finediony New Jersey news: church

Showing posts with label church. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Webcam spying victim's parents leave their church

Eyewitness NewsRIDGEWOOD, N.J. -- The parents of Tyler Clementi say they have left their longtime village church due to its views on homosexuality.

Jane Clementi tells the New York Times (http://nyti.ms/NRpGaE) she decided she could no longer attend Grace Church in Ridgewood because doing so would suggest she supported its teachings against homosexuality.

Clementi also say she took strength from reading the Bible as she reconsidered her views on the topic.

Clementi's son, Tyler, killed himself by jumping off the George Washington Bridge in 2010.

His death came just days after his roommate had used a webcam to spy on Clementi's romantic liaison with a man in their freshman dorm at Rutgers University.

The case garnered national attention and made Clementi a symbol of the perils of mistreating young gays.

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new jersey, dharun ravi, tyler clementi, rutgers university, new jersey news

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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hernandez reportedly confessed to Etan Patz murder in church

MOORESTOWN (WABC) -- Reverend George Bowen oversees Maranatha Christian Fellowship church in Moorestown, where Pedro attended in recent years, but stayed mostly quiet.

Bowen's wife Rosemary and daughter Becky were active, and are leaning very much now on their pastor for support.

Back in the 80s, not long after 6-year-old Etan Patz was killed, Pedro Hernandez moved to Camden, and attended St. Anthony DePadua Catholic Church. It was there, reports say, he confessed during a prayer meeting that he killed a child in New York.

Tomas Rivera, is said to have been present during that prayer group confession. Eyewitness News tried to speak with Rivera, but a woman who answered the door said rivera could not say anything to the media.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the NYPD is trying to track down anyone with knowledge of Hernandez's earlier confession.

The friars at St. Anthony's say the prayer group meeting happened long before they arrived, but some of the old members from that time still attend. They say confessions don't happen under those circumstances anymore.

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new jersey, etan patz, pedro hernandez, new jersey news, toni yates

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Suspect returns 1 of 2 stolen lambs from church

John Antalek, Eyewitness NewsRUMSON, N.J. (WABC) -- A criminal with a conscious who pulled off a Christmas caper was caught on camera in New Jersey.

Surveillance video shows the man running off with two lamb statues from a nativity scene outside Holy Cross Church in Rumson last week.

Later that same night, surveillance caught the thief again, this time returning one of the lambs.

A reward is offered for the safe return of the second statue.

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Church battles to keep Paramus location

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsPARAMUS, N.J. (WABC) -- A New Jersey congregation could soon be forced to find a new place to hold services.

The church is in a battle to keep their current building.

If they lose, they will have to move from their current location in Paramus.

"We have a depiction of the Good Samaritan, Jesus with out-stretched arms," said Pastor Joe Smaha, of Community Church.

The days are numbered for Pastor Joe Smaha and his wife Pam to enjoy Community Church of Paramus' cozy quarters.

"This is a hugging church. You don't come or leave without getting a hug," Pastor Smaha said.

"Well, you know, it is our life," said Pamela Smaha, a church member.

The church has long paid off its mortgage.

Expensive restorations were recently made to the 82-year-old building, but it's been struggling for years to grow a congregation, barely six members at its lowest.

But now, things have really grown.

"At Christmas Eve services we had about 35 people," Pastor Smaha said.

But that growth apparently isn't enough for the "Christian Missionary Alliance", which the small, once independent church joined in the 90's, to add to its credibility.

Pastor Smaha says a little known clause in the agreement, gave the CMA power that is bringing the church to its knees.

"He said, 'Your congregation is too small, we can shut you down.' I said, 'How is that possible?' He said, 'We can take the church and the property,'" Pastor Smaha said.

They're out January 1st, though they are appealing the decision.

The pastor and his congregation have been in this fight for three years now.

So far, judges have not decided in their favor, but they're not giving up, they are leaning on faith."

"We feel like God called us to help the community," Pastor Smaha said.

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new jersey, paramus, new jersey news, toni yates

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Donated gifts stolen from church in Ramsey

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsRAMSEY, N.J. (WABC) -- Parishioners at a New Jersey church aren't letting some thieves get in the way of their giving spirit.

Someone stole thousands of dollars worth of gifts that were going to be given to needy children in Ramsey, but the community has stepped up to help.

Father Kelly had to tell his parishioners that $3,000 of donated gifts had been stolen.

"There were toys, there were gift cards, there was clothing, all kinds of board games, etc&that we were giving to the needy," said Rev. Richard Kelly, St. Paul Church.

Word spread fast and there has been a steady stream of people giving.

"We've had a very good result from people just hearing about it," a parishioner said.

They've taken in nearly three times the amount of gifts.

One woman came in with a bag full of gifts for needy children, who had said that she just went to Kmart to pay off the toys that she had for her own kids on layaway, but a stranger came into the store over the weekend and paid for all of the toys on layaway.

So, she had $100 to spare.

"Yeah, $100 was what was left on my layaway, so I went and spent a little bit more, but you know I just wanted to give back because that's what we are supposed to do, especially around this time of year," said Jennifer Kerin, a donor.

She was happy to pay it forward, and another mom says that she was proud to see how her kids reacted.

"So one of my twins who is 10 years old went home and started making jewelry out of shells to raise money, and she raised $33," said Deirdre Dillion, a parishioner.

As more and more donations came in, someone commented, "It's just nice to know there are good people in the world, you know?"

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new jersey, theft, new jersey news, michelle charlesworth

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Man who murdered 2 in NJ church gets life terms

Joseph Pallipurath, suspect in a deadly church shooting in New Jersey.

Eyewitness NewsPATERSON -- A California man who shot to death his estranged wife and another person inside a New Jersey church has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms without parole.

Joseph Pallipurath of Sacramento also received a consecutive 20-year sentence for attempted murder when he was sentenced Friday.

Pallipurath was convicted last month of murdering 24-year-old Reshma James and 25-year-old Dennis Mallooseril, a bystander who tried to help her. He had also been convicted of attempted murder for shooting another woman.

Prosecutors say Pallipurath drove across the country to confront his wife, who had left to escape what relatives say was an abusive marriage. She was killed in the vestibule of St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Knanaya Church in Clifton in 2008.

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