Pastor spreads 'Peace!' at New Jersey food pantry, thrift store

ByMatteo IadonisiLocalish logo
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Pastor spreads 'Peace!' at New Jersey food pantry, thrift store

PITMAN, New Jersey -- Randy Van Osten knew he had a calling to serve in the church since he was a teenager.

That path led him to become the pastor at First Baptist Church of Pitman. There, he wears many hats in addition to his tie-dye shirts and patchwork pants.

He and a team of volunteers contribute to the Pitman Food Pantry, a project that brings several church communities together to feed the neighborhood.

During his tenure, he helped to found The Lighthouse Community Center and the Fig Leaf Thrift Store. The church originally had a thrift store with the same name in the 1960s. Van Osten and his team brought it back to offer pay-as-you-can items such as clothes and books.

They also deliver hot meals twice per month and host various youth programs.

Watch the video above to see how Van Osten gives back to his church community.

To learn more about the First Baptist Church of Pitman or to get involved, visit their website.

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