FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2012
MEDIA CONTACTS: Collin Nash & Sid Nathan | (516) 869-7794
Bishop Lionel Harvey, Leader of First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury, Celebrated Month-Long 13th Pastoral Anniversary
Bishop Lionel Harvey, pastor of First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury and a catalyst of social and economic change in his community, hosted a month-long celebration to commemorate his 13th Pastoral Anniversary. The tribute to his activism in Westbury featured presentations at his place of worship by preachers from around the area and across the country.
The celebration honoring Bishop Harvey’s 1998 ascent to the pulpit of his Garden Street church spanned the entire month of February. Pastor Harvey was joined by clergy from Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, as well as Ohio, Florida and Connecticut.
The theme of the Anniversary celebration was “A Bishop Preaching and Teaching God’s Kingdom Principles.”
Bishop Harvey’s Anniversary gala will culminate with a March 17 luncheon at Verdi’s, 680 Old Country Rd. in Westbury.
Since taking over as senior pastor of First Baptist Cathedral, Bishop Harvey has increased membership six-fold, from 250 to more than 1,500. Under his leadership, the church also offers a four-week community vacation camp serving hundreds of youths, a prison ministry, a daily soup kitchen serving as many as 1,000 people monthly, a bi-monthly food pantry, an enrichment program, an entrepreneur program, and several additional services.
As CEO and president of the Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corporation, Harvey has been instrumental in establishing partnerships with the Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County to push for the $80 million revitalization of New Cassel.
Bishop Harvey also oversees the Sword of the Spirit Christian Fellowship Inc., which galvanized several New York- and Long Island-area churches to pool resources and have a greater impact in their respective communities.
For more information about the Anniversary Celebration and the luncheon, please call (516) 334-5422 or visit www.westburyfbc.org.
Former Senator Hillary Clinton meets with Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Bishop Lionel Harvey to discuss the New Castle revitalization plan.