the merged congregation, as stated in the New Town Crier, the newsletter of the

Historical Society of Bloomfield.

The Park Avenue congregation brought its steeple bell with them and wished to have it

placed in the steeple of the Church on the Green, as stated in the New Town Crier. The rest

of the congregation was happy with the bell that was already in the steeple and did not want

it displaced. Irwin wrestled with this problem for years but couldn't come up with a solution

that would satisfy both groups. He finally asked his friend, Councilman Joe Barry, to see if he

could come up with a location for the bell.

After asking around and discussing it with Irwin, Barry brought the idea of locating the bell

on the South Green in front of Seibert Hall to Mayor John Kinder and the rest of the

Township Council. They wanted to know what it would look like before approving it.

Barry then spoke to his friend Felix Rospond, PE, owner of Rospond Associates, a Bloomfield

engineering firm. Rospond spoke to Levon Khachadourian, AIA, a Bloomfield architect, who

agreed to donate the design of the monument. Rospond donated the engineering. Barry

returned to the mayor and council with an architectural rendering of the monument and

they approved of the project and its location.

Irwin had some of the brown stone needed for the project. The balance of it came from the

old coal yard scale house on Bloomfield Avenue and Pine Street in Montclair. The Montclair

Housing Authority had demolished it and authority chairman Louis Racioppi allowed Barry

to take what was needed. Barry got the required red brick blocks donated by GAF Corp of

Linden through his friend plant manager, Arnold Schwartz. All the donated material was

stored in Barry's back yard pending the start of the project. It still needed a few more things

before it could proceed.

Barry went back to the Mayor and Council who approved a public works laborer to work

with the stone-mason. They also agreed to provide the concrete for the foundation and for

public works assistance in excavating the foundation, transporting the bell and setting it in

place when the masonry was completed.

The Church on the Green provided the funds to pay Angelo DiGeorgio, the stone mason. The

church also provided the bronze plaques. Eventually, work proceeded and was completed on

the South Green in early October 1979. The dedication of the monument with the bell was

held on Nov. 4, 1979, attended by Irwin, Bloomfield College President Merle Allshouse,

Mayor John Kinder, Councilman Joe Barry, Township Engineer Sam Deneka, and several

members of the Park Avenue congregation, including Mrs. Stevenson and Mr. August

Reiber. Mayor Kinder noted, "It really looks like the rendering we approved.

Thus the bell that for 70 years called to worship members of the Park Avenue German

Presbyterian Church now rests in front of Seibert Hall of Bloomfield.

The original families of New Light Baptist Church: Curstanza Middleton Family, John H.

Black Family, Paul Jones Family, Pettus W. Garnes Family, Lucius Smith Family, Eula Smith

Family, Manson Boone Family, William Torrence Family, George Paschal Family, Julius

Chisholm Family and Mrs. Francis Hill.

The first official staff of the New Light: The Rev. Junius Jefferson, pastor, Brother Curstanza

Middleton, deacon, Sister Carmilla Chisholm, church clerk, Sister Gladys Middleton,

assistant clerk, Sister Francis Hill, treasurer and Sister Allamay Jones, organist.

Pastors who have served New Light Baptist Church: The Rev. J. Jefferson, The Rev. R.

Iverson, The Rev. W. Middleton, The Rev. B. B. Felder, The Rev. M. Thomason, The Rev. J.

Douglas, The Rev. Dr. William C. Hall and The Rev. Vernon C. Miller.

According to information submitted by Vernon and Priscilla Miller, the origins of New Light

Baptist Church began on Aug. 18, 1925, when Mrs. G. EW. Hayes Hendricks and Mrs. Emily

Weathers decided to start a Sunday school class for little children who could not go to

church. On Sunday, Aug. 23, 1925, the first class was held with seven scholars in attendance.

The class was held on Douglas Street at the home of Lillian Valentine and Emily Weathers

who opened their doors wide for the little ones. The Sunday school continued to meet and

grew in number. According to information submitted by the Miller's, those who were

extremely important in this developmental stage were: Emily Weathers, founder, G.W.

Hayes Hendricks, teacher, Lillian Valentine, teacher, Fannie Field who was on the committee

which interviewed The Rev. J. W. Jefferson and urged him to take over and found a church

in Northern Bloomfield. According to a statement sent by the Miller's, Brother Joseph I.

Jackson was valuable in helping to start and continuously encouraging all endeavors.

The church school roll consisted of: AllamayJones, Roy Boone, Christine Boone, Josephine

Boone, Eula Smith, Katie Middleton, Geraldine Smith, Helen Middleton, Herbert Jones, Lula

Mary Middleton, Jessie Boone, James Middleton, Elbert Boone, Edward Middleton and

Gladys Middleton.

After these years of church school in the northern end of town, according to a statement sent

by the Miller's, a need was felt to organize a church. The New Light Baptist Mission was

organized at 384 Broughton Ave. in Bloomfield on Feb. 3, 1929. The Rev. Junius W.

Jefferson was elected the first pastor. The Rev. Jefferson was assisted in the organizational

process by The Rev. A. O. Bell of the St. Paul's Baptist Church in Montclair; The Rev.

