New Center Dedicated in Honor of Deceased Pastor

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

The First church of Paterson, N.J., recently dedicated the David L. King Community Resource Center, named after the church’s former pastor who passed away in 2012. King’s wife, Deborah, attended the dedication, along with other members of the King family. King served as pastor from 2006–2012, when the property for the center was acquired. Richard P. Campbell now serves as pastor.

Andre Sayegh, the mayor of the city of Paterson, congratulated the church for its vision of seeing the need for a resource center. In his dedication remarks, Robert Smith, Community Services director for the Allegheny East Conference (AEC), affirmed the church for sacrificing its resources to bless the community. Norman Miles, AEC’s Northern New Jersey area ministerium leader, validated First church for “expanding its traditional ministry” and Ruby Cotton, councilwoman of the fourth ward, indicated that the church had made her proud. Other special guests included Lilisa Mimms, councilwoman at large, and Pamela Powell, chief of staff of Paterson Public Schools.

King’s wife thanked the church for remembering and pursuing her late husband’s dream, and gave a charge to “keep pushing.” Dewitt Evering, first elder, read a brief history and particularly thanked Milson Fontenelle, the one who spearheaded the renovation project.

The center will house multiple services to benefit the Paterson community, including homework support, a families-of-addicts support group, a depression support group, individual and family counseling, basic health screening and health education.