By: centraljersey.com
LAWRENCE – One year after an earthquake devastated the island nation of Haiti, the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville will hold two worship services – Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening – to mark the anniversary.
Both worship services are free and open to the public. The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville is located at 2688 Main St. in the village of Lawrenceville, next to The Lawrenceville School.
"People in the community may be looking for somewhere to go and someplace to reflect (on the earthquake)," said Robyn Park Campbell, the church’s director of children’s ministry. "We want to provide that place for them. This is an opportunity for the church to be able to do so."
The Sunday afternoon interfaith service begins at 5 p.m. and will feature an "instant gospel choir," Ms. Campbell said. Anyone interested in singing in the choir should attend the rehearsal at 3 p.m. at the church. The guest preacher at the Sunday afternoon service is the Rev. Darrel Armstrong of Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton.
The service will be followed by a Haitian-themed meal of rice, beans, chicken, fruit and bread, Ms. Campbell said. A freewill donation is requested.
The Wednesday evening service, which has been described as a service of thanksgiving and hope, occurs on the anniversary of the earthquake, Ms. Campbell said. The 7 p.m. service offers an opportunity to give thanks and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville’s first mission trip to Haiti, which occurred Jan. 12, 1991, she said.
The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville has a long-standing relationship with Harmony Ministries and its leader, Pastor Luc Deratus. Harmony Ministries is based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Church members have visited the island nation several times since 1991 to help Pastor Deratus and his congregation.
A 20-member delegation – 14 members from the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, three from Shiloh Baptist Church and one from the Ewing Township-based Kingdom Church – was in Haiti on a medical mission trip when the earthquake struck on Jan. 12, 2010. The group had left Port-au-Prince and was on its way to the small mountain village of Thoman. Delegation members escaped injury.
In the wake of the earthquake, church members have raised money to help with reconstruction efforts and to support Pastor Deratus and Harmony Ministries. The ministry’s church, school and medical clinic buildings in Port-au-Prince were destroyed in the earthquake.
"We made a commitment to Pastor Luc that we would support (Harmony Ministries) with food, medicine and supplies every month and to help him rebuild," Ms. Campbell said.
The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville is a member of a consortium of churches that is supporting Pastor Deratus.
Anyone interested in singing in the instant gospel choir should contact the Rev. Jeff Vamos at 609-896-1212 or by email at [email protected]. For more information, check the church’s website at www.pclawrenceville.org.

