It has been only a few years since the parish community of St. Theresa, Tuckerton, celebrated the dedication of its magnificent new church situated in the neighboring town of Little Egg Harbor. With its dramatic open design that calls to mind the nearby ocean and all its beauty, the church has provided a spiritual home that has served to unite this faith family and inspire its members in their journey together.

What has been needed, however, is a place to get to know more about God outside Mass, where the parish’s 3,000 registered families can roll up their sleeves and engage in the work of being Christ’s hands and feet in the world. Without adequate office and meeting space, as well as classrooms for faith formation, the St. Theresa community was lacking a space in which it could truly function as a parish family.

Plans to change that reality took a concrete leap forward Oct. 4 when St. Theresa Parish broke ground for a Faith Formation Center that will be constructed next to the church.

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In celebration of the feast of the community’s patroness, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, a sea of smiles and a sense of hopeful anticipation filled the church as parish members prepared to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony that followed Mass.

“We are a family,” said Father Mick Lambeth, parish administrator, during his homily, emphasizing that such a large goal as the building project could not be accomplished without the help of so many committed individuals.

“The parish is alive in its faith, and it has only been hampered by the lack of space to meet in,” he said. “People are just on fire with God.”

The parish currently rents space about a mile from the church in downtown Tuckerton to house its administrative offices, which presents difficulties in both distance and cost.

Religious education classes have been held in various locations around the area, sometimes even in the church’s day chapel.

The new Faith Formation Center, projected to be completed in July of 2012, will feature ample offices for the administrative staff, along with six multi-purpose rooms that can be walled off to form 12 separate classrooms or kept open as general gathering areas.

“It is going to be a space that has a fair amount of flexibility,” said Phil Kunz, the architect who designed the building. The estimated cost of $2 million has been partially raised through a series of parish fundraisers and events, more of which will take place in the coming months as part of the continued capital campaign.

“I just see this as another experience of the growth of this parish,” said Father Lambeth.

Parishioners also shared his joy about the building project that has begun.

“I think it is important because it’s going to be for the children,” said Angela Compitello, who has been a parishioner for more than 40 years.

“They are the future (of the Church),” said Father Lambeth, speaking about the importance of nurturing the faith of the children of the parish.

“There are so many ministries here, both secular and religious,” said Gary Miller, explaining how the new space will provide rooms for the various ministries, such as the youth ministry and the Knights of Columbus, to meet. Miller volunteers to manage public relations for the parish.

Bishop John M. Smith wrote a letter to the people of the parish, which was read after the Mass. The bishop stated, “It is indeed fitting that this momentous point in the life of your parish coincides with your celebration of the feast of your patroness, St. Theresa,” Bishop Smith wrote, “whose guidance and intercession has surely helped you to this day.”

Aside from his many prayers, Father Lambeth cited the generosity of his parishioners for making the once distant and ambitious plans a reality.

“It really is a journey that we have all been on,” he said.

The Mass concluded with a procession that led out to the future site of the building, where members of the parish and local communities broke ground for the first time.

Members of the Knights of Columbus, leaders of the parish youth group, and ushers then took turns carrying the statue of St. Theresa around the building site, leading parishioners as Father Lambeth blessed the grounds.

Thanks to the generosity of nearly 300 parishioners who brought homecooked food, the community ended the celebration by sharing lunch together.

The Mass, ceremony and procession all emphasized the fact that the children of the parish would benefit most from this new building, and it was clear that even they had already developed a love for their parish community.