Francis H. Tillman of the First Church in Woodbury and The Rev. Frank T. Carter of

Northern University in Long Branch. A few deacons also assisted The Rev. Jefferson. They

were: Deacon James Randolph - St. Paul Baptist Church in Montclair, Deacon H. Sanderson -

Shiloh Baptist Church in Newark, Deacon William Flood - Shiloh Baptist Church in Newark.

The first official staff of the New Light Baptist Mission was: The Rev. Junius Jefferson,

pastor, Brother Curstanza Middleton, deacon, Sister Carmilla Chisholm, church clerk, Sister

Gladys Middleton, assistant clerk, Sister Francis Hill, treasurer, Sister Allamay Jones,

organist.

According to a statement sent by the Miller's, the families which first belonged to New Light

were: The Curstanza Middleton Family, the John H. Black family, The Paul Jones family,

The Pettus W. Garnes family, The Lucius Smith family, The Euler Smith family, The

Manson Boone family, The William Torrence family, The George Paschal family, The Julius

Chisholm family and Francis Hill.

The New Light Baptist Mission was chartered in August 1935 under the Brotherhood Club

as the New Light Baptist Church. According to a statement sent by the Miller's, the church

grew steadily and the idea of expansion became more and more prominent. According to the

Miller's, Emily Weathers, one of the organizers of the Sunday school, gave a lot at 89 Dewey

St. to the church; another adjoining lot was purchased by the church. According to the

Miller's, New Light was truly a community church. People throughout the neighborhood

helped to build the new place of worship. Some played key roles due to their skill, interest

and/or training; others contributed their time and labor.

The plans for the church were drawn up by Deacon William Torrence, who was a building

contractor. He was also responsible for much of the carpentry work. The masonry work was

done by many but led by deacons Manson Boone and Pettus Garnes. In July, 1940, the

members and well-wishers marched from 348 Broughton Ave., led by The Rev. Jefferson, to

the present site with visions of a new andbeautiful edifice to be completed. Worship services

were held downstairs (now called the Fellowship Hall) for 10 years. With the diligence,

perseverance and blessingsfrom God Almighty, In April, 1950, the congregation marched

upstairs to an almost completed sanctuary, as written in a statement provided by the

Miller's.

According to a statement sent by the Miller's, The Rev. Jefferson had served for 12 years

until he passed away on Dec. 11, 1940. He had lived to see his dream of a new and expanding

New Light develop as written in statement sent by the Miller's. The church members

decided that the pulpit would remain vacant for one year from the date of his burial. At the

end of that period, on Jan. 20, 1943, The Rev. R. Iverson and The Rev. William Middleton

were jointly appointed to take charge. On Jan. 26, 1944, The Rev. William Middleton was

elected pastor, serving until June 27, 1949.

After approximately nine months, the Rev. B.B. Felder from Columbia, S.C., was called.

Under the Rev. B.B. Felder's leadership and guidance, the sanctuary moved further towards

completion. On Sunday, Nov. 5, 1950, the cornerstone was laid by the Order of the District

Deputy Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Lodge F and A.M. On Dec. 5,

1950, the Brotherhood Club transferred its charter of August 1935 from the Brotherhood

Club of the New Light Baptist Church in Bloomfield to the New Light Baptist Church of 91

Dewey St. in Bloomfield. On Dec. 18, 1952, it was decided to secure a mortgage of $1,400 to

complete the work still to be done in the church. This mortgage was paid in full in 1954. A

second mortgage was then secured and the house adjacent to the church was purchased. On

Sunday, Nov. 29, 1970, a Mortgage Burning Ceremony was held at New Light which

celebrated the church's freedom of all debt.

The Rev. Jesse Jeffries was called to pastor in November 1953, according to information

sent by the Miller's. He served for 11 years until his death on June 2, 1964, according to a

statement sent by the Miller's.

The Rev. Mason Thomason was then asked to serve, first as the acting pastor and later as

the pastor. He was ordained by the Shiloh Baptist Association on Oct. 18, 1964. In

November 1966, the Rev. John Douglas, son of Emily Weathers, one of the early members,

was installed as the pastor. These installation services for the Rev. Douglas began on

Wednesday, Nov. 30, and ended on Sunday, Dec. 4, 1966.

After the Rev. Douglas' resignation, The Rev. William C. Hall was installed in July 1968.

Under his leadership, the church liquidated its mortgage, increased its membership,

improved its financial status and organized a building fund, earmarked for a Christian

Education Building. The building would serve the entire community, both recreationally and

religiously, and better accommodate New Light's growing congregation. Ground breaking

was held on Oct. 31, 1976, according to a statement sent by the Miller's. In 1981, a service

dedicated the Christian Education building, the enlargement of the sanctuary. And a new

Fellowship Hall was named in memory of Deaconess Hettie Boone.

In 2008, The Rev. Dr. William C. Hall "stepped down" from the pastorate after 40 years.

