First Baptist Church - Egg Harbor City, NJ - Baptist Churches on Waymarking.com

First Baptist Church is located in Egg Harbor City, NJ, nestled in the quiet neighborhood of London Avenue. While the church website offers all types of information about programs and other related items, the site offers absolutely nothing about the history or age of the church. I wrote to the church a few weeks later I received an e-mail from the pastor. It seems the church is over 100 years old. Curiously, I read a comprehensive history of the town and there was no mention of the church, despite its longevity and long-standing relationship with the community.

From Pastor Paul Ort I learned the church was founded in 1882 as the "First German Baptist Church of Egg Harbor City".  It continued as such until the late 30's.  The doors were closed for a time and was restarted in the 40's as a pentecostal church for a few years.  in 1956 Frank Camillo took over the church as pastor, it again had closed its doors breifly prior to this.  He pastored here until 1997, where Pastor Ort as been pastor to the present day. 

The Back part of the church was added in the 60's.  The main auditorium (to the left of the old church building) was added in 1975.  The second story was added in 1995 and finished in 2002.  The light house steeple was added in 2002 and the foyer renovated in 2007.  The Lighthouse represents the light of Jesus. The lighthouse therefore reflect the church's belief in His glory and love to the world.  Pastor Ort write, "I believe a Lighthouse is a symbol of the church's faith in G_d.  Although we are not near the shore, we are Egg Harbor, so a light house is appropriate."  He also collects lighthouses and has visited all the NJ lighthouses.  Sounds like a future waymarker!

The only visible aspect of the original church is the window above the sign with a likeness of Barnegat Light, 1882.