FIRST-PERSON: ‘Hot dog, this is it!’ adopted as N.Y. church’s praise phrase
EDITORS' NOTE: Taylor Field is pastor of New York City's East Seventh Baptist Ministry, nicknamed the Graffiti Church because its building is constantly vandalized. Most recently, he and his church helped minister to the people of New York following the Sept. 11 tragedy. A divinity and doctoral graduate from Princeton and Golden Gate Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, Calif., respectively, Field and his family have lived on the Lower East Side of New York since 1986 where he serves as a missionary with the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board. In his new book, "A Church Called Graffiti: Finding Grace on the Lower East Side," excerpted below, Field writes about such church's ministries as emergency help for the homeless and Christian discipleship, education opportunities and job development programs. The book is published by Broadman & Holman, trade-publishing arm of LifeWay Christian Resources. Royalties from the book go back into Graffiti's ministry.
