On Sunday, October 9, 2022, the Grace Community Church of Amityville, NY celebrated the 96th birthday of their Overseer, Robert Burgess.

In the mid-1970’s when a collection of churches responded to an invitation to march to corners of Great Neck Road and Albany Avenue to cry out against the crack epidemic that had taken hold of the streets of North Amityville, it was Pastor Robert Burgess that led his newly founded congregation to participate in the campaign. Currently, Overseer Burgess is one of only three active pastors who helped to establish the Ministerial Alliance of North Amityville and Vicinity, Dr. Patricia Rickenbacker and Bishop Walter Willie being the other two.