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First Church introduces new pastor through a financial and emotional crisis. Church became my shelter. It felt welcoming. It First Church Baldwin, Unit- encouraged me.” After serving in churches in ed Methodist recently welcomed the Rev. Miyeong Kang as its Korea for many years, Kang new spiritual leader, bringing arrived in the United States in with her a passion for an inclu- the early 2000s to continue her studies. She earned sive ministry and a her Master of Divindeep background in ity from Drew Unicounseling and eduversity in New Jercation. sey and became a Kang, who offifully ordained elder cially became the in the New York church’s pastor earConference of the lier this month, has United Methodist decades of pastoral Church in 2016. and mental health Since 2012, she experience — and a has worked primariheartfelt commit- MiYEONG KANG ly with Englishment to fostering Pastor, speaking congregacommunity in First Church Baldwin, tions in cross-culdiverse congregaUnited Methodist tural ministry. Most tions. recently, she served Originally from South Korea, Kang first studied the United Methodist Church of theology at Methodist Theologi- Sea Cliff, where she led the concal University in Seoul, a school gregation for five years before she described as “progressive her appointment in Baldwin. “I’ve only been here for two and inclusive,” and was drawn to its message of equality and weeks, so my short-term goal is to get to know the community,” grace. “I was very curious about she said. “My long-term vision Christianity,” Kang said. “I is to work with the people — to wasn’t raised in a Christian set goals together and grow family, but I became a believer together.” In addition to her pastoral in high school during a time when my family was going CoNtiNued oN pAge 7
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
Courtesy New York Mets
Antonio Veneziano of Bethpage was named this year’s SNY Mets Kidcaster, giving him the chance to join Mets’ television broadcasters. His father, Lucian, of Baldwin, collaborated on the audition video.
Young Mets fan lands dream role in SNY booth as the ‘kidcaster’ By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
Ten-year-old Antonio Veneziano lives in Bethpage, but his connection to Baldwin — through his father, Lucian Veneziano — played a big part in his journey to the broadcast booth at Citi Field, home of the Mets. Veneziano, an incoming seventh-grader at JFK Middle School in Bethpage, was recently named this year’s SNY Mets Kidcaster, an honor that gave him the chance to join Mets’ television broadcasters Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez live on-air in the fourth inning of the Mets’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on July 22. “It was surreal,” Antonio said. “To be next to voices you hear every time you put a game on — it’s the classic, ‘It’s outta here!’ It’s something I’ll never forget.” His father, a Baldwin native and a longtime Mets fan, began passing down his love
for baseball when Antonio was a toddler. The two have attended countless games together, and collaborated on the audition video, which they filmed in Baldwin, and which ultimately led to Antonio being named the winner. “We put a lot of time into the audition,” Lucian said. “We wanted to make something that really stood out, something theatrical and fun.” The audition, carefully crafted with his father’s help, reflected not just Antonio’s knowledge of the game, but personality and poise. “We had a great time putting it together,” Lucian said. “We spent a whole morning filming take after take. He mirrored what he sees on TV and added his own personality. I told him, ‘Why don’t you turn to Gary and Keith like they’re actually there?’ He really nailed it.” Lucian found out that his son had been CoNtiNued oN pAge 2
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his is a very diverse congregation, and I’m excited about that.