Local Church to Host Seventh Annual Tent Crusade

The Clergy United For Christ, of Cliffwood will join with nearby congregations this weekend for the seventh annual Tent Crusade, an event that celebrates unity and joins together a larger community for a weekend of singing, prayer and friendship.

On Friday, July 27, praise and worship will start at 6:45 p.m. and a service by Pastor McNulty of the Lighthouse Family Worship Center will start at 7 p.m. Praise and worship will begin at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 28 and a service by Pastor Leonard Hampton of the Zion Hill Baptist Church will begin at 5 p.m. On Sunday, July 29, praise and worship will begin at 9:45 a.m. and Sunday morning service will be led by Pastor Rudy Carlton starting at 10 a.m.

All events will be held at Paul's Place in Cliffwood, one block away from the Providence Baptist Church at 49 Kennedy Avenue in Cliffwood.

According to The Clergy United For Christ (C.U.F.C.), the network of churches was formed in 2005 when Rev. Robert Williams became Pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Keyport. He envisioned a community approach to bring people together of varying faiths with the mission of reaching out to the community. He met with the pastors of eight traditionally African-American churches in Upper Monmouth County. The churches were:

• , Matawan
• New Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Cliffwood Beach
• New Light Baptist Church, Cliffwood Beach
• St. Mark’s AME Zion Methodist Church, Cliffwood
• St. James AME Zion Methodist Church, Matawan
• Community Bible Fellowship Baptist Church, Cliffwood
• Providence Baptist Church, Cliffwood
• Wicker Memorial Baptist Church, Morganville

From these meetings, it was decided that three major Community-based events would take place annually, including Watch Night on Dec. 31 and Holy Thursday at a local house of worship in addition to the Tent Crusade weekend in August.

Over the years, C.U.F.C. has partnered with other local congregations to reach the broader community. Churches from as far away as Piscataway now join in this weekend of praise.