The Lighthouse Church Unveils New Building

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE ­- You may have noticed a sign on Route 9 that said “Future home of Lighthouse Church” just a bit north of North Wildwood Boulevard on Route 9. That sign is no longer there.
The new church is now a reality. Lighthouse churchgoers had the opportunity to see their brand new church building for the first time during the Christmas Eve service.
A temporary certificate of occupancy was granted. Most were astonished and impressed with the church’s new home.
The church was then moved back to Middle Township Elementary #2 for the next two weeks, as a few required odds and ends were completed. This is where The Lighthouse Church has gathered for the past 15 years.
The Lighthouse church has roots that stem back to the early 1980s. The Church began when members of the Vineland Christian & Missionary Alliance began to pray for an Alliance church in the Cape May area.
In 1991 the church moved from the Herald Newspaper office building to Rick¹s Theater in Rio Grande to provide more space for the growing congregation.
In November of 1994, the charter members were received, a Board was elected and The Lighthouse Church became an officially “organized” Christian & Missionary Alliance church.
It was at that time that the church moved to Middle Township Elementary #2 in Cape May Court House.
“I am so grateful to the Middle Township Board of Ed for being gracious to us as we grew in Elementary School #2 over the years and their patience with us as we were doing all we could to move into a place of our own,” said Senior Pastor Rudy Sheptock, Jr., who came to the church in 1997.
“I am also very grateful to our friends and neighbors in strategic leadership positions within Middle Township who truly helped us and did all they could to see this dream come true today,” Pastor Rudy explained.
As of Saturday, Jan. 9, the church now gathers in its permanent home, a newly constructed building which resides at 1248 Route 9 South, Cape May Court House.
Jerry Stout, Chairman of Building, told the Herald that the facility is about 98% completed. “There is a relatively small list of to-do’s left, such as some landscaping, tile in the main hallway, HVAC in the new gymnasium, and complete the kitchen,” he explained.
Planning for the project started about four years ago, with major construction starting just last year. About forty church volunteers have helped with the progress.
“We didn’t believe that our home base had to be the biggest or the most impressive building,” said Pastor Rudy. “We wanted it just to be an adequate facility that would hold and launch the real ministry, which is working with people of all ages and all walks of life and pointing them to the true LIGHT- Jesus.”
The original cost of the plan was nine million dollars, but was later scaled back to three.
“This ‘Holy Rec Center’ does not have to look like a church from the outside, it’s more important that we be the church of Jesus on the inside!” said Pastor Rudy.
The official dedication will be later in the spring when the temperature is warmer.