Coney Islanders turned out on March 23 to celebrate the co-naming of an intersection in front of a church after its beloved late pastor, who was committed to serving the neighborhood’s homeless, sick, and elderly.
Pastor Agustin Quiles Jr., who passed last July, spent 35 years as the Senior Pastor of Coney’s Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ at W. 21st Street and Mermaid Avenue — the intersection that was co-named after him — during which time he grew the church’s membership and expanded its services and reach to the homeless, sick, and elderly, according to Councilman Mark Treyger (D–Coney Island).
He also worked as a chaplain with the city police department and city Department of Corrections, and regularly volunteered at soup kitchens, organized funeral services for locals who could not afford them, and visited senior centers and local hospitals, Treyger said.
And after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, he helped distribute hot meals, clothing, and federal assistance to locals — even though his own home and church had been destroyed, according to Treyger.
Treyger said that Quiles was a selfless community fixture who was beloved by the community even after his death.
“Pastor Agustin Quiles Jr. was a remarkable figure and a pillar in our community,” he said. “This was someone who was known in Coney Island for always putting the needs of his neighbors over his own. When Superstorm Sandy devastated our area and destroyed the Pastor’s home, he did everything he could to keep his church open and provide much-needed assistance of all kinds to other members of the community. It is a privilege to be able to co-name the corner of Mermaid Avenue and W. 21st Street in honor of Pastor Quiles and everything he represented.”
