Roy Ramkissoon
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Socializing While Distancing

A Good Cause will always find a way! Saturday April 4 we joined our neighbors in a fund-raiser in Memphis, TN, for MS. (See photos at left.) Kudos to our effervescent neighbor Melissa for keeping us to the mark.

But even more remarkably my good friend Roy Ramkissoon from our GCI Queens, NY, congregation has been leading prayer walks in the middle of all that tragedy and living to tell the tale! Here is his latest report to his Pastor…amazing how things carry on when you peer beyond the media's often one-dimensional reportage:

Hello Pastor John,

Today around 2:00 p.m., Elder Jonathan Browne and I met at the church's sanctuary for a short prayer before heading out for our continued Community Prayer Walk.

We filled in the areas we skipped on previous walks – that is, along 114th street (where we normally keep our Sunday services) and the couple of blocks between 86th Ave / Jamaica Ave and 115th Street / 112th Street.

At the St. John's Lutheran Church, several groups meet. These include:

  1. New Life in Christ (our church)
  2. St. Mary
  3. Church of God In Christ
  4. St. John's Lutheran
  5. AAA South Ozone Park
  6. AAA Van Wick, and...
  7. Girl Scouts

Adjacent to St. John's Lutheran is the Harry Echler School – PS 56.

Opposite St. John's Lutheran are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Union Congregational Church.

On the corner of 86th Ave and 112th St (also called Church of The Holy Child Jesus Plaza) are the Holy Child Jesus Rectory office and the Roman Catholic Diocese Brooklyn building.

Of course we're familiar with these buildings as we pass by them every Sunday on our way to regular worship services.

This is Elder Browne's "Neck of the Woods" so he was able to provide great commentary.

I'm aware that we're all experiencing great disruptions, pain, distractions, and frustrations as the COVID-19 crisis continues…but the Mission of our Awesome Triune God in not placed on PAUSE. We innovate, grow and adapt as the Holy Spirit guides us. Amen!

Friends, do have a great week and cheers until,

Roy