www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Nativity Of Our Lord BCC Church, East Brunswick, NJ

Ok, my Spidie senses are up. In the last few weeks the Bishop has been around and has decided to do some work on our church. He has also told our priest that he has nothing to do with it and everything is the Bishop's decision and he is paying for it. When I came to church this morning, I cried. It looks so generic and homogenous, it could be any number of churches. The icon screen is still up, but a few icons on the walls have been painted over. Who does this 3 weeks before Christmas. Instead of decorating for St. Nicholas, we have paint cans. He has decreed we need a new roof (and the men he sent caused a small fire on the roof with a propane tank), and a new parking lot. Why now? What's the rush? WE DON'T NEED THESE THINGS!!!! And again, who does these things right before Christmas?

Are we going to be up sale? Will the Coptic Congregation that rents our church buy it? Is he planning on moving in when he retires?

All our priest knows is that he is not involved in any of it and was told to stay away from it. It is so disrespectful to the people of Nativity. We are kept in the dark like we don't matter - and I know that we don't.

Does anyone know what's going on?

Mary Louise

Don't want to scare you, but the Ukrainian Catholic Studite monastery outside of Toronto was sold to the Coptic Orthodox Church recently. And sold by the local Ukrainian Catholic bishop blind to the protests of the laity who worshipped at this monastery.
The Coptic Church is expanding and they do seem to have lots of money.
I would ask any of the people you know if the Coptic parish if they are looking for a church building or planning to buy your church building.