(Neptune, NJ) – Bishop John Schol of The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey met with a small group of worshipers from the Alpine Community Church to explore ways that the church can move forward in the wake of a court ruling over property rights.
The meeting was scheduled with Stephanie Dello Russo, the chair of the board of Alpine Community Church after the Superior Court of New Jersey ruled that the property of the Alpine Community Church is held in trust for The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey. The Alpine Community Church is one of the earliest churches of the Methodist movement and has been operating as a United Methodist Church since 1843.
“The United Methodist Church is committed to welcoming all in the community including those involved in the lawsuit,” said Bishop Schol. “We want to encourage everyone to participate in the future of Alpine Community Church.”
During the meeting, the group shared their history with the church, their experiences in the community and their concerns for the future. Bishop Schol shared in fellowship and joined those in attendance in prayer.
Dello Russo and others on the board did not attend the meeting.
The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey is comprised of 560 churches throughout the region, including Alpine Community Church. Together, these churches have a tremendous impact on the region including serving to care for the spiritual health of the community, serving more than 450,000 people in need annually and leading A Future With Hope, a Sandy recovery organization which has rebuilt 237 homes to date in the state.