A blog about living in Aberdeen, New Jersey.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Principe de Paz in Cliffwood Beach

La Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana Principe de Paz (First Presbyterian Prince of Peace Church) has been meeting in the old Bayview Presbyterian Church at the corner of West Concourse and Greenwood Avenue for the past five years. Their congregation served the Puerto Rican and Cuban communities in Asbury Park for more than twenty years as a Presbyterian mission development project before coming here.

Julissa Alvarez-Garcia, the commissioned lay pastor at Principe de Paz, has been involved with her congregation since Asbury Park. She worked with a Presbytery committee to facilitate the move, which included a lengthy layover at Shrewsbury Presbyterian Church while a permanent home was found.

Alvarez-Garcia and the congregation, with support from the Presbytery, have significantly renovated the old Bayview building and improved the grounds. Some things you can see and some you cannot. The parking lot was paved and sidewalks and ramps were built. The boiler system was replaced. A leaking oil tank was discovered and removed, along with many truckloads of affected soil. The most recent improvements include the demolition of the vacant manse next door. (Thanks to Councilman Greg Cannon for his assistance with getting the utilities capped.)

Alvarez-Garcia and her congregation hosted the 25 June 2013 meeting of the Presbytery of Monmouth. And she was chosen by the Presbytery to serve as one of their commissioners to attend the 222nd annual session of the PCUSA General Assembly in Portland, Oregon in June 2016.

Principe de Paz are good neighbors and a welcome addition to Cliffwood Beach. Check out their Facebook page for details on their activities.