NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — It’s a battle between two NFL Conference Championship bound churches. Trinity Baptist Church in Niagara Fall and the United Believers Community Church in Kansas City.
Reverend Jimmy Hardaway Jr. is the pastor at Trinity Baptist church in the Falls and he said after seeing his friend, Pastor Darren Edwards of the United Believers Community Church in Kansas City, boast about his team he challenged him to a friendly competition.
“I very simply asked him are you ready,” Hardaway said. "And he was like, well why don’t we just do something friendly between our churches.
That friendly act — giving back.
“I think it’s important to show that we can connect beyond just the four walls of the building, and that we can connect even across the country,” Hardaway said.
The losing team for Sunday’s game must send a donation to first responders of the winning team and Pastor Hardaway is hoping this friendly competition sparks hope in both communities searching for a big win.
“We’ve gone through so much in the last year," he said. "It’s been so much death and trauma. And we just want to encourage people. So we thought this would be a great way for us to do something that effects the community as well.“
