Of more than 7,000 parishes in The Episcopal Church, only 18 are named for The Holy Innocents of Bethlehem- a fairly rare name, and understandably so given its gruesome meaning. The name comes from a group of children remembered in The Gospel according to Matthew. When the Wise Men came into his territory, looking for The Christ Child, they were interviewed by King Herod. Having learned from them that a new King of the Jews had been born, Herod became afraid; he sent soldiers into the neighborhood of Bethlehem, seeking the Christ Child, to destroy him. Herod's soldiers killed all children two years of age and under in the district. Those slaughtered children became known as "The Holy Innocents."

The Church of The Holy Innocents in The Borough of Beach Haven emerged from the relationship between the Parry family of Beach Haven, and an Episcopal Priest sent to Long Beach Island to conduct services among visitors to the island.

In August 1881, Bishop Scarborough asked the Rector of Trinity Church in Moorestown, NJ to read services and preach on Long Beach Island as a part of his duties. That Priest (and medical doctor) was The Rev’d Dr. James Hart Lamb. When in Beach Haven, Dr. Lamb took a room at the Parry House, a local hotel. In the early morning hours of Friday, 12 August 1881, a fire broke out. Dr. Lamb awakened the guests and evacuated the building. No lives were lost.

Captain & Mrs. Parry had other interests; in addition to the Parry House, they owned the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia. They freely offered the single donation which established Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Beach Haven.  Captain & Mrs. Parry gave the Church building in gratitude for lives of those spared when the Parry House burned down, and in memory of their daughter, Clara Parry Hilger, who had died in childbirth in February 1881. The Church was built over the Winter/Spring of 1881-1882. The first services were held on 9 July 1882. There are descendants of Captain & Mrs. Parry who worship in the Parish today

Since through the Parry’s generosity there was no debt attached to the building, Bishop Scarborough was present to consecrate that building at its first service- a rare and rather remarkable circumstance. Dr. Lamb retained his tenure as Rector of Moorestown, and was additionally appointed Priest in Charge of Holy Innocents’, Beach Haven. He lived to be 81 years old. Though he eventually retired from active service as Rector of Trinity, Moorestown, Dr. Lamb retained his association with Holy Innocents’ until his death in 1924. Holy Innocents’ is the oldest worshiping community on the island.

Captain and Mrs. Parry’s gift was the structure that stands at the edge of Bicentennial Park in Beach Haven, and now houses the Long Beach Island Historical Society Museum.  In 1974, the Parish moved into new quarters on property where the Baldwin Hotel was once located.

The Baldwin Hotel, a Victorian seaside spa-hotel that stood in Beach Haven on the block bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Marine Street, Beach Avenue, and Pearl Street, burned down in 1960. The Rector of the parish at that time, The Rev’d Walter Jocelyn Reed, and a Summer resident and friend of his named Howard Colehower, had the vision and energy to persuade the Vestry of Holy Innocents to buy the site of the destroyed hotel- the entire city block. Mr. Colehower donated half the purchase price. Descendants of Howard Colehower still worship at Holy Innocents today.

The Diocese of New Jersey covers the southern two-thirds of the State of New Jersey- roughly those counties south of Interstate-78. Our See City (that place where our Cathedral Church is located) is Trenton, the state capital. Our Diocese is one of the oldest in The Episcopal Church, and one of the largest in numbers of Parishes and Missions, and Communicant strength.

Our Bishop is The Right Reverend George E. Councell, 11th Bishop of New Jersey.