Monmouth Worship Center begins building new church
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - Work has begun on the construction of the Marlboro Worship Center's new 39,000-square-foot church on Vanderburg Road.

Church officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on the afternoon of Dec. 9. Congregants and friends shared a prayer at the site of the new house of worship.

The Monmouth Worship Center was founded in 1985 by Ken Jasko, pastor, and Louise Jasko, who moved to Marlboro from Princeton. The Assemblies of God helped the church at its start until it was self-supporting, according to information posted on the church's Internet Web site.

The pastor was joyous that the new house of worship will finally be built. He laughed as he explained to a reporter that it seems as if it took more work to get to the point of construction than the actual construction process will take.

The Planning Board approved the construction of the 800-seat church in June 2006 after months of testimony.

Jasko said the congregation has outgrown its present building on Route 79, just north of Route 520. The Monmouth Worship Center has been at that location for 10 years.

"We were fortunate to find the land in Marlboro, as most of the land is already developed or spoken for," the pastor said, adding that the congregation believes Marlboro is where they are supposed to be and most of the congregants are residents of the township.

Mayor Robert Kleinberg joined church officials at the groundbreaking ceremony and took part in shoveling some of the first dirt.

"Mayor Kleinberg helped us (with the project) and has been very supportive," Jasko said.

Terry Lau, a member of the neighboring Jireh Church, also lent a hand to the Monmouth Worship Center by taking part in the groundbreaking.

The 24-acre parcel had site work commence about three weeks ago, Jasko said. The church will be built on 13.7 acres along with a two-story office building on 10.7 acres. The office building was a separate application and was granted approval by the Planning Board a few months after the church gained municipal approval.

In the time since being granted approval by the Planning Board, Jasko said the church has been polishing its plans and finishing a fundraising campaign.

Monmouth Worship Center had a list of several conditions that had to be met pending approval, including a responsibility for its pro-rata share of any road improvements including traffic lights, stop signs, alternate route signs and road widening. The church is prohibited from renting out its facility to any outside organizations.

Jasko said the new church is expected to be completed in a year.

According to the Monmouth Worship Center Web site, the first service took place on Oct. 13, 1985 at the Central Elementary School, Route 79.

The church met for 13 years in rented and borrowed homes, schools, firehouses, churches and even restaurants, more than 30 locations in all. During this time the church grew and became increasingly diverse as people from many different ethnic groups joined the congregation.

The church moved into its own building on Route 79 in 1998.

According to the Web site, "One of the strengths of our church is our ethnic diversity with significant groups of Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews and Asians meeting together in unity to glorify God. In this our church reflects the diversity and glory of heaven."