Covenant Christian Ministries will worship on Brunswick Avenue after long court fight
By: Lea Kahn
Despite lawsuit after lawsuit, Pastor Lester Blount never lost hope that the abandoned warehouse on the corner of Brunswick Avenue and Pine Street would become the Covenant Christian Ministries’ new home.
Pastor Blount’s faith in the system was rewarded this summer, when a three-judge panel of the Appellate Division upheld a ruling by Mercer County Superior Court Judge Judith Yaskin that sent the church’s use variance back to the township Zoning Board of Adjustment.
The first lawsuit was filed by the church in 1997, after the zoning board rejected its use variance request. Mercer County Superior Court Judge Linda Feinberg sent the application back to the zoning board in 1998, and it was approved.
Then, the Business Group of Brunswick Avenue filed a lawsuit, challenging the zoning board’s decision to grant the use variance. In 1999, Judge Yaskin upheld the zoning board’s approval of the use variance.
The businessmen’s group appealed Judge Yaskin’s decision to the Appellate Division, which ruled earlier this year in favor of Judge Yaskin – effectively ending the lawsuits.
"I feel great," said Pastor Blount, who leads the church with his wife, Pastor Linda Blount. "Even from the beginning, I had no doubts. I felt this was the place we needed to be. We are the only type of church in this area. Everybody needs the freedom to worship as they please."
"There were a few people rejecting us, but it wasn’t the whole community. People have welcomed us. They can’t wait until we open. The neighbors have opened their arms to us," Pastor Blount said.
"We will be a blessing to the neighborhood, not a detriment. We come to bless. We have touched a lot of lives. We want to empower people in every area of their lives – spiritually, financially and socially," he said.
The Covenant Christian Ministries holds no animosity toward its opponents, Pastor Blount said, adding that church members must practice what they preach – which is that "we all walk in love."
The Covenant Christian Ministries is a nondenominational church, he said. It is a church for all the people. It is open to any ethnic group, and it counts African-Americans, Caucasians and Indians among its membership, he said. There are about 100 members.
The church was begun in 1992 by Pastor Blount. He said he had served in the ministry for 13 years, and he felt called to organize the Covenant Christian Ministries. The group belongs to the Sayreville-based Faith Fellowship World Outreach Center.
"God sent us to this area because there was no other type of church like this. When my wife and I came to this area, we knew it was our area. That’s why I was so bold. I knew this was the building and this was the town (for us)," he said.
"I love serving people, and I love seeing people’s lives change. That’s what it’s all about. That’s why we are here – to help people. We have a lot to offer. There are so many people in this area and they should have the choice of where they want to (worship)," Pastor Blount said.
Although the Covenant Christian Ministries has been in and out of court for the past three years, Pastor Blount opened an office in the red brick warehouse two years ago. The group holds its Sunday morning worship services at the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center, and its Thursday night Bible study classes at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge on Route 1.
The church plans to convert the 9,600-square-foot warehouse into a church. Architectural plans show a 225-seat sanctuary, two pastors’ offices, three meeting rooms, a multi-purpose room, a choir room, a kitchen, a nursery and a conference room.
Pastor Blount said he hopes to begin the renovation work as soon as possible, although there is no timetable yet. When the work is finished, it will be a "first-class building," he said.