(RNS) — For months, the members of Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, have been at odds with the town’s mayor — first over a proposal to build a homeless shelter on the church’s property, and then over the mayor’s plan to knock the church down to build a park with pickleball courts.
While plans for the shelter were rejected by the Toms River zoning board last month, a proposal to take Christ Church’s property by eminent domain has apparently stalled.
Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick told the Asbury Park Press newspaper that a vote on the eminent domain proposal — which had been scheduled for Wednesday (July 30) — is off the agenda for now. A first reading of the proposal had passed back in May, but a second vote is needed for approval.
As of Wednesday morning, the second reading was not on the proposed agenda for the meeting, which is published online.
Rodrick, who opposed the failed shelter, has said in the past he hoped the proposal would lead the church to sell its property. He’s told the newspaper he was surprised the church refused to sell.
“I thought they would be willing sellers,” the mayor told the Asbury Park Press, adding that he plans to survey the public to see if the community supports the plan to take the church’s property.
Rodrick has indicated in the past that the church property, which has a large parking lot and borders a neighborhood that has no parks within walking distance, would make the perfect spot for a park. He did not respond to a request for comment from RNS.
“I am relieved to learn that Mayor Rodrick has removed the ordinance from the July 30 agenda as he seeks the wisdom of the people he serves in Toms River,” said Bishop Sally French of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey in an emailed statement. “Attempts to take a house of worship by eminent domain would be a great injustice to the community Christ Church has served for 160 years. It would also infringe on our religious freedom.”
The proposal to take the Christ Church property caught church leaders off guard when it first appeared on the township council’s agenda back in April and has sparked community outrage and made national headlines. Local residents have organized a petition drive to oppose the proposal. A GoFundMe campaign to support the church has raised close to $25,000.
Tom’s River Mayor Daniel Rodrick. (Photo courtesy Tom’s River Township)
Church leaders say they have no interest in selling the property and say the congregation at Christ Church is thriving. The church has an average Sunday attendance of 138 people in person and an additional 33 online — making it much larger than the median-sized Episcopal church, which draws 38 people for worship, according to a denominational spokesperson.
Rodrick has mentioned the decline in attendance and membership in local churches as one reason why he wanted the city to take over the Christ Church property, saying the Episcopal diocese has more church buildings than it needs. A spokesperson for the diocese said that using the decline of churchgoing as a rationale for taking church property was “troubling.”
The diocese said it has not spoken to the mayor about selling the property.
“Bishop French is unaware of official communication from the mayor’s office regarding the property, and since Christ Church is not for sale, a meeting on that topic would be inappropriate,” according to an email from the diocese.
Church leaders have also vowed to oppose any attempt to take the property in court.