Bishop Derek G. Owens Appointed Bronxville Police Chaplain
By Carol P. Bartold
Jan. 13, 2016: Bishop Derek G. Owens, pastor of Goldensword International Fellowship on Tanglewylde Avenue in Bronxville, has been named police chaplain for the Bronxville Police Department.
Upon the recommendation of Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale, the Bronxville Board of Trustees appointed Bishop Owens to the chaplaincy position at its January 11 meeting.
According to Satriale, Owens could be the first-ever police chaplain in the village.
"I have developed an incredible friendship with Bishop Owens since he opened his church here in Bronxville," Satriale told the board. "He has been extremely supportive of the police department and community."
Owens opened Goldensword International Fellowship in 2012 in the former Christian Science Church building on Tanglewylde Avenue.
Satriale stated that there exists "no better choice" than Owens to offer spiritual guidance to police officers in dealing with people who need guidance that the officers may not be trained to provide.
Owens characterized his church's three years in Bronxville as "a tremendous journey spiritually, personally, as well as professionally." He stated that serving the police department would be a profound and privileged honor.
"I look forward to working with the police department, as well as with other pastors in the area, in an ecumenical fashion to provide spiritual guidance for any kind of assistance needed," Owens said.
Trustee Anne Poorman noted that the situations police officers face on any given day can present them with powerful and life-changing encounters. "I think it's important that our chief is putting into place support and assistance for them in a proactive way."
Bishop Owens, a Mount Vernon native and standout athlete, studied at American International University on a full basketball scholarship. He turned down both the opportunity to play basketball professionally in Ireland and the offer of a lucrative job in Boston so that he could begin his ministry discernment process.
He moved quickly into the ministry, beginning with his ordination as a teacher in 1988. He was ordained a minister in 1989, an elder in 1990, and a bishop in 1995. He has served as a chaplain at Shalom Nursing Home in Mount Vernon and has taught several classes in a theological institute. Owens also had a weekly radio Bible study series, A Study in the WORD, on AM station WTHE.
Owens holds a master's degree in computer science from New York University and works as a senior consulting engineer at a major telecommunications company. He is married and has four children.
Pictured here: Bishop Derek G. Owens with Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale.
Photo by Carol Bartold
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Link to Village of Bronxville One Square Mile Monthly Newsletter
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