Glory2God Ministries and True Insight Inc. will join with the greater Newburgh community on Monday, October 9 for the celebration and honoring of Pastor Edward O. Benson for his 16 years of service to the community.

The service will begin at 3 p.m. and be held at Living in Jesus Ministry Inc at 119 South Street.

For the Monday afternoon celebration, True Insight Inc founder Deacon Donald Fryar of Newburgh said the celebration would include several guests and speakers to highlight the work of Benson.

Fryar, who has known Benson since 2010 or so, and also an active member in Benson’s church, will be presenting to him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments and to highlight his accolades.

Benson also serves on the board of True Insight, offering guidance and support to Fryar in his work.

“He’s a compassionate man. He has a love for people. He stands, he stands for fairness, freedom and equality. He’s a very humble man,” he said. “Just feels good to be able to honor a man of God like that.”

Assisting with the preparations for the honorary celebration was Benson’s wife Aisha who assists in the pastoral duties of the church. As of right now, the celebration and preparations were intended to be a surprise for Benson, and details and preparations for Monday have been tight lipped.

The couple has been married since 2006, and the following year in 2007, Benson was ordained a minister. Benson began his pastoral leadership duties in 2009 and Aisha followed later in 2013 as an ordained minister as well. The couple have had six children and are the proud grandparents of seven grandchildren. “Faith is a very important part of our marriage. It’s a glue for us,” she said.

In February 2023, the couple launched their ministry known as Glory2God Ministries which operates in Poughkeepsie currently, but the couple still uphold their connections and work in the City of Newburgh.

In 2019, the couple were previously a part of Living in Jesus Ministry and continued to serve the community even through the COVID pandemic which impacted many in the community. Even during the pandemic with all the mandates and restrictions in place, Aisha disclosed that the congregation still met and worked together to address the needs of the community who were out there.

Seeing her husband as a pastor, Aisha does recognize that it can be a thankless job with additional pressures along the way, but she is proud to see him do this work and to be recognized for what he has done in the communities they serve.

“I’m very proud of my husband, and for the man that he is and for the way that he cares about people and cares about the community,” she said. “The congregation really felt that in October, which is Clergy Appreciation Month, that it was time to go over and above. The thinking this time was to do something really special and to provide an honor recognizing his service in the ministry and all that he does.”

Benson has also been affiliated with the Clergy Alliance in Newburgh and has served alongside several food ministries in Newburgh. Glory2God ministries also prepares and delivers care packages for the homeless in the winter months, which are soon to arrive now that it is October. Outside of his pastoral duties, Benson is also the founder of Benson Transportation.

Other accolades of the pastor include authoring four books titled X-Man -God’s New Creature, Holler Jesus, Chasing the Vision 2020 and Chasing the Vision 2022 and founder of the Inspiring Hope Award, which honors and provides a seed grant to three local entrepreneurs annually.