On Sabbath, Nov. 1, 2025, Adventist members and community guests gathered at Hanson Place church in Brooklyn, New York, for Religious Liberty Day. The event, organized by the Atlantic Union Conference Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Ministries (PARL), centered on the theme “Igniting Faith, Freedom, and Justice.”
PARL associate directors John Ashmeade and James Richmond coordinated the day’s activities, which included a lively Sabbath School discussion, an inspiring worship service featuring guest speaker Ivor Myers (pictured), pastor of the Living Manna online church, and a thought-provoking afternoon panel.
“Religious liberty is important for everyone,” Ashmeade said. “We all need freedom of conscience and the ability to think for ourselves, worship for ourselves, speak for ourselves, and gather together for ourselves. [Religious liberty] is one of the foundational rights we have in this country, and we need to protect it and preserve it.”
In his sermon, “A False Jesus,” Myers juxtaposed the prisoner Barabbas—whose name means “son of the father”—with Jesus of Nazareth, the true Son of the Father. He highlighted how the crowd, under the spell of Satan, “chose a counterfeit Jesus.” Myers urged listeners to reflect on Christ, the One who offers genuine spiritual and religious freedom.
Marie Martin, an attendee celebrating her birthday, said the experience was a “double blessing.” “When I saw it was on my birthday, I said, I’m definitely going,” she said. Her biggest takeaways were the reminder to be wary of the enemy’s deceptions and to always choose the true Jesus.
Ashmeade said he hoped attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose. “I want them to renew their relationship with Christ,” he said. “I want them to understand that they need to advocate for those who are disenfranchised—the weak, the homeless. That’s our obligation. That was the ministry of Jesus, and that should be our ministry.”
_____________________________
Judith Silfrene-Georges, Gleaner reporter
Photo: Merari Medina
