Our longtime pastor Richard Smith has been serving his neighborhood for over four decades. In that time, the community changed as did the city of Philadelphia. Diversity increased, and problems that the ministry faces span different ethnic groups. Heroin addiction is widely spread and is the main issue Mr. Smith is trying to combat. It got so bad that he needed to be trained in drug administration, in order to save people who overdose. The church is also running a program that provides food after school, for children in need.
Key Takeaways:
- Richard A. Smith is pastor of Faith Assembly of God in a neighborhood with many heroin users.
- Smith learned how to administer naloxone to those suffering opioid overdoses.
- Smith helped the Brzozowskis organize their church in the Kensington neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia.
“Helping drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, and the homeless has been an everyday reality for Smith in rough parts of Philadelphia, even while still a student at the University of Valley Forge.”
Read more: https://news.ag.org/News/Never-Lacking-Ministry-Opportunities