The Rev. Dr. Theodore R. Goyins was born in Columbia, South Carolina. While serving his first pastorate at Bethel A- M. E. Church in Madison, New Jersey, he attended Drew University. He received an honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree and a Doctor of Divinity Degree from the B. F. Lee Theological Seminary, now the Edward Waters College, in Jacksonville, Florida. A Doctor of Laws Degree was conferred upon him by the Monrovia College and Industrial Institute of the A. M. E. Church in Monrovia, Liberia and West Africa. In 1994 he received a Continuing Education Unit Certificate in Theory and Practice of Pastoral Supervision from Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ.

      Dr. Goyins was sent to the Heard A. M. E. Church, Roselle, in 1971 after pastoring Bethel A. M. E., Madison, for eighteen years. Immediately after arriving in Roselle he organized HOPE (Help Our Public Education) and was elected president of the Interfaith Council of Roselle and Roselle Park. Also, Heard's need for a parsonage was pressing, and one of the first displays of his exemplary guidance was to lead the way, within two months of his arrival, for the purchase of the parsonage located at 30 Normady Place, Roselle, without disturbing the church's Building Fund. In 1972 Rev. Goyins started a drive with his pledge of $1,000.00 to build a new church that was dedicated on September 9, 1973 in an Interfaith Union Dedication Service. The Ladies' Guild, the South Carolina Club, the Male Chorus, the Heard Scholarship Committee, the T. R. Goyins Inspirational Ensemble and the Men's Fellowship were organized during his tenure and the Pastor's Aide Club was re-organized. In the spirit of self-help, he organized the Heard A. M. E. Federal Credit Union, for use by the membership, that was federally chartered in 1980. Rev. Goyins, struck by the alarming number of persons calling his office seeking assistance to feed their families, recognized the need for a food pantry. He organized the Heard A. M. E. Food Store in 1983 that currently provides emergency food stuffs and other necessary items to forty or more unemployed, under-employed and retired families weekly and the number continues to grow. The Food Store, located on the church's lower level is recognized and listed as a Union County Community Resource. In addition, he established the Heard HIV/AIDS Commission and a federal grant was received to provide food and nutritional supplements and other services to HIV-infected individuals throughout Union County referred to the program by local hospitals. The annual budget for the program is $300,000, of which $140,000 is granted by the Union County AIDS Consortium and the Heard membership paying the deficit. A proclamation was issued by Roselle's former mayor, Joseph Safaryn, that declared July 1995 Heard A. M. E. AIDS Awareness Month in recognition for services provided to HIV patients who rely on the program to feed them and their families, with door-to-door food delivery service on a daily basis.

      Rev. Goyins arranged for the construction of a three-unit townhouse, dedicated by Roselle's former mayor Sam Colucci, in 1989. Since that time, two additional homes have been purchased, providing the residents with decent, affordable housing, the first in Roselle.

      Because of respect garnered by Pastor Goyins, Heard was selected as a receiving location for a firearms exchange program in 1994 and was the most successful site in Union County's first handgun exchange program.

      During 1995 and 1996, he led the congregation in a $500,000 renovation and re-enlargement of the church that included an extension of the dining hall, the addition of four classrooms, a conference room and a computer lab where training is received at no cost to students of all ages.

      Rev. Goyins served as the treasurer of the NJ Annual Conference Board of Trustees of the A. M. E. Church. He is a member of the Concerned Ministers of Union County and Newark-North Jersey Committee of Black Churchmen. He was a member of the Advisory Board of Union County College, Director of Social Action of the NJ A. M. E. Church Connection, a member of the Executive Board of the NJ Regional Health Planning Council and was on the board of Black Churchmen. He was a Past Master of the Prince Hall Masons.

      Pastor Goyins has received numerous resolutions from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the State and General Assembly of New Jersey and the Boroughs of Roselle and Madison. He is the recipient of a Certificate of Recognition for the Madison NJ Chamber of Commerce. He has been presented with plaques by AD House, Inc., the City of Linden, the Interfaith Council, Washington Rock Girl Scout Council, Union County 4-H Program, Israel Memorial A. M. E. Church and the Roselle Branch of the NAACP of which he is a Life Member. The Union County Club of Negro Business and Professional Women Clubs, Inc. named Pastor Goyins Man of the Year in 1978. He has received a citation from the State of NJ and is the recipient of awards of appreciation from the Junior Matrons, Morristown, NJ., the Urban League of Union County; Friends of Heard A. M. E. Church; the Heard A-M.E. Social League; Bethel A. M. E. Church, Madison; and St. Matthew A- M. E. Church Orange.

      Pastor Goyins departed this life on June 24th 2004 and is survived by his wife, the former Clara Williams and their four children, Ms. Yvonne A., Ms. Sharon, Theodore R., Jr., and Gregory; seven grandchildren, Tiarra, Teddy, Alexander, Nfitzi, Renee, Christian and Caitlin; one daughter-in-law, Sharon and three great-grandchildren Alexus, Zhair and Ronald Jr.