By Tammy Scileppi
Rev. Philip Craig of Springfield Gardens combines his role as a pastor with social activism to follow Jesus Christ’s teaching that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Through his work, he has made a great impact on the southeast Queens community where he grew up.
During troubled times, folks need spiritual strength and guidance, and through his unwavering dedication, support and spiritual leadership, Craig has provided solace and peace through the power of daily prayer.
For the past two years, the ordained elder from The Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York has been serving as senior pastor of the Greater Springfield Community Church in South Jamaica – his most challenging project.
Craig is also president of the Queens chapter of Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, which was founded in 1991 as a non-profit civil rights organization to fight for equality.
“Our goal is to empower, equip and edify the community we serve and we’ve been doing it for years through the National Action Network Queens Chapter,” he said. “When I became president, I brought in resources, made sure people got information from our elected officials and created a better relationship between the community and elected officials,” Craig said.
He pointed out that the community he serves needs guidance and help with legal issues, medical care and financial concerns. He has a master’s degree in divinity and an MBA.
Craig has honed his skills as a grass-roots organizer and has launched many initiatives, including his effort to keep the Sean Bell Community Center in South Jamaica afloat. He put together a fund-raiser to save the center, named for the Far Rockaway man killed in a notorious police shooting in 2006, but it closed in November 2013. He also held a prayer vigil when Avonte Oquendo, the 14-year-old autistic boy, disappeared from his Long Island City school last year.
In addition to his pastoral duties, he is a board member of the Southeast Queens County Young Democrats and founder of Unity in the Community, which brings together civic leaders and elected officials to address concerns in the neighborhoods of southeast Queens.
As a devoted family man, Craig speaks fondly of his wife, Jennifer and three children: Jasmine, Christina and Jonathan Craig.
And his compassion extends to every soul in his congregation, which has evolved into one of the most promising and fastest growing in southeast Queens, due to his hard work and ongoing dedication.
The minister leads his congregation with the same spiritual zeal that defines his entire life.
