ABOVE PHOTO: The Board of Trustees of historic Berean Institute recently honored Pastor Geoff Bradford, of the liberti Fairmount Church for his selfless commitment to Berean. Pictured are board members (l-r) Savonne Douk, Board President Rev. Marie Delaney, Pastor Bradford, Greg Paulmier, Berean President Dr. Loraine Poole-Naranjo and Rev. Karen Dixson.
Photo by Jay Barbieri
The Board of Trustees of historic Berean Institute recently recognized Geoff Bradford, pastor of the liberti Fairmount Church for his selfless commitment to Berean and the surrounding community during his tenure as the church’s pastor. One of two founding pastors of the liberti movement, Bradford has served in Philadelphia for the last eight years.
Berean President Dr. Loraine Poole-Naranjo and the Board of Trustees (Kimberly Byrd, Rev. Marie Delaney, Nashell Dillette, Dr. Karen Dixson, Savonne Douk and Greg Paulmier) presented Bradford with a plaque as a token of appreciation. The church has held its weekly worship services at Berean Institute for the past year.
“We wanted to show our appreciation for the supportive partnership liberti Church has formed with Berean Institute under the leadership of Pastor Bradford,” explained Naranjo. “They provided 40 volunteers that worked our first annual bazaar in October among other things. We love the vision and commitment of liberti Fairmount and its young congregation.
Their mission to engage and serve the community is similar to Berean’s. Whenever we needed assistance, liberti Fairmount and Pastor Bradford recognized our need and stepped up without being asked. They are truly a godsend! We wish Pastor Bradford all the best in his new assignment in North Carolina and look forward to continuing our wonderful partnership with liberti Fairmount.”
Naranjo said the church has assigned a team of members that is responsible for maintaining the space they use at Berean and includes cleaning some of the rooms they use, trash pick-up, lawn care, snow removal, and other things as needed. “They are a living example for others to follow.”
The liberti movement is a group of Presbyterian churches that seek to live lives of service and love in the cities where they are located by pitching in to help with volunteer organizations and mercy ministries. They promote opportunities to serve and help the community. The liberti Fairmount Church is part of a network of liberti churches that seek to love and serve the city of Philadelphia.
Berean Institute was founded in 1899 by Dr. Matthew Anderson, also a Presbyterian minister, and his wife Dr. Caroline Still Anderson for the expressed purpose of preparing African Americans newly-arrived from the south for the world of work.
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