While Jersey City had two well-established churches, Bayonne lacked any Coptic spirit of the sense. However, that would soon change in 1997 as a newly ordained priest moved in with his family from Philadelphia. Father George, eager and ambitious, established the first Coptic Church in Bayonne. Despite many setbacks, this Church would continue its long, bittersweet journey for many years. In the beginning, the Church started off in the building of a Ukrainian Church on 27th street. Because it was not our building, the liturgy had to be within certain limits as the extra clutter had to be cleaned after in due time. As difficult as that may seem, the congregation actually began to grow.
The next stop would be in 5th street. Same issue, same story. The tribulations that came along with finding our own building were never really great enough to make us stop. Even though many problems arose, love continued to overshadow as the Church congregation became a family. Perhaps the most time was spent in the next stop -the YMCA. Although a place of many hardships, it was also a place of many wonderful memories. Every Sunday, Abouna (Father) & the servants would wheel in the altar in the empty gym walls while they unfolded chairs. After the liturgy, the children would gather in the many Sunday School rooms with the servants that they loved as the toddlers made a racket and ran to the vending machines. When Sunday school finally ended the servants would stay after to quickly help Abouna clean the area –only so they could do it all over again next week. On the night of the Apocalypse, the kids would gather in the back room as they listened to Abouna’s prayers. Nahda (St. Mary's Prayer) could not be done everyday, for we had to comply with the attended schedule of the YMCA, but the few nights we had were beautiful and certainly unforgettable. Even though the YMCA might not favor our Church very much, they will certainly remember us!
After a long fought battle, Father George finally raised enough money to buy land on city line. But it wasn’t just any piece of land –it was an old historic bar that had been there for years. The place where Ronald Reagan had once held a campaign back in the day had been replaced by Coptic icons and a beautiful smell of incense. As the Church is still in the process of being built in the back, the little building has taken its toll in construction. With city restrictions, safety requirements, and never ending problems to be solved, the little building eventually came to represent our own Church. This was done only through the blessing of God through the intercession of St. Abanoub, St. Antonious, and the diligence of willing individuals.
While we still have years to go until the final Church is built, we have certainly come a long way. But one must note that the beauty of the journey is not in the concrete, brick walls or the newly installed chairs, but rather in the love that the Church has left behind. It was sharing such hardships that created a bond that still lives to this day. It was every moment spent looking at the future that has overcome the troubles and the issues. And it will be the memories, created by this family, which will continue to live within the walls of the Church, regardless of where it is.
