Christ Church Shrewsbury, 2013 JEFF VEIL This year marks the 275th anniversary of the charter issued to Christ Church in Shrewsbury, incorporating the parish as a member of the Anglican Communion.
To celebrate this anniversary, the parish, together with Dorn’s Classic Images, is mounting an exhibit entitled “Images of Christ Church Shrewsbury: Then and Now.”
The exhibit features segments about the charter; old photos, including the earliest from 1869; new photos; the church in art; and postcard views of the church. There is also a special section titled “Then and Now” that pairs old photos of the church with matching contemporary images.
“The Christ Church parish has been a presence in the borough and the county for over 310 years,” Parish Historian Robert M. Kelly Jr. said. “The iconic 1769 church building, seen every day by thousands of travelers, is emblematic of the treasure trove of history in our very midst.” The charter issued to Christ Church in June 1738 remains in the possession of the parish at the corner of Sycamore Avenue and Broad Street (Route 35) in Shrewsbury. The document was authorized by the New Jersey Provincial Assembly, the colonial arm of the British Crown. The monarch at the time was King George II.
Christ Church Shrewsbury, 1869 DORNS CLASSIC IMAGES The charter was critical to the continued existence of the parish in many important ways, including authority to own property and guaranteeing a continued supply of missionary priests.
The exhibit will be open through July 20 in the Christ Church Parish House at 380 Sycamore Ave. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except July 4. Children are welcome, and a special activity for schoolchildren is available.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the parish at [email protected] or 732-741- 2220, or visit www.christchurchshrewsbury.org.
Left: The interior of Christ Church Shrewsbury in 2013. JEFF VEIL 
Above: The tall cylindrical heater on the left was used to warm the church in the 1880s. MONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOC.