VENTNOR – As Christians around the world celebrate the promise of eternal life brought by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the city will be welcoming the renewed hope of a revived congregation of worshipers.
Fusion Church of Ventnor will be opening the doors to Christ on Palm Sunday, March 29, with an enhanced celebration on Easter Sunday, April 5.
The new non-denominational congregation located at the former Ventnor Community Church, 2 S. Victoria Ave., will be led by Pastor Brendon Wilson, who ministers at two other Fusion churches on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township and on Salem Avenue in Newfield.
“The old church closed last May, and the building was donated to us for $1,” he said.
The church is undergoing extensive interior renovations, including refurbishing the stained glass windows, carpeting and electrical systems. Repairs will respect the historic nature of the church building.
“It had fallen into disrepair due to a dwindling congregation,” he said. “Anything we do to the building will honor the past.”
Rev. Wilson expects the flock to return as the summer season quickly approaches.
“We have a pretty large congregation in Egg Harbor Township, and we expect those who live in this area will prefer to worship here,” he said. “I’m looking forward to a busy summer season.”
Rev. Wilson, who emigrated from South Africa 26 years ago, said he first saw the building in 2016 when it was struggling to survive after Hurricane Sandy.
He said he is finding that in the current climate in the country, more people, especially young adult men, are seeking answers and returning to churches to find those answers.
“We are finding that not only locally, but across the nation as well,” he said.
Services will be held at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. New video technology being installed in the church will allow the pastor’s weekly message to be live streamed to all three churches, but the music, children’s programs and fellowship will be local.
The church will also be home to the South Jersey Hope Center, which works to bring hope to the hopeless, he said. Ministry includes the Atlantic City feeding program, distribution of hygiene and toiletry products to those who need them, and the establishment of a food pantry that would be available to local residents.
“The Hope Center started as a dream of Beverly Gill, who was the last elder standing at the Ventnor Community Church and provided us with the opportunity to continue this ministry.”
The church is embarking on its new beginning with the theme “Resurrected Not Just Revived,” and with faith as a journey, not a destination.
For more information, see FusionChurch.cc/Ventnor, or call 609-601-1299.
