On a walk through the town of Dover, you will come across numerous eateries. The top four restaurants (as ranked on Yelp) feature Peruvian, Mexican, Columbian, and Cuban food – not surprising as nearly 70% of Dover’s population is Hispanic. Your walk will also take you past the Dover train station, the last stop for NJ Transit's Morristown and Montclair-Boonton lines, and a beautiful stone church that has served the community since 1871, St. John’s Episcopal.
In the early years, St. John’s ministry included a parish school. One hundred forty-three years later, St. John’s continues to serve the community’s children as a North Porch primary center, providing critical supplies for babies and toddlers in need. Seniors also visit St. John’s, gathering for a midday meal on Mondays and Thursday as part of the Morris County Nutrition Project. And the church hosts a number of recovery programs. Four evenings a week a Spanish-speaking men’s Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group meets in the church basement, a space they have embraced and given some of their own flavor with paint and furnishings. Wednesday evenings, a women’s AA group meets and Thursday evenings, a Narcotics Anonymous group. A congregation poised for Hispanic/Latino ministry growth and development, worship at St. John’s currently includes a bilingual Episcopal service on Sunday mornings. Literally hundreds of Dover community members, of all ages, visit St. John’s every week.
Unfortunately, they aren’t received into a fully welcoming environment. The desire of the congregation to support these community ministries has overshadowed the need for building maintenance and repair in recent years. Bathroom facilities on the lower level aren’t functional and the main floor facilities require significant update. Repair and renovation estimates total $4,500.
The Bishop is issuing his first call for the Bishop’s Church Emergency Fund on behalf of St. John’s in Dover. Please offer St. John’s assistance as the ministries working in the church offer assistance and support to the community.