Sept. 23, 2011 The Rev. Dr. William C. Hall went on from labor to reward, according to a

statement sent by the Miller's.

After Pastor Hall stepped down from the pastorate of the New Light Baptist Church, The

Rev. Vernon C. Miller was called to pastor, according to a statement sent by the Miller's. On

Nov. 9, 2008, The Rev. Vernon C. Miller was installed as pastor. In 2010, Miller

incorporated the New Light Community Development Corp., a 501(C)3 non-profit

organization.

In the late 1930s, the Great Depression was coming to an end, aided by England's

declaration of war against Germany in 1939, according to information submitted by The

Rev. Jin Bae of Bethany Presbyterian Church. With it, the American factories, especially in

the East Coast, went into high gear to give industrial assistance to the Allied Forces. It is

during this time that the neighborhood added thousands of homes.

The church was founded on March 29, 1942. According to information submitted by The

Rev. Jin Bae, Five years later, on March 30, 1947, the congregation moved into its present

church with the founding pastor, The Rev. William Neebe declaring, "Open to me the gates

of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord!"

According to information submitted by The Rev. Jin Bae, since the glorious beginning, their

church has had our ups and downs, increase in their membership and then a gradual

decrease. According to information submitted by The Rev. Jin Bae, in response to God's call,

The English congregation at Korean United Presbyterian Church merged with the Bethany

membership in April 2003, continuing as the renewed Bethany Presbyterian Church.

After being in the ministry for 20 years, Pastor Anthony Ventola and his wife Patricia

established Agape Worship Center in 1996 with a handful of parishioners, as stated on

agapeworshipcenter.com. Their services were held in a small church in Clifton that they

rented on Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings.

Within two years, the church grew, and they purchased and renovated their own building in

Bloomfield. Now in its 15th year, the church thrives in Bloomfield, reaching out to the inner-

city as well as the suburbs.

According to Bethel Church of Love and Praise's websitein February 1995, Bethel began

holding services at the Holiday Inn Jetport in Elizabeth. This facility served as a tabernacle

for three years, the church's website states. In May 1998, the congregation moved to

Bloomfield, its present location, which also serves as the headquarters for Covenant

Kingdom Ministries International (CKMI), according to Bethel Church of Love and Praise's

website, bethelckmi.org. This place provided the much needed space for their growth,

providing a main sanctuary, chapel, administrative offices, classrooms, communication

center, kitchen and fellowship hall, bethelckmi.org states.

Brookdale Reformed Church has been in existence for over 200 years according to their

website, brookdalereformedchurch.org. It's been burned down twice and it's gone by

different names, the website states. The building has been added on to and the congregation

has expanded and shrunk over the centuries.

According to First Baptist Church's website, the church was formed on Nov. 25, 1851 by 13

Christian believers: William Clark, Ellen Clark, David Cairns, Hepzebah Cairns, Joshua

Crane, Clarissa Crane, Uzal Ward, Sarah Ward, Caroline Sanford, Ann Sherwood, Charlotte

Vanderpool, Samuel Brower and Sylvester Looker. The Cranes and Wards were members of

the original Colonial founding families of Bloomfield, as stated on firstbaptistbloomfield.org. A

little school house on Franklin Street (near today's junior high) about a quarter mile from

their current location was the groups first place of worship.

According to Saint Thomas the Apostle Church's website, on Jan. 26, 1939, Archbishop of

Newark Thomas Joseph Walsh, canonically established the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle

in the Brookdale section of Bloomfield. On June 17, 1939, Father Thomas J. Herron received

the letter designating him the pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle. On Sunday, June 25, 1939,

the first parish Mass was celebrated by Father Herron.

On Aug. 6, 1939, ground was broken for construction of the church school building according

stachurchbloomfield.com.On Oct. 15, 1939, cornerstone was laid for the new church and

school building.

On Aug. 17, 1939, the parish corporation was formed. On July 23, 1939, the first benefit was

held for the church and this was followed by a family picnic, stachurchbloomfield.com stated.

In December 1939, the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary was organized. On March 31, 1940,

the dedication of St. Thomas the Apostle Church was by Archbishop Walsh, the website

states.

Other noteworthy dates mentioned on the church's website include September 1940, when

the school opened; October 1940, the convent's construction was complete; and Feb. 16,

1946, there was a funeral Mass for Father Thomas Herron.

On Dec. 5, 1955, the archbishop gave his approval to the building of the new church in a

letter to Father Magnier. On Feb. 21, 1960, Father Magnier offered the first Mass in the

new church, the website states.

More dates include March 26, 1960, which was the cornerstone laying and the formal

dedication and opening of the new church. On June 1975, Jose Barrios became the first man

from the Newark Archdiocese to the permanent diaconate and was assigned to St. Thomas.

St. Valentine's Church, according to its website, is a Roman Catholic community within the

local church of the Archdiocese of Newark.

Other churches in Bloomfield include Christian Faith Center, Korean United Presbyterian

Church, Brookdale Christian Church and Union Baptist Church.Compiled by Margot Hojell.

Tags: Community | History News | Religion | Houses of Worship | Bloomfield

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