By BONNIE GRAHAM
The Rev. Scott and Nancy Hoffman, who recently assumed the positions of co-chief Administrative Officers for the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, were introduced to the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association at Saturdays membership meeting.
The couple presented brief biographical sketches, and held a lengthy public forum on a number of issues, most notably the controversy surrounding the Camp Meetings refusal to allow civil union ceremonies on the boardwalk pavilion.
Following the discussion, Hoffman suggested a public meeting with the Camp Meeting Trustees to discuss the issue. He said he would report back to the homeowners association about a decision on a meeting.
The standing-room-only meeting was held in the Camp Meetings Community Room.
Nancy Hoffman said she and her family began to visit Ocean Grove about 15 years ago. She said, Its good to not move your car on Sunday.
At that time her husband was commuting to work in New York. The Hoffmans rented a summer tent for five summers, then purchased a cottage on Asbury Avenue, and then bought their current home on Inskip Avenue.
Prior to their employment as CAOs, they interacted with the Camp Meeting Association at different levels, including Rev. Hoffman teaching Bible Hour. When Dave Shotwell, who has served as CAO for the past 13 years, decided the time had come to retire, the Hoffmans thought of this position and how it might be a good fit for them.
They moved to Ocean Grove full-time in March and assumed their CAO positions on April 1. Mrs. Hoffman said, This is an exciting adventure, and we are on a learning curve.
Rev. Hoffman referred everyones attention to two enormous letters, O, and G, which were placed on the south wall of the room. He said these were the two remaining letters from the Ocean Grove Auditorium sign which formerly hung on the roof of the Great Auditorium. The sign was taken down many years ago, and all of the letters except those two, which were found in the North End garage, had been discarded.
He said, When you start a new job, theres usually a honeymoon period as you become accustomed to your position and responsibilities. We plan to share the duties with Nancy working on finance and operations and me working on development and programs, etc.
Hoffman said they have tried to meet with all components of the community, including the Ocean Grove Historical Society, Ocean Grove Home Owners Association and Chamber of Commerce.
Ocean Grove is one community, and we would like everyone to be on the same page and work together with good communications, he said. We have an open door policy, even though we actually dont have a door in our office at this time. We want to establish and maintain a dialogue on all issues. We must live together in harmony, even if we dont always agree on all issues.
We want to continue to advance the Camp Meetings mission of growth, rebirth and revitalization, and we aim to introduce Ocean Grove to a new generation that doesnt know that Ocean Grove exists. This is an incredibly special place.
Ocean Grove resident Joseph Krimko said, We need to not be on the first page of the newspapers.
Hoffman replied, The Camp Meeting Association is not adversarial. Our goal is to be the best we can be. We have to live with our differences, as we wont always agree on everything.
A lengthy and sometimes emotional discussion ensued among the residents a number of whom identified themselves as members of the Ocean Grove gay community and Rev. Hoffman.
One resident complained of a lack of communication, stating she had contacted CMA President Scott Rasmussen concerning the usage of the boardwalk pavilion for civil union ceremonies and had not received a response. She expressed her love of Ocean Grove and her heartbreak over what she viewed as bigotry on the part of the CMA to exclude her and others from having the right to use that facility as they desired.
Hoffman replied that Rasmussen had replied to her first letter. He added, The boardwalk pavilion has always been one of the CMAs church buildings.
A resident questioned that answer, and referred to the recently-mailed brochure, Ocean Grove A Place Set Apart, which he said did not list the boardwalk pavilion as a place of worship.
Hoffman replied, The pavilion has always been used for worship services and gospel concerts.
Krimko, who served as mayor in Neptune, which includes Ocean Grove, said he performed weddings at the pavilion.
I have performed secular weddings at Thornley Chapel and the pavilion, and the Camp Meeting Association was happy to take the fees for those ceremonies, he said.
Ocean Grove Resident Phil May asked, Is the Methodist Church making the decisions? Hoffman said, The official title of the CMA is the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association of the Methodist Church.
Under their bylaws, the CMAs Board of Trustees includes 10 ordained United Methodist pastors, and ten United Methodist lay members. Currently the board has 26 voting members. Those who make decisions are bound to the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which states that homosexual unions cannot be performed in church buildings, whether by clergy or by lay people, Hoffman said.
The boardwalk and the beach are not reserved spaces, and as such the CMA would not do anything to prevent civil unions from occurring at those locations, Hoffman said.
Phil May said, There is an agreement with the Historical Society to schedule events. Marriages are held in Centennial Cottage.
Hoffman replied, Centennial Cottage is not on the list of places for worship.
Another resident expressed his view that the boardwalk pavilion belongs to the Camp Meeting Association, and as such, people should not be trying to tell them how to use their own buildings.
Hoffman said, Its a legal question as to what constitutes public accommodation.
He added that the issue has been a subject of ongoing discussion among the CMA trustees and that a vote has not yet been taken on the issue. It would take a vote to change the Associations adherence to the Book of Discipline, he said.
Hoffman said, The CMA is interpreting the Scriptures on this issue. This does not mean that we dont love and welcome the gay community here. I am not a homophobic, and I am not a bigot. We can agree to disagree on this issue.
He gave his email: scotth@oceangrove.org and his phone, 732-776-4009, and said he welcomed the public to contact him to make an appointment to discuss this and other issues/concerns.
Krimko suggested that the public be invited to a CMA meeting to discuss this issue.
Bert Bueno, a teacher, said, I believe this is an issue about not honoring diversity amongst us. We need to have meetings to celebrate being human beings.
HOA Vice President Paul Dunlap said, The Book of Leviticus prohibits homosexual acts, as well as wearing certain types of clothing. Wed better watch out if were wearing polyester.
Hoffman said he would suggest a public meeting with the Camp Meeting Trustees to discuss this issue. A straw membership vote was nearly unanimous in supporting such a meeting. He said he will report back the trustees response to this request at next months home owners association meeting.
Nancy Hoffman said, Our job is to implement the vision of Ocean Grove. We want to be a loving community. Theres a lot to do to take a 138-year old organization and move it into the 21st century. Scott Hoffman added, Everyone believes Ocean Grove is a special place. We wont always agree, but we can work together.
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