A new church moves into Malverne

Malverne’s got a new church and its parishioners are already lending a helping hand.

Shortly after The Bridge Church of the Nazarene decided to join the community, a handful of its patrons set out to Grossmann's Farm to help plow, weed and seed. They, like Pastor Brett Williams, were excited about their relocation from Valley Stream. “It’s a great area,” Williams said. “Just the right fit for us.”

The 31-year-old Williams is new to the church, but he comes with experience. Williams told the Herald he began his religious career during his first year at the United States Air Force Academy in 1997, where he was a pre-med student.

“My freshman year as a cadet I felt a call to become a pastor and transferred to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where I served as a youth pastor at my parents' church while completing my undergrad studies.”

Williams received two bachelor's degrees at the University of Nevada, one in Communication Studies and the other in psychology. He then moved to Pasadena, Calif., in 2002 to attend the Fuller Theological Seminary, where he received a master's degree in Theology with a focus in Intercultural Studies.

He's since been in the ministry — now going on 13 years. He and his wife of seven years, Marissa, whom he met in Los Angeles, took the opportunity to move to New York after Williams was offered the job of senior pastor at The Bridge Church of the Nazarene. They relocated with their two children.

The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant church that was started in Long Island by Art Alexander. Williams replaced Alexander, who is now the district superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene, which has ties with 134 other churches throughout Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut, and is grateful for his predecessor's accomplishments. “So many people have been saved from a life of destruction under his leadership,” Williams said.

The church is currently in the process of purchasing the Malverne Jewish Center, located at 1 Norwood Ave. An agreement between the houses of worship will allow both to operate out of the same building. As it works to complete its transition to the new place, the church is operating out of a leased space in Rockville Centre. Prior to that, it had been located in Valley Stream for some sixty years.

According to Williams, the church's growing membership was the catalyst for the move. Malverne, he said, just seemed the right place to move to. At its new location, Williams hopes to further expand the church, and invites Malverne church-goers to check it out. The Bridge Church of the Nazarene is an inter-generational church, Williams said, which offers events for kids, programs for the elderly and more for everyone in between.

As for becoming familiar with its new neighbors, Williams said the volunteers and parishioners who worked on Grossmann's Farm just wanted to offer a friendly gesture. Williams and his parishioners have already volunteered more than 300 hours of physical labor at the farm, taking part in the effort of restoring it to its glory days. By mid-August, they had already spent three days raking, mowing and cutting grass to allow proper access to sidewalks around the farm.

“We want our neighbors to know that we are here to serve,” Williams said. “Keep us in mind because we are here to meet the needs of the village.”

For more information about The Bridge Church of the Nazarene visit thebridgeli.com.