There are 34 members of the CMA board. Some of them  marched in the Independence Day Parade. 2022. Click to enlarge. The CMA sponsors that parade each year.  As far as we know, they have no actual membership list.  Many of their supporters are from out of town.

OG Camp Meeting Association logo.

The Auditorium Pavilion is one of many buildings in OG owned by the CMA. They own all the land in the Grove.   But they have had no governance powers since 1980. They have a very ambitious summer schedule of religious events.    This painting  is by Jack Bredin, OG artist.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net

The OCMA has an enormous influence on the lifestyles of Ocean Grove residents. Their purpose is explained on their website:   OceanGrove.org.

As most of you know, the CMA runs the beach, the boardwalk,  and the entire beachfront area. They are the ones who sell the beach badges and control most functions over there.

Occasionally Neptune Township might be involved, such as pertaining to parking, traffic, and policing.  Beachfront regulations can be found on their web site,   I notice that they allow dogs on the beach. (on leash) as of Oct. 1.

The CMA has an interesting way of explaining their role at the beachfront using a term called, “Extension of a privilege to a user.”  Part of that is explained below:

” The use of the beach, boardwalk and general beachfront park area by the public is considered by the OGCMA as the extension of a privilege to the user. The OGCMA reserves the right through its authorized representative(s) to withdraw that privilege from any person…”

For more details consult their website.

Here at Blogfinger we have been concerned with their expansion in town and their stated  goal of establishing “a Christian seaside community.”  They seem to be highly focused on their “mission” but inevitably their paths will cross with those residents and visitors to the Grove who are mostly secular.  We ran into that over ground rents,  parking,  and Sunday beach closings.

The dynamics of the interrelationship between Neptune Township,, OGCMA,  and the unfocused secular residents in the Grove results in those residents as having very little voice in how lifestyles here evolve.

This is how the CMA  expresses  its “vision” in  their web site:

“Our Vision:

“Be the seaside community where all generations can know and grow in Jesus.”

We’re not sure what “community” means in the context of the entire population of OG, including secular and “religious.”

You can read their website for more discussion, however clarity regarding the secular populace here is murky.

Their offices are on Pitman Avenue, near Days Ice Cream.

MUSIC FROM THE GATSBY ERA. (20’S)

Eddie Cantor: