Church of the Mother of God

Diocese: Diocese of New York and New Jersey

Deanery: New Jersey Deanery

Address

115 Hudson St
(corner of Hudson St & Ivan's Lane)
Mays Landing, New Jersey 08330

Website: churchmotherofgod.org

Office: 609-645-2999

Parish Contacts

Lay Leadership

Directions

General Location
Mays Landing, NJ is located about 17 miles east of Vineland, about 17 miles west of Atlantic City, and about 40 miles north of Cape May.  From major cities, it is located about 130 miles south of New York City and about 75 miles east of Philadelphia.

From the northwest (Philadelphia)
Take the Atlantic City Expressway East (toll road) to just after the Egg Harbor toll plaza. Take the Rt-50 exit, exit number 17, towards Mays Landing (keep RIGHT at the fork in the exit ramp).  Merge onto Rt. 50 South and go 4.6 miles.  Turn RIGHT onto Main St.(Rt. 559) and go 2 blocks.  Turn RIGHT onto Hudson St. (a very narrow road).  The church is on the 2nd block on the left.

From the east (Atlantic City)
Take the Black Horse Pike (Rt. 40 and Rt. 322) West.  At the Hamilton Mall, take the Rt. 40 jug handle exit on the RIGHT and take Rt. 40 West (Harding Hwy) to Mays Landing.  In Mays Landing, cross Rt. 50, on Main St. (Rt. 559) and go 2 more blocks.  Turn RIGHT onto Hudson St. (a very narrow road).  The church is on the 2nd block on the left.

From the south (Cape May)
Take the Garden State Pkwy North (toll road) to exit 20.  This is the RT-50 exit, exit number 20, go to the left towards Rt-9 (SEAVILLE, TUCKAHOE) for about 2 tenths of a mile and merge onto Rt-50 North.  After about 18.8 miles, turn RIGHT onto Rt-50 and Rt-40, stay on Rt-50 until the 2nd light. Turn LEFT onto Main St.(Rt. 559) and go 2 blocks.  Turn RIGHT onto Hudson St. (a very narrow road).  The church is on the 2nd block on the left.

From the north (New York City)
Take the GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTH (toll road) to exit 44.  This is the POMONA, FAA TECH CENTER exit, exit number 44, turn RIGHT on to Rt-575 (Pomona Rd., changes name to Wrangleboro Rd).  Stay on this road until in ends at the Black Horse Pike (Rt. 40 and Rt. 322).  Turn right and stay to the right for the Rt. 40 jug handle exit on the RIGHT. Take Rt. 40 West (Harding Hwy) to Mays Landing.  In Mays Landing, cross Rt. 50, on Main St. (Rt. 559) and go 2 more blocks.  Turn RIGHT onto Hudson St. (a very narrow road).  The church is on the 2nd block on the left.

From the west (Vineland)
Take Landis Ave. (becomes Cedar Ave.)  east towards to Rt. 40.  Turn RIGHT onto Rt-40 for about 8 and 1/2 miles when it becomes Rt-50 and Rt-40, stay on Rt-50 until the 2nd light. Turn LEFT onto Main St.(Rt. 559) and go 2 blocks.  Turn RIGHT onto Hudson St. (a very narrow road).  The church is on the 2nd block on the left.

Schedule of Services

9:40 AM Hours, 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy, and Coffee Hour
Sunday Morning

Confessions are heard one half-hour before any service.  General Confession is held on the first Sunday of the month at 9:40 AM (except during Lent)

6:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Friday Evenings during Great Lent

Services are conducted in English, (with some occasional Slavonic). Please see the Monthly Calendar on the parish website for times of other services, or call to arrange Baptisms, Marriages, Memorials, etc.

Parish Background

The Church of the Mother of God was founded in 1966 by immigrants from Russia and Ukraine.  Records list some of the founders and early benefactors as: M/M Nikolaj Taran, M/M Nicholas Gajewski, M/M Paul Datzko, M/M Semion Chudajew, M/M Ivan Solotowski, John & Katherian Holyk, Jacob Sokolov, Roman Lohwyniw, Ivan Mosev, Ivan Moskalew, and Peter Dremow.

The parish traces it roots back to an old hotel on Main St and Farragut Ave built by William Moore in 1820.  This building had many names and usages in its history but mostly known as the American Hotel. By the last half of the twentieth century, Mays Landing, New Jersey had a large Russian community that gathered at the American Hotel. It was known by the local people as “The Russian Embassy”.  Services were held there for some time, until it fell into decay.  The building is now restored and is part of the Atlantic County Library.

Our church building was constructed in 1966 by the parishioners at the corner of Hudson St & Ivans Lane. There was also a rectory on Ivans Lane (sometimes called Ceder Ave)  The first rector was Fr Steven Shkurin who died in 1974. He was followed by Fr George Lukashuk, Fr Theodore Gorb, and Fr Michael Rachko.

In the last part of the twentieth century, visiting clergy occasionally served the Sunday Liturgy. Due to the irregularity of liturgical services, and the lack of clergy leadership, attendance severely dwindled and parishioners left. The unused rectory was sold, and the diocese suggested that the parish look into merging with a mission that was in another county.

In the mid 1990s, Fr Boris Vlasenko, who retired as rector from the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration in Brooklyn, was assigned as the next Rector.  This started a turnaround. Regular services, and a permanent parish priest, brought the return of some former parishioners. A very dedicated and energetic parish warden, James Polansky, helped bring other changes to assist the parish growth, such as shifting to the “new calendar”, and using English along with the Church Slavonic. Attendance noticeably improved, but after a few years Fr. Vlasenko’s health started to fail, and he had to leave, first temporally, and later, permanently.  Attendance dropped again.

This time, determined to keep regular services, Subdeacon Ed Dawson (also the parish warden), worked hard to keep having visiting clergy come to serve regularly.  On the weeks a visiting priest could not attend, he would perform a “Reader Service” himself.  Dn Boris Slootsky, also from the Brooklyn Cathedral, became very helpful to the parish at this time.  He came down many times when needed. When Dn Boris was ordained to the priesthood, the whole parish traveled to Manhattan to share in the occasion.

Fr Boris Slootsky was a true blessing to the parish.  More than returning as a parish with clergy and regular services, he has started a rebirth of the parish.  Since he was assigned, the look of neglect was removed from the church building, the dark iconostas was restored with new iconography, and the whole interior of the church was cleaned and painted.

Today we are a growing parish. We believe anyone will feel welcomed if they come worship with us.  Most of us are new and do not know the founders or even the history of our parish.  Our services are now primarily in English. We have folding chairs, a good sounding choir, and an expanding church school program.  We are proud of the Slavic roots of the parish, and
the people who worked hard to build it and keep it going, but we also believe that this parish can be the Orthodox Church for everybody in the area.  We still have a way to go and need help.  Please come see us if
you can.