Metropolitan Church Dedicates Activity Center

Story by Christiana King-David | Photos by Marva McIntosh

After 10 years of planning, sacrificing, facing challenges and faithful giving, Allegheny East Conference’s Metropolitan church in Hyattsville, Md., recently dedicated their new activity and ministry center. The center will serve the community through its medical clinic, a gymnasium, community services, classes, conference center and a banquet hall. The much-needed gymnasium will also provide for the physical needs of children at George E. Peters Adventist School, which shares the church’s campus. 

“I’m most passionate about the building’s clinic,” shares Brenda Billingy, the church’s senior pastor. “It basically grew out of the state of emergency that our country is in right now, with people not having insurance coverage. We thought that one of the best ways we can evangelize right now is to meet the needs of our community as far as the health challenge is concerned.” 

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Metropolitan church will be partnering with Howard University and George Washington University hospitals in Washington, D.C., to staff the clinic. They hope to have the clinic operational by the new year. The address is 307 Riggs Rd Hyattsville, Md., 20783. 

The vision for the building started with Pastor J. Glenn Roberts and continued under pastors Michael Bernard and David Defoe, and now under current pastors Billingy and Robert Edwards, who encouraged members to give systematically.

The daylong Sabbath dedication began with members studying Sabbath School lessons at the church and then walking over to the activity center for the divine service. Barry Black, United States Senate chaplain, presented the sermon. He reminded members that God is always faithful even though the hills were high and sometimes the valleys were low. The day ended with the “Faithful is Our God” gospel fest featuring an afternoon of praise and worship, and the church’s cavaliers who inaugurated their new basketball court.