From the Heart of Pastor Jacqueline A. Thompson

From The Heart of Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson

I know I am going to be in trouble. I will get calls and texts and emails asking what am I doing and why. I am supposed to be taking my annual leave that (not for trying) always seems to get backed up to December. This is supposed to mean no working including sending this note. But when you are blessed to do what you love, it doesn't really seem like work. So we will just call this sharing. I am not working, I am sharing. I must thank Dr. James Noel, Professor of African American Christianity and Religion at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, who unbeknownst to him has inspired this time of "sharing".

Dr. Noel reflected on a conversation he had with his daughter who like many across generations, culture and class are grappling with the realities of Ferguson. For many, it is devastating to know that what W.E.B. Dubois identified as the problem of 20th Century is STILL the problem of the 21st Century. Even with some African Americans holding the most powerful positions in the land and becoming a part of what Eugene Robinson refers to in his book, Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America, as "a transcendent elite", the events surrounding Ferguson are a haunting reminder for some and realization for others that the problem is still the color line. In reflecting on his daughter's thoughts, Dr. Noel stated "My sense was that she was not simply making a statement but that she was asking her dad a question that all African American kids of her generation need answering during this season of Advent when the despair provoked by Ferguson threatens to eclipse and make "HOPE" either meaningless or a mere cliché--what Marx termed an "opiate."

The idea that hope can be eclipsed, made meaningless, mere cliché and an opiate stuck with me. Whether we admit it or not, it is the danger we live in as believers everyday. So much of life's experiences threaten to steal, kill and destroy our hope. It almost seems unreasonable to expect people to hope or continue to hope in the face of such glaring, repeated unrelenting injustices. To repeatedly ask people to live their lives with an expectation of peace, justice and equality that almost always has resulted in disappointment, disregard and despair all while penalizing them for displaying symptoms of their constant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder feels inhumane. Even as I write, CNN has breaking news that there is no indictment for the officers involved in the death of Eric Garner in New York. No wonder, the Prophet Habakkuk and other writers of the biblical text can be heard asking, "How long Lord?"

From the Middle passage to slavery through Jim Crow, lynchings, legislated segregation, to legal freedom but institutional bondage, sub-par education and prison pipelines. How long, Lord? From Emmet Till and Jimmy Lee Jackson to Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown plus all the other countless names from both eras that are never called. How long, Lord? The Psalmist David asked in Psalm 13:1-3, How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Dr. Cornel West reminds us that to live is to wrestle with despair yet never allow despair to have the last word.

For me that is ADVENT. It is the season that reminds me that despair does not have the last word. The ability to have hope in the midst of despair is inextricably connected to who and what you have placed your hope in. Today it was from that uncomfortable book of weeping, groaning and despair called Lamentations that I was reminded of why I continue to hope. In chapter 3, Jeremiah laments the realities of his life. He speaks of the affliction he has experienced in every area of his life and I am commiserating with him. But around verse 21, he switches on me. He says, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will hope in him".

Jeremiah reminds us that our hope does not rest in the power of man, the systems of man or any concept of justice and fairness as constructed by man. Our hope is in the Lord: the Lord's mercy, compassion and faithfulness