The following is a transcript of remarks given by Ms. Linda Shomo of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Asbury Park, at the March 16, 2024 Stations of Reparations Service at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Asbury Park.[1]
St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Asbury Park. Photo by Jolyon Pruszinski.
Good Afternoon Saints.
My name is Linda Shomo, and I’ve been a member of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church of Asbury Park for as long as I can remember. As a child I was baptized and confirmed in the old church on Sylvan Ave. I attended Sunday School, which started my spiritual foundation. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child, and St. Augustine’s provided that safe space.
I was an officer in E.Y.C., Episcopal Young Churchmen and Churchwomen, and spent many awesome years involved in activities on the convocation level and diocesan level of the Episcopal Church. It was also our social safe space, where we engaged with other Episcopal youth. We joined everyone at Medford Lake for weekend retreats, both spiritual and social. Those memories are still a part of my happy days (I’m dating myself here).
My love of music (i.e. singing) reconnected me back to St. Augustine’s to sing in the choir. I’ve been involved in praising the Lord through singing for over fifty-five years. Music feeds me spiritually and enhances my worship.
I’ve always had a love of young people, so it was not a surprise when I became a young adult youth leader at a very young age. I wanted other young folks to experience the love of Jesus through fellowship and worship. I spent over seven years on the Diocesan Youth Council as an advisor. I also taught Sunday school and was the superintendent of Sunday school for many years.
St. Augustine’s is a Historic Black Church. It was founded by The Rev. A.J. Miller, Rector of Trinity Church, Asbury Park. As a result of the Cottage Mission Services, he conducted in 1890 for the people of the Westside of Asbury Park, Bishop John Scarborough took great interest in the work being accomplished by Rev. Miller and he turned over $637.43, the Advent Offering of 1892, for the purpose of property and the construction of a Chapel. Through hard work and sacrifices, land was purchased. On All Saints Day 1893, Rev. Miller laid the cornerstone for the Chapel on Sylvan Ave. On January 3, 1894, Bishop Scarborough blessed the Chapel and the first Eucharist was performed on January 14, 1894. [From] the inception of this first building program, the congregation and countless friends made many donations to the Chapel.
It was recommended by 1904 that we apply for status as a Parish, and we’ve been a Parish ever since. We continued to grow in numbers, heavily involved in the community and doing great things. Due to urban renewal, we relocated to this current church building, which was dedicated on October 17, 1971 by Bishop Albert Van Duzer. We were able to retire the mortgage in 1995. We have always been a parish of highly professional members, which includes doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, teachers, police officers – including the first Black Chief of Police, State Assembly Person, first Black Mayor of Asbury Park, and numerous City Council Members.
I was born and raised in Neptune, the next town over from Asbury Park, and I ‘ve always known about Trinity Episcopal Church, Asbury Park and the connected history of both churches. Most importantly, I also lived through this history as a teenager. We never felt welcomed to join them in activities and worship. We were allowed occasionally to use the gym for basketball, but never jointly with the Trinity youth. It wasn’t until later in my life that we were invited and welcomed to participate. Asbury Park as a whole was, and still is, divided by the Eastside and across the railroad tracks the Westside.
[There was] a riot in Asbury Park from July 4 through July 10, 1970. Looting and destruction left more than 180 people injured and [an] estimated five million dollars in damages. It was stated by the Asbury Park-Neptune NAACP that lack of jobs, vacant housing situations caused by “urban renewal,” and non-inclusion of the Westside in decision-making played a major role in the cause of this riot. I remember participating in a Prayer Vigil with St. James Episcopal Church, Bradley Beach, with the late Rev. Kenneth Gluckow, at St. Augustine’s right after the riot ended, praying for peace and restoration of the city.
Urban towns to black folks are special. Some of us were born and raised in these towns and we remain committed to lifting up and sustaining our urban towns to succeed and prosper. Sometimes we need assistance to sustain the standard levels that suburban towns take for granted. We don’t always have opportunities to advance our properties but nonetheless, we desire to remain on an even playing field. Asbury Park is a prime example of this fact. The Eastside is now completely gentrified. When Asbury Park was in trouble financially after White-flight, Black folks remained on the Eastside and Westside owning homes and businesses in the downtown area. We remained loyal even when the town did not show us love. No money was ever available to develop businesses and properties. Projects remained incomplete and the town went down even farther. At some point in time, developers started investing money in land and properties, and to-date Asbury Park is an eclectic town with million-dollar condos, town houses, and lofts.
We are loyal to our Black Churches and we want the same opportunities that are afforded to everyone else. We are sometimes invisible to society at large and we must remain united in order to make sure that we are treated equally, especially during these turbulent times, both political and financial.
St. Augustine’s remains committed to creating opportunities wherever and whenever possible. Outreach programs are vital to sustainability within our communities. We have [had] Sunday feeding programs since the early 1990’s and we feed our community each Sunday. God always provides a way, even during the COVID Pandemic. We also have an after-school enrichment program for our urban youth. We now have an enrollment of nine young people. We offer homework assistance, arts, crafts, games, a reading library, presentations on enrichment to show our Black youth that they can overcome all barriers and be whatever they want to be, positive role models, plus a full-course dinner meal. These young people look forward to Wednesdays. We now have a family who plans to attend Easter service. Thank you E.C.S.[2] for the grant which assists us in maintaining these programs.
St. Augustine’s remains fully involved on the diocesan and national Church levels. We stay visible and involved so that people know who we are, and that Asbury Park is the home of two Episcopal churches. Thank you for this opportunity to share my personal story of my beloved church, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
[1] For a description of the service see Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, "Stations of Reparations Service, St. Augustine's Asbury Park, NJ March 16, 2024," DNJRJR (May 1, 2024): https://dionj-racialjusticereview.blogspot.com/2024/05/news-stations-of-reparations-service-st.html.
[2] Episcopal Community Services.
