St. George Greek Orthodox Church has served Greek and Orthodox Christian families on the Jersey Shore since 1929, when a small gathering of immigrants from Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Red Bank came together to celebrate the Paschal Resurrection. Today the parish makes its home at 1033 West Park Avenue in Ocean Township, where a domed church, a Cultural Center, an Administration Building, an Education Center, and a 9,000-square-foot Athletic Center opened in 2012 after more than two decades of planning. The parish is part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, within the Metropolis of New Jersey, and includes an affiliated cemetery in nearby Neptune.
From Long Branch to West Park Avenue: A Parish Ninety-Plus Years in the Making
The parish traces its formal organization to the Agio Voithitiko Silogo, an auxiliary association first formed in Long Branch in 1913 to support Greek immigrants and establish a Greek church and school. The Silogo moved to Asbury Park in 1928, drawn by the growing number of Greek families, and was renamed the Saint George Hellenic Community. The first officially recorded church service took place in the basement of the Asbury Park Library on Saint Demetrios Day, October 26, 1929. George S. Pappayliou, who served as the community's Godfather, chose Saint George as the patron and named the parish "Saint George Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Asbury Park."
The community met in rented spaces for years, including the Interlaken Hotel on Sixth Avenue from 1937 to 1947. A permanent priest, Reverend Spyridon Coutros, arrived from Ohio in September 1947. By 1943, a committee was already searching for a building site. Property at 700 Grand Avenue in Asbury Park was purchased, and in 1949 the parishioners celebrated Divine Liturgy in their own church, twenty years after their first service in the library basement.
Property for a cemetery was acquired in Neptune in 1954, and the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cemetery officially opened in 1957. The Philoptochos Society donated $14,000 in 1963 to fund a cultural center; ground was broken in 1965 and the addition was completed the following year. The Philoptochos also launched the parish's first "A Little Bit of Greece" festival in 1975, a three-day event whose proceeds paid off the remaining parish mortgage.
Father Coutros retired on January 31, 1977, after thirty years of ministry. He fell asleep in the Lord on August 15, 1992. In the mid-1990s, parishioners dedicated an altar in his memory at the cemetery, where Memorial Day services are held each year. Reverend Andrew Eugenis accepted his assignment to Saint George in June 2001 and serves as the parish's Proistamenos.
For more than twenty-five years, the community worked toward a new church home. Land on West Park Avenue in Ocean Township was purchased, an architect was selected, and ground was broken in the summer of 2008. On Sunday, April 1, 2012, the parish celebrated the Thyranixia, the formal opening of the doors of the new Saint George Greek Orthodox Church. The campus at 1033 West Park Avenue includes the church itself, a Cultural Center, an Administration Building, an Education Center, and an Athletic Center.
Saint George, with its sister churches of Saint Barbara in Toms River and Kimisis tis Theotokou in Holmdel, has continued to celebrate Holy Cross Day in September. In recent years, His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos reinstated the celebration as a statewide event, held at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park.
Sunday Worship: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
Sunday mornings follow the rhythm of the Orthodox liturgical day. Orthros begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. The Divine Liturgy is the central worship of the Orthodox Church, celebrated every Sunday and on Holy Days, and is the heart of parish life at Saint George.
Services are sung largely in English, with hymns drawn from the Byzantine liturgical tradition. The parish choir, directed by Claire Chrysanthopoulos with Georgette Delopoulos at the organ, leads the congregation through the chanting. Visitors are welcome at all services; greeters hand out a weekly bulletin at the door and guide newcomers to coffee hour afterward.
The Orthodox Faith and the Seven Mysteries
St. George holds the faith of the undivided Church of the first millennium. The parish teaches that the Orthodox Church has maintained an unbroken continuity of love, faith, and order with the community born at Pentecost, and that the Church has her origin in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit rather than in any human teacher or system. The fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith were proclaimed and defended by the Seven Ecumenical Councils, which affirmed the doctrines of the Incarnation and the Holy Trinity.
Orthodoxy reads the Nicene Creed without the Filioque clause. The parish teaches theosis, the process by which a person grows into communion with God and becomes, by grace, what Christ is by nature. The Virgin Mary is honored as the Theotokos, the God-bearer, venerated and asked for intercession without being worshipped.
Scripture and Holy Tradition are understood together. Tradition gave the Church the canon of Scripture and continues to interpret it through the Ecumenical Councils, the writings of the Church Fathers, liturgical worship, iconography, and the lives of the saints. Worship is highly liturgical and is shaped by the services, hymns, and Scripture readings celebrated each week.
