GOSHEN – The former Goshen United Methodist Church on Route 47 was again for sale shortly over a year since it was purchased by Will Keenan, a former entertainer, and actor. The “for sale” sign went up and was removed.
Keenan said a “celebrity friend donated a substantial amount of money to all the things we planned to do within our original two-year business plan.” That donation was sufficient to reverse a reluctant decision to sell the property.
Keenan said that bad press, driven by a small group of families concerned with the adjoining cemetery’s management, had caused him to lose a “considerable amount of money” when he had to scale back his plans.
Keenan argued that he has much more support in the community than is realized and that he has tried to work with those concerned about the cemetery.
A Brief Look Back
Kennan renamed the church St. Babs after his deceased mother, calling it a church of all religions centered on spirituality, the arts, and a commitment to addiction recovery.
Keenan’s purchase of the property in January 2017 included the adjacent cemetery.
According to Keenan, he was not given an option to purchase the church building without the cemetery.
Problems began when Keenan advertised a Halloween event that included the use of the graveyard as a fundraiser to secure monies for the renovation of the building.
Controversy erupted over what many families of individuals interred in the cemetery considered an inappropriate use of the grounds for ghost tours, a promised séance, and a buried-alive exhibit, among others.
For his part, Kennan claimed he was doing nothing more than offering ghost tours of a graveyard similar to events held across the county.
He denied any intention to host séances, and said the buried-alive exhibit was off cemetery property. He noted that most of the planned event was called off in response to community concerns. Keenan pointed to the many community-based events at the church.
Since that time, a group of families who own plots or have loved ones buried there have formed a non-profit organization. They hired a lawyer to seek a binding agreement with Keenan for uses of the cemetery grounds and to deed restrict the property for any future sale.
The possibility of that future sale came sooner than anyone expected.
Property for Sale
The situation “eventually got to the point where, as the founder of a not-for-profit church corporation, I needed to keep all options open,” Keenan said.
The “for sale” sign went up. Keenan said he both cried and prayed. “Within 10 minutes,” he said, he had the donation necessary to keep going.
The church building, which Keenan has used as both a community center and a home, was described in listings as “perfect for church assembly, residence/condos” or shop, restaurant, or even brewery. The listing also mentioned “possible subdivision of building structure and graveyard,” raising a specter of concern for those focused on management of the cemetery.
Keenan said that the Middle Township Zoning Office told him of the subdivision possibilities when he purchased the property.
Keenan also noted that he has offered to give the cemetery to the township or to the non-profit formed by the families seeking restrictions on the use of the graveyard. “So far no takers,” he said.
“I’ll continue to beautify the cemetery property and follow the New Jersey Cemetery Act law,” he said, adding “a very large number of people have said that the cemetery hasn’t looked as good in 10 years.”
The Future
Keenan has been actively seeking grant funding for church programs and says he has met with some success. “We will be able to continue helping people in this and surrounding communities,” he said.
Keenan even pointed to a “letter of eligibility from the National Historic Registry,” saying “I was surprised that this historic estate had never been submitted for the Historic Register.”
“We have been able to help a lot of people in this community,” Keenan claimed. “I invite anyone to stop in,” and promised, “I’ll give the tour myself.”
The prospect of a sale avoided may intensify the concerns of some families to have deed restrictions on the cemetery.
For his part, half a year after the Halloween controversy, Keenan has avoided the sale of the property. He said he is committed to continuing the mission of St. Babs.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
Cape May – Why don’t some of our well established builders even answer their phones, answer texts or emails. Who would ever recommend them to a friend.
