New church rises in Port Jervis as others fade

Port Jervis – Although the white Protestant church in Port Jervis is shrinking, Pastor Dhasan McComb founded a non-denominational church in Port Jervis, with a mainly black congregation.

McComb opened a new beginning church on Fowler St. in Port Jervis on October 25th. On October 25, McComb had about 30 mixed-race children in addition to more congregations in Ellenville and Newburgh.

McCombo explained his history to the church after the most recent Sunday service. Under the leadership of Lawrence Samuels and accompanied by Destiny Richardson, the masked congregation swayed and danced. He applauded and explained his history to people with excited singing-"When the glory is, the miracle is...", the drumming is strong.

Black Americans are more likely to attend church regularly than whites. A 2014 Pew poll showed that 47% of blacks participated once a week, while only 34% of whites participated. According to social science research, the social and spiritual support provided by the church seems to have a protective effect on mental health: The suicide rate of white Americans is 19 per 100,000 people, which is three times the suicide rate of black Americans of 6.6. Every 100,000.

McCorm’s preaching focused on the story of "God is obsessed with David... Doing his best to dance before Jehovah." McCom found a stolen ark.

"David is a terminator!" McCombo said, interrupting the sermon with gestures. "When the drums are played, we are powerful. But in your own house, when the disaster hits your home, there is no praise! When you only put peanut butter and jelly in the refrigerator, please praise!"

Later, in his office, McComb recounted his own experience. His period was simply a rude moment, when he almost gave up his life after losing his marriage and job. He was homeless, entangled in a razor, and perched on the edge of a berth in an Atlanta hotel. He scratched his hand with the razor when he was rescued by troops launched earlier.

He said that he was the largest of seven addicted parents. He rolled the dice on the corner of the streets of Kingston, and started selling cocaine to support his brothers and sisters when he was about 15.

"I take them to buy clothes and groceries. My sister is cooked," he said. "From the beginning, my parents have been taking drugs. I will wake up, not knowing where my mother is. She is on the street."

He said that he went to school, but on Friday, he was out selling drugs all night. Then he went to the boys and girls club.

He said: "This is the fresh air you breathe in street life."

He played basketball, table tennis, table football and billiards there, but he returned to the street after the game.

He said: "I played a game of dice on every street corner in the residential area of ​​Kingston."

He said that with the help of a basketball scholarship, he entered St. Thomas Aquinas College for a comprehensive major. By his freshman year, his mother suppressed her addiction and became a priest, but it was his father's unreliability that made McComb go to church.

He said, "I don't have a male figure to look up to." "Then I heard a tape of the apostle Andre Cook's sermon, and he said there:'The man is not what he said. He is what he said. I did it. I was not responsible. I did what I wanted. Everyone in my life said one thing and then did other things."

When he heard the tape, he was only 21 years old, and his father had just started detoxification. McCombo contacted Cook and was willing to assist him. According to his website, Cook stated on his website that he established multiple departments, including the Kingdom Life Church International in Newburgh and the Church of Life near Hollis, Queens, New York. He was described as possessing "theology Honorary Doctorate". Although no school is mentioned. He trained, "equipped with a complete army for the doomsday warriors to promote the development of the kingdom... His training ministers (referred to as MITs) are copying his powerful voice and ministerial attributes.

McComb, 43, said he did not have a degree in theology, but had studied from Cook.

"The places I followed him-seminars, courses, leadership training, study ministry, the Bible and its history. I was his driver and saw the ins and outs of government departments." "If he needs me, even today, even I am the pastor of three churches and I want to go too."

McComb was married at the age of 22, had three children, and worked as a car salesman in Kingston, leading a fulfilling life. He worked in dealerships such as Prestige Toyota in Kingston and Honda in Kingston. However, his marriage failed at the same time that the Nissan dealership changed jobs, and later he worked there and left him. He followed his wife and children to Atlanta and tried to restore the marriage, but failed.

He stayed in Atlanta for two years, was homeless, slept in a friend's car, and washed in the convenience store bathroom.

"I was ruined. I lost everything. I got married at 22 and lost my marriage, house and car. I have always been that guy. I support my brothers and sisters. I make $100,000 a year," he said .

Desperately, he summoned a pastor, Kevin Harris, in Richmond, Virginia. He met him while traveling with Cook, but received no response. So he sneaked into a Howard Johnson hotel room he had just left and sat on the bed, preparing to cut his wrist with a razor when the phone rang. Harris called back. He invited McCombo to stay and work for him. Outside the hotel, McCombo went begging for money for a plane ticket.

Six months later, he and Harris entered a stable life. He said that he was awakened by the "voice of God" at 2 am.

McCombo said: "Like the sound of many waters, like the tide, like human beings." "He said,'Go back to your hometown and start my church."

This happened in three nights.

"The first two nights, I ignored it because of comfort. I didn't sleep outside. I lived with Harris and served him. I have been in service mode. Get up and start church? I say no. But sometimes God will make you uncomfortable and tell you something you can't do," McCombo said. "I have no money, no buildings, and no equipment. I had to continue his words and start building churches. So I told Kevin Harris, "I have to go to church. He said: "Obey God. "I called my mother and told her. She said, "Worship God. "I told my brother. He said, "You better obey God." "

When three people who were not in contact with each other responded in the same way, McCombo said: "This is how I know God is arranging it."

Harris gave him money to go to Kingston. He got on the Trailways bus and arrived in a suit. He found a store in Rondout Plaza, for which he needed $1,400 to move in.

McCombo said: "I had a two-day church service in the New Progressive Baptist Church and raised the exact $1,400."

Then, when he went out to eat pizza with his mother and brother, someone suggested to paint the church. Carpets, folding chairs, electrical equipment, keyboards and drums also fell quickly-and so did the second marriage. While assisting the pastor in Ellenville, he soon met his second wife, Camergie.

Macombe said: "We have been married for eight years. She is my companion in ministry and life." She sings, preaches, and hosts women's programs. She is why I can own three churches. "

After two years in Kingston, McCum moved his church to Ellenville, where he lives now and was recently elected as the village trustee. He said that his congregation there was about 70-80 and he served them at 8 am on Sunday. Then he and his staff came to Port Jervis for 11 am service, and then went to Newburgh at 1:30 pm to serve the 35-40 congregation. He started the church in November 2018.

He is a full-time pastor responsible for family counseling, weddings and funerals. On Monday, he took a break from Sunday to catch up with emails and provide advice. Just like in Ellenville on Wednesday, he spent Tuesday in Newburgh working on Bible study and counseling. Thursday is now his day in Port Jervis, responsible for consulting and planning plans.

He said: "My schedule is to love people, regardless of their past and what they do, and to achieve their goals."

When asked what brought him to Port Jervis, McCombo said: "The urban area needs to be changed. When I was walking around Port Jervis, I saw homelessness on the street. Returnees. We are working hard to clean up the streets."

As for the separation between the white and black congregations, he said: “I am willing to worship with Catholics, Protestants and Ami. When we put ourselves aside, there will be interaction.” He said that he will be with other pastors and The Salvation Army discussed how to support the family together and assist the homeless.

In Ellenville, his employees cook for the community two Wednesdays a month. Plans are being made to similarly start in March, two Thursdays of each month, and dine in Port Jervis at 2 noon in March.

The new starting point also conducts a "return to school" activity every August. He said that in the last place, they distributed 2,000 masks and hand sanitizer bottles in Kingston, Allenville, Newburgh, New Paltz and Middletown.

"We will bring it to Port Jervis," McCombo said.