The Orthodox Church recognizes seven major Mysteries, or Sacraments: the Eucharist (the Divine Liturgy itself), Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction). Each is composed of prayers, hymns, scripture lessons, gestures, and processions, and uses elements of creation - water, oil, bread, and wine - as outward signs of God's presence. Baptism is normally by triple immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity and is offered to infants as well as adults. Chrismation follows immediately and is described as one's "personal Pentecost," in which the priest anoints the body with Holy Oil. The newly-baptized receive Holy Communion within the Divine Liturgy. Confession is the Mystery in which the priest serves as sacramental witness, physician, and guide rather than judge. Marriage is marked by betrothal, the exchange of rings, the crowning of the couple with "crowns of glory and honor," and the sharing of a common cup. Holy Unction is offered not only to those near death but to anyone who is sick in body, mind, or spirit.
The Parish Clergy and Pastoral Care
Father Andrew Eugenis has served as Proistamenos of Saint George since 2001. He is the spiritual shepherd of the parish and oversees its sacramental life, teaching, and pastoral care. The present Covering Priest is Father Gregory Rubis. The parish is also served by Deacon Emanuel G. Tsarnas, who oversees the Acolytes ministry.
Parishioners seeking a baptism, a 40-day blessing, a wedding, or another sacramental ministry are invited to contact the church office. The baptism ministry, led by Vicki Kamaratos, walks families through the service. The 40 Day Blessing ministry, coordinated by Colleen Pardenek and Kristina Conery Chelli, presents each family with a white handmade blanket made by the Faithful Hands Knit & Crochet group. The AGAPE Wedding Ministry, led by Donna Karpodinis and Barbara Van Wagner, guides couples at the rehearsal and on the day of the wedding and has assisted more than fifty couples since the move to Ocean Township. The bereavement ministry, New Hope, led by Antonia Lyons, supports those who have lost a loved one.
The West Park Avenue Campus
The 1033 West Park Avenue campus is built around the domed Orthodox church and surrounded by four supporting buildings. The Cultural Center, operated with the parish's exclusive in-house caterer Buona Sera, hosts receptions, luncheons, dances, and other events. The Athletic Center is a 9,000-square-foot gym with a regulation-size college and high-school court, bleachers, electrically raised and lowered basketball boards, scoreboards, hardwood flooring, wall padding, and volleyball accommodations. It is used by parishioners, youth organizations, the Men's Stewardship League, community schools, and recreational leagues.
Adjacent to the main building, the Education Center houses classrooms for Sunday School, Greek School, and other programs. The Administration Building includes offices for the parish staff, including Office Manager Karen Catizone, who can be reached through the main number 732-775-2777. Office hours run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Saint George Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Neptune
Across town, the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cemetery sits at 2343 West Bangs Avenue in Neptune. Established in 1957, the cemetery has approximately 1,500 plots, of which roughly 215 remain available. Pricing is set lower for stewards of Saint George than for Orthodox non-stewards, and a separate expansion is in progress. Monument designs, measurements, and foundations are reviewed by the Cemetery Committee. The current Cemetery Board includes Billy Athans as President, George Perentesis as Vice President, and Athena Loesch as Secretary and Treasurer, with committee members George Costidis, George Haloukas, George Makris, and Spiro Pappas.
Greek School and Sunday School
The Greek School of Saint George begins each Wednesday in mid-September, with classes running from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for kindergarten through sixth grade and from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for Pre-K. The school is directed by Tonia Tsiandi-Sum and Maria Magriplis and staffed by a team of teachers led by Ms. Koula in Pre-K, Mrs. Katerina in Kindergarten, Mrs. Elizabeth in Level 1, Mrs. Evie in Level 2, Mrs. Antonia in Level 3, Mrs. Nina in Level 4, and Mrs. Angela in Levels 5 and 6.
Instruction uses textbooks along with online tools, music, games, and interactive activities to teach vocabulary, reading, writing, grammar, and conversation. The school also celebrates Greek mythology and major holidays during the year, in both Greek and English. The Saint George PTO, the parent-teacher organization led by Mrs. Barbara Panas Kozak, organizes events that connect students and families outside the classroom.
Sunday School is led by Cathie Georges and meets alongside Sunday worship, allowing children to attend part of the Divine Liturgy with their families before gathering for religious education.
Youth, Acolytes, and Dance
GOYA (the Greek Orthodox Youth Association) is the parish's junior and senior high group, led by Maria Venetis and Lisa Imbro. The GOYA Board takes its oath of office at the church each year following Divine Liturgy.
Pitsirikia, led by Jacquelyn Marousis-Bush, is the younger dance and fellowship group that introduces children to Greek cultural life. The Greek Dance ministry, under Alexandra Thomas and Athena Thomas, prepares dancers of all ages for parish festivals and the broader Greek-American community events.
The Young Adult League gathers Orthodox Christians in their twenties and thirties for worship, fellowship, service, and education. The league has its own Instagram and Facebook presence and a dedicated email for those interested in joining.
The Acolytes, or altar boys, serve at every Divine Liturgy. Acolyte captains Dimitrios Gianakopoulos, Louis D'Agnese, Michail Magriplis, and Nicholas Zavolas lead a roster of boys who serve in suits and ties, with no sneakers or jeans, and who arrive no later than 9:15 a.m. The Acolytes are guided by Deacon Emanuel Tsarnas.
Hellenic Organizations and the Philoptochos
Saint George hosts three national Hellenic organizations. AHEPA, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, is led by Aris Papageorge. Daughters of Penelope, the women's auxiliary, is led by Karen Pascal. Philoptochos, the women's philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, is led at Saint George by Errie Teevan and supports charitable work throughout the Metropolis.
The Heritage Committee, under Peter Psillas, preserves and shares the parish's Greek-American story. The Iconography ministry, led by Anne Papageorge, oversees the iconography program. The Beacon newsletter, edited by Niki Cronen, is published five times a year and serves as the parish's primary printed communication.
Choir and Byzantine Music
The Saint George Choir numbers more than thirty singers, several of whom have sung in Greek churches for more than fifty years. The choir has been led through the decades by directors including Nicholas Roubanis, Euripides Hatzidemetriou, Tom Hinz, Theodore G. Zavales, Pauline Aridas, and Alex Karpodinis. Today the choir is directed by Claire Chrysanthopoulos with Georgette Delopoulos as organist.
Choir members have taken part in the annual Holy Cross Celebration in Asbury Park and Ocean Grove, the Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Choirs, and Patriarchal visits, and have traveled to other churches throughout the Diocese to expand their knowledge of church music and bring back the works of new composers.
Fellowship, Service, and Pastoral Ministries
The Hospitality ministry, sometimes called the "liturgy after the Divine Liturgy," serves coffee hour after Sunday services. Vicki Kamaratos and Angela Koumoutsos coordinate the team of volunteers. Faithful Hands, led by Bea Paparsenos, knits and crochets blankets for the 40 Day Blessing and other items for Project Linus and area nursing homes; the group meets Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Newcomers and visitors are welcomed by Antonia Lyons, who prepares welcome bags and greets first-time guests at coffee hour. Greeters at the door of the church are organized by Angela Koumoutsos. The Newlyweds ministry, also led by Angela Koumoutsos, hosts a wine and cheese gathering each year for couples married at Saint George.
The Orthodoxy Connect ministry offers a three-step path for those exploring Orthodoxy: an introduction to Orthodox Christianity, a journey partner who answers questions, and an invitation to attend services and educational programs. The team is led by Dimitris Geaneas and Tom Georges.
The Seek the Light Book Corner and the Mustard Seed Bookstore offer Orthodox books and liturgical items for purchase. Christina Eliopoulos runs the Mustard Seed Bookstore during church office hours and most services. Spiritual Enrichment, co-led by Father Andrew Eugenis and Rick Deet, and Bible Study, led by Teri Lalli, round out the educational ministries.
The Environmental Stewardship and Protection ministry, led by Christina Eliopoulos Barrows and Stella Fotopoulos, organizes beach clean-ups, sustainable gardening, and other environmental projects in the parish and across Monmouth County. The Fellowship of Prayer, led by George Moutis, lifts up the names of those in need of prayer each Sunday. The Kali Parea, or Socialites, under Lela Panas, organizes social gatherings for parishioners.
Stewardship, Legacy, and Communications
The parish operates a stewardship program that invites members to share their time, talent, and treasure. Online giving is available through the parish's ParishSoft giving page. A separate Leave a Legacy program helps parishioners include Saint George in their wills, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and trusts.
The Beacon newsletter is published five times a year and includes parish news, ministry updates, and event announcements. Previous weekly messages from Father Andrew are posted to a YouTube channel called Father's Message. Online giving, candle lighting, and information about Orthodox Christianity are accessible at stgeorgeap.org.
A Parish Looking Toward Its Centenary
As the parish approaches a century of continuous worship and witness, it continues to draw on the energies of its ministry leaders, its choir, its teachers, and its many organizations. The new campus at West Park Avenue anchors a community that remains committed to preserving and proclaiming the Orthodox Christian faith, to growing and serving the parish, and to glorifying God in the same spirit that brought its founders together in a Long Branch basement so many years ago.