Day of ministry and music continues to break down barriers and promote Christian unity
 
(East Meadow, N.Y.) For the seventh year, The New York Call drew thousands of the faithful and the curious from across the tri-state area to Long Island’s Eisenhower Park on Aug. 28 for a day of soul-stirring ministry and music and a goal of “unifying the body of Christ and evangelizing the world.”
 
The New York Call began in 2004, led by founder and president Pastor Donnie McClurkin and a coalition of clergy, churches and ministries from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The Call’s evangelistic mission seeks to encourage members of the Christian community to move past their differences, such as race, ethnicity, language, income and denomination, and build lasting bonds of peace and fellowship so that together they can reach lost and hurting people with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
 
During the outdoor crusade at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, the crowd of thousands was encouraged and inspired by powerful ministers of the Gospel: Bishop Eric D. Garnes, Senior Pastor of Tabernacle of Praise in Brooklyn; Pastor Jimmy Jack, Senior Pastor of Freedom Chapel International Worship Center in Amityville and Founder of Long Island Teen Challenge; and Pastor Donnie McClurkin, a Grammy Award-winning Gospel singer and Senior Pastor of Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport.
 
An array of gifted psalmists, praise dancers and singers also brought the crowd to its feet, swaying, dancing and praising the Lord under a cloudless sky. The roster included James Fortune, Y’Anna Crawley, Immanuel Dancers, Nancy Jackson-Johnson, Andrea McClurkin Mellini, Pastor Wess Morgan and Taiwan Center Chorus.
 
The highlight of the day came when about 250 people responded to the altar call, stepped out of the masses and walked down the grassy hill to the front of the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre stage. Thirty-five new converts committed their lives to Christ, while others sought prayer or rededicated themselves to the Lord anew. 
 
For three hours earlier in the day, attendees had a chance to stop by exhibitors’ tables, where they were offered free health screenings, product samples and information about careers, education, health and wellness. This year’s exhibitors included the Alzheimer’s Association, American Airlines, Amtrak, Bermuda’s African Diaspora Heritage Trail, Glaceau Vitaminwater, God4me.com, Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill, Grace Foods, Metro PCS, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Organic Root Stimulator, Subway, Walmart and Wellcare.
 
The 2010 New York Call was made possible by the generous support of its corporate partners, Prudential and How Sweet the Sound: A Verizon Experience, and media partners WLIB (1190 AM), WBLS (107.5 FM), The Word Network and Radio Conectate (540 AM).
 
For information, go to www.nycall.org. (Photos and interviews available upon request.)