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Photo of the Week: Community Clergy Breakfast
November 24, 2015
![Ron Spinelli of Con Ed, fifth from right, and Levar Haffoney, sixth from right, were the guest speakers at this month's Community Clergy Breakfast.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/12247197_1060668147285534_3965879883925514962_n.jpg?itok=tqcARJgM)
Energy savings and planning for the future were the top issues of discussion at this month's Community Clergy Breakfast hosted by State Senator James Sanders Jr. on November 20th at St. Clement Pope Church in South Ozone Park. The guest speakers were Levar Haffoney, principal of Fayohne Advisors, a financial planning firm located in Manhattan, and Ron Spinelli, business development manager with Con Edison.
Haffoney discussed the importance of succession and retirement planning. He noted that 60 percent of churches nationwide do not have a succession plan, which is essential to establishing financial security for the outgoing and incoming pastor, and reaffirming the church's identity. He recommended developing a plan by identifying the organization's most critical roles, training existing leadership to assume the pastor's responsibilities and encouraging key members of the congregation to provide assistance.
In a second presentation, Spinelli of Con Ed explained how the demand for energy is increasing, thereby taxing an already strained system, so the company is offering energy saving tips and incentives for people to reduce their power consumption. Con Ed will even visit small business owners and conduct a free survey to identify ways to upgrade one's lighting, water heating and cooling systems to make them more energy efficient
Senator Sanders' Community Clergy Breakfasts are held monthly with a new topic each time, but always aimed at educating clergy and giving them the tools and information they need to help themselves and their congregations.
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Go to NewsroomSanders Testifies at City Council MWBE Hearing
December 14, 2015
![State Senator James Sanders Jr. testifies at a City Council Hearing on MWBEs. He is joined by Carra Wallace, chief diversity officer for the City Comptroller, left, and Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte of Brooklyn.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/07684d1a-d11f-49d3-bded-2663408bda61.jpg?itok=X9ZuoaZc)
![Panelists featured at the event were Anthony Benson of Black Veterans for Social Justice, left, Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens, assistant professor of history at Queens College, Shoshana Brown of the New York State Justice Network, Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, professor of history at Hunter College, and Dr. Michael Namphy, assistant history professor at York College.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/7cc47e9f-2f93-4155-8d35-0babe9f16a96.jpg?itok=gR19Okn_)
Photo of the Week - Hope NYC Christmas Parade
December 8, 2015
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Sanders Hosts Southeast Queens Grants Fair For Artists
December 7, 2015
![Senator Sanders speaks about the importance of encouraging the growth of the arts within a local community. He is joined by panelists Arian Blanco, arts program director at NYS Council on the Arts, Hallie Bahn, executive assistant at Materials for the Arts, Lynn Lobell, grants and resource director at Queens Council on the Arts and David Johnston, executive director at Exploring the Metropolis.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/2f822946-fb21-4a86-89a3-ca0191beb0a0_-_copy.jpg?itok=mkD6RUYy)