It's been days since the passing of the Rev. Clinton Miller, the leader of Brown Memorial Baptist Church for the last 25 years.

“The church is still in shock,” said Sylvia Kinard, executive minister at Brown Memorial Baptist Church. “People, they just don’t believe it.”

With that shock also comes devastation and heartache. For the countless lives that were touched by the presence of a man who was not only a spiritual leader to many, but also a friend.

“He had this ability to touch people,” said Deacon Kevin Brown. "He was a great communicator, and he kept himself open and he kept himself available. People just wanted to hear from him and we just wanted to see him.”

A true Brooklyn resident through and through, the Rev. Miller attended Bishop Loughlin in high school and even served as the chaplain for the New York Liberty.

His death will be felt beyond the sanctuary doors, and his service will be missed throughout all of Brooklyn.

“What I love about Rev. Miller is that he afforded us the opportunity to actually go into the streets,” said Debbie Lucy, a member of the trustee board.

He delivered food door-to-door during COVID, spoke out about social injustice, ministered to the sickly and connected with the youth.

“He will be missed,” said Kinard. “I found it a privilege to have known him, to minister to this community, to each other, to hold each other up in prayer, to hold each other up in love. I think those are the things that really keep us going.”