New Life Church of Richmond Hill began hosting “A Night of Worship” in 2011. Since then, it has grown into something local churches share together to serve the area’s diverse religious community.

This year’s event, held last month, was filled with inspirational music, singing and dancing.

New Beginnings Community Church, New Life Church, The Waterfront Church, First Baptist Church of Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill United Methodist Church, Restoration Worship Center, Emmanuel Christian Church, Richmond Hill Vineyard and Life Moves Dance Studio contributed to the night’s festivities.

The event is a good way to unite people from different denominations. Theology aside, people can unite in worship and experience the presence of God, said Tom Seaman, the president of the South Bryan Christian Ministerial Association. The association is a group of pastors and worship leaders who plan events like this.

A Night of Worship has grown in the past two years to include the Richmond Hill Music Festival, along with Saturday seminars for people looking to grow and develop their programs. More than 40 people attended this year’s seminar, giving Seaman high hopes for continued growth in the years to come.

Seaman led the attendees through a lesson on the meaning of worship in Hebrew and Greek. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” This Scripture is the ministerial association’s main focus, according to Seaman.

He and his wife, Jane, moved to the area in 2013 to be closer to family. This led them to Richmond Hill, where Tom Seaman, a former pastor, worship leader and educator, quickly got plugged in to the association.

He first served as a member, then moved on to secretary and is now in his second year as president.

“No one understands what pastors go through more than pastors,” he said. “We share and help each other when possible.”

“My whole family has been involved in ministry,” he added. “My father, Mill, was a Christian school superintendent. Our family would travel to churches and ministry trips by the time I was 6 years old. My mother, Carol, taught me my lines and spaces by the time I was 4. Music and ministry is my heritage and has been in my family all my life.”

Besides the Night of Worship, churches across Bryan County gather to share in other events throughout the year, including the National Day of Prayer. The ministerial association recently teamed up with Family Promise of Bryan County to help combat homelessness. In this way, the association can achieve its overall goal of connecting, uniting, networking and training in Bryan County, Seaman said.

“When we all come together, there is always blessings,” he said.

For more information on the South Bryan Christian Ministerial Association, email Seaman at tseaman57@gmail.com.