Britt A. Starghill, pastor in Camden

The Rev. Britt A. Starghill, 46, senior pastor at Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church in Camden since 1997, died Tuesday, June 2, of heart failure at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2004, Mr. Starghill established the Nehemiah Community Development Corp. to help deal with the blight of the Gateway neighborhood in Camden. He was its chairman at his death.

Camden Mayor Dana Redd said that he "encouraged his members and the surrounding community to give back and take an active part in the city's revitalization efforts."

The church's website states that Mr. Starghill was "embarking on a three- to five-year program to ensure that Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church remains relevant and discipleship continues to grow as the demographics of the community change over the next five to 10 years."

The Starghill family said in a statement: "This is a tremendous loss for our church family, the city of Camden, and beyond."

Assemblyman Gilbert Wilson (D., Camden) said in a release: "Though Pastor Starghill had an interest in all his families, he took special interest in black and Latino males. His focus was on community development, especially through the Nehemiah Project.

"We in Camden are blessed to have many great pastors leading our city in faith and shepherding our communities.

"This week, however, we truly lost one of our finest."

The Rev. Donald D. Moore, pastor at Mount Carmel Baptist Church at 57th and Race Streets in West Philadelphia, recalled that his ministry was fundamentally shaped by Mr. Starghill.

Moore joined Mr. Starghill's congregation as a layman, close to the pastor's arrival in 1997.

With his encouragement, Moore became an ordained deacon in 2003 and a licensed preacher in 2006.

But for a year and a half before he became licensed, on evenings when both were free, "I would preach to him, in the sanctuary."

Mr. Starghill was "a brilliant mentor and teacher."

But he wasn't done.

Moore earned a master of divinity degree at Palmer Theological Seminary "because he thought it was important that I prepare myself, because he valued education."

Ordained in 2010, Moore was installed as pastor at Mount Carmel Baptist on Dec. 14, 2014, with Mr. Starghill as the preacher.

"He had such an instrumental role in my ministry and development as a preacher and pastor," Moore said.

Born in Detroit, Mr. Starghill earned a bachelor's degree in economics and religion at Virginia Union University in Richmond, a master's in divinity at Union Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, and a doctorate in ministry at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y.

He began preaching in 1983, when he was 13, the fourth generation in his family to minister.

From 1987 to 1990, he was assistant pastor and youth minister at the First Baptist Church in Loretto, Va.

Later, he served as co-pastor at Samaritan Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit - where his father, the Rev. Robert Starghill, was pastor - until January 1997, when Camden called. He was installed as pastor of the Kaighn Avenue Church on April 17, 1997.

In addition to his father, he is survived by his wife, Catherine; a son, Britt; a daughter, Brie; his mother, Betty Starghill; a brother; and six sisters.

A viewing was set from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, June 12, at Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church, 831 Kaighn Ave., Camden, with services there at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13.

Donations may be sent to Director of Institutional Advancement, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, 1100 S. Goodman St., Rochester, N.Y. 14620.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.carlmillerfuneralhomes.com.