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By GENE VERNACCHIO
Courier-Post Staff
Members of two of the township's largest predominately black churches are envisioning growing congregations and expanding facilities in the near future.
The black population in the township increased by just less than 35 percent between 1990 and 2000, according to official U.S. Census data.
At the First Baptist Church of Jericho, the Rev. Clabon Bogan, is ready to launch an aggressive campaign designed to boost the size of the present 700-member congregation.
"If all our church growth models are correct, our vision for the next three years is a heavy emphasis on evangelism. We'll be doing some street outreach," Bogan said. "We'd like to see another 40-percent growth within the next two years.
"And from that 40-percent growth, we'd like to acquire additional land and construct another church facility," he said.
Bogan said he'd like to see the present church converted into a community center once a new, larger church can be completed.
"We're looking to the future," he said.
Bogan said he estimates members would have to raise up to $2 million to purchase land and build a new facility.
The church, founded in 1911, recently celebrated its 90th anniversary. They moved into their present facility at the intersection of Mail and Church avenues in the township' s Jericho section in 1968 and were previously based along Woodbury-Glassboro Road.
Paulette Cooper, a member of First Baptist Church of Jericho for 38 years and the church secretary, said she has no doubt Bogan will be successful in growing the size of the congregation.
"He has a lot of creative ideas," Cooper said of Bogan. " He even wants to build a nursing home adjacent to the church, so that those of us who get older and have to go into a nursing home can be wheeled right next door for for services."
Bogan, who came to the church in 1993, said the size of the congregation has increased steadily and significantly over the years. He said he's focused his ministry on spiritual education and training his members to do the work of the ministry.
Cooper said many hear Rev. Bogan's message through his regular radio broadcasts and are attracted to the church.
"People come from all over to hear Rev. Bogan preach," Cooper said.
Meanwhile, Jacquelyn Love, Deptford's deputy mayor and a longtime member of the nearby Mount Zion-Wesley United Methodist Church at 1470 Glassboro Road, said her congregation, too, is looking to expand in the years ahead.
Love said her church has experienced some growing pains over the past decade, particularly since they've changed pastors three times over the past decade.
"We've had some ups and downs," Love said. "Our ministry certainly is growing. It's very different when you have someone new come in, because they bring a different perspective.
"We've already seen some changes designed to increase our membership," she said.
The present congregation is about 100 members.
The Rev. Maurice Brown, the pastor at the church since July 2001, deferred comment.
But Love said she sees brighter days ahead for her church.
"I see our church implementing a building program," Love said. "I see our church being more effective in outreach."
Love said her church needs additional classroom space, a larger sanctuary and fellowship hall and additional rest rooms.
Alfred Coy, the church's official historian, said Mount Zion-Wesley was formed in 1967 when Mount Zion UME in Woodbury combined with Wesley UME, formerly on Tanyard Road in Deptford.
Likewise, Coy said he envisions church membership continuing to grow in the years ahead.
Fortunately, he said, the church has plenty of room for expansion.
"We have a wooded lot to the rear of our church that goes clear back to Cattell Road," Coy said. "We've cleared a lot of it for things like cookouts in the spring and summer.
"But we have long-range plans to make that into sort of a retreat area, with nature trails, gazebos and things like that," Coy said.
He said there also have been discussions about incorporating a new nursery on the church grounds.
"We're certainly looking at brighter days ahead," Love said.
| Deptford Population 1990: 24,137 2000: 26,763 Change: +10.88% Source: U.S. Census Bureau Deptford |
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