Writing New York

Brooklyn neighborhoods like Brownsville and Flatbush are saturated with all church denominations. Some churches are separated by just a wall while others are less than a mile apart. With so many options, congregants must have different reasons for choosing a particular church. It appears that churches in these areas have memberships that are similar to the backgrounds of their leaders, especially among the West Indians.

West Indians may come from different nations but there is some commonality among them. Many of their folklores, colloquial terms and foods are similar except for the few variations. It is easy to understand why people of similar backgrounds are drawn to each other. The church leaders can make reference to anecdotes that are familiar as well as invite guest pastors from the Caribbean that are already familiar to the congregation.

In the Bible, believers are warned to avoid false prophets, which mean that choosing a place of worship is a very important decision to make. “My grandmother introduced me to Restoration Temple Assembly in Flatbush,” said Seon Hannibal, a Brownsville resident, “I stayed there because I felt that Bishop Cummings was teaching according to the Bible which I was able to confirm from my own knowledge of the Bible.” Hannibal added that he had also visited other churches in Brownsville but did not feel a connection to any of them like he did at his church. The presence of other West Indians in Restoration Temple Assembly made it easier for him to communicate and form a connection.

Some Churchgoers in the Brooklyn neighborhoods seem happy to attend churches that are miles away and require some amount of traveling, even though there are churches right next to their homes “I started going to Good Tidings Gospel Chapel because there was a link between this church and the one I attended in Guyana,” said Luke Heywood, an International student living in the Brownsville area, “so I don’t mind having to travel to get to church.”

Others feel that having clusters of churches all over the Brooklyn area can only have negative effects rather than create a sense of unity in the Christian community. “It is wasteful and it harbors a sense of divisiveness” said Colletta Hinckson, from the Brooklyn area, “it forces churches to compete for space, people and influence in the community.”

The one good thing about having a melting pot is that you can always find a place to connect not only with your God; but with people you can have relation. Thus, considering the sense of community that pervades each church, perhaps the diversity of choices does more to connect the members of each church than to draw distinctions between the separate congregations.

New York State like the rest of the nation is faced with increasing overweight and obesity  rates in both its children and adults. Without any intervention, children are predicted to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents. As a means to preventing and reducing these rates New York State has developed a Strategic Plan for Overweight and Obesity Prevention, which promotes healthy eating habits and at least 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity.

“The goals and objectives of this plan seem quite lofty,” said Asha Bobb-Semple, a 24-year-old Queens’ resident. “I hope that for all our sakes these do not just remain ‘goals’ but are actually implemented soon.”

According to the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) the obesity trend in adult New Yorkers who are 5′4″ and overweight by 30lbs was 20%-24% in 2005-more than doubled the 1985 percentage.

Even worse, children as young as 2 years old are suffering with this very epidemic. In fact, trends in overweight and obesity in both children and adolescents from ages 2- 19 years are alarming. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) the trends show that obesity rates have almost tripled in 2004 when compared to 1971 data.

Finding affordable ways for both children and adults to be involved in physical activities have become much easier. For the self-disciplined, strolls in the park, biking and even climbing stairs instead of using the elevators can provide the required amount of exercise. For the less motivated, New York City offers membership to its Recreational Facilities in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. Some of the facilities offered are swimming pools, basketball courts, gyms, dance studios, game rooms and even after-school programs for the children. The annual fee for seniors (55 and up) is $10; adults (18 and up) is $50 for those facilities without indoor pools and $75 for those with pools; for youths under 18, all facilities are free.  For classes like aerobics that require an instructor, an additional fee might be added but would still cost less than enrolment in a private gym, which can often exceed $80 a month.

In addition, the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn offers a program called Live Light, Live Right that incorporates both healthy eating habits and physical activity for the entire family. “It’s an opportunity for parents and their children to learn about eating the right foods,” said Jerry Childs, Deputy Center Manager, “ while doing physical activities together.”

 Even as scientists do more research into the benefits of exercise, the need for New Yorkers to incorporate it into their daily lives continues to rise. According to Eric Nagourney, writing in the New York Times, “Exercise, researchers have found over the years, appears to help people fight the natural memory loss that comes with aging.”