Ocean Grove United - Contact Us

Working for Civil Rights for All Ocean Grove Residents

Joan Caputo — Chairperson, O.G.U.
joancaputo@oceangroveunited.org

Barbara Burns— Vice Chairperson, O.G.U.
Dan Garrow— Treasurer, O.G.U.
Mick Hale — Webmaster, O.G.U.org

Ocean Grove United
PO Box 501
Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

"The Camp Meeting Association's policy of discrimination against gays and lesbians wishing to hold their civil unions in the Ocean Grove boardwalk pavilion is shameful. It is a violation of civil rights and an affront to all members of the community and to justice and equality. This policy does not reflect the Ocean Grove community that we know and love."

Mary Beth Jahn
Mayor
Neptune Township (which Ocean Grove is a part of)

"The Camp Meeting Association receives federal services and funds. Therefore, they don't have any right to be exclusionary. I don't believe they have a leg to stand on legally with this case. They have to reverse this decision."

Frank Pallone, Jr.
U.S. Congressman
6th District of NJ

"Same-sex civil union ceremonies should be allowed in the Ocean Grove boardwalk pavilion. This is a civil rights issue and not about gays or lesbians. It's about the rights of individuals to be full members of all of their communities."

Randy Bishop
Committeeman & Former Mayor
Neptune Township (which Ocean Grove is a part of)

"Why are some kinds of prejudice acceptable? Would Ocean Grove forbid African-Americans or Asians or people with handicapping conditions from use of the pavilion? Of course not. To forbid gays and lesbians use of this space is not only illegal, it's ethically wrong."

Reverend Julie Parker
Ordained Minister
United Methodist Church

"Not only does this blatant and plainly unchristian policy of discrimination fly in the face of the biblical prophets' passion for social justice, but it is clearly contrary, it seems to me, to the open-hearted, inclusive spirit of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism."

Reverend David Parker
Retired Minister
United Methodist Church

"Discrimination and prejudice are never acceptable-but they are especially disturbing when they come covered by a veneer of religiosity. Since the Ocean Grove boardwalk pavilion serves all people and is in no sense 'a church,' same-sex civil unions should be permitted the same way that weddings have been allowed."

Reverend Robert Kriesat
Retired Lutheran Minister
Vice Chair of Garden State Equality