Story by LaTasha Hewitt
Three churches in New Jersey: First church in Teaneck; Metropolitan church in Plainfield; and Mt. Calvary church in Salem, recently served as hosting sites for COVID-19 and antibody testing. This was done in partnership with the initiative by Phil Murphy, New Jersey governor.
“We recognize the need for people of color to be tested, but there is a lot of fear in those communities. Churches are typically viewed as safe places, so we put the call out for churches, and they responded,” says Derrick Greene, senior advisor to the governor for diversity, faith, urban and regional growth.
Testing sites were set up in the parking lots of the churches where social distancing and masks were required. Testing was free and open to the public as long as they provided a photo ID and insurance card. Workers at First church administered COVID-19 and antibody testing to 75 people. “The testing was a great success,” says Robert Smith, pastor. “Our community was able to view us as an asset, and we saw it as a great witnessing opportunity.”
Historia de Jenevieve Lettsome
Rob Vandeman, un administrador y pastor que ha ministrado para la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día durante casi 50 años ha anunciado que a fin de año planea renunciar a su papel como secretario ejecutivo de la Unión de Columbia. Vandeman, quien se ha desempeñado en su puesto actual desde el 2011, de alguna u otra manera, planea continuar trabajando en la Unión de Columbia hasta la reunión de electores de la unión en julio del 2021.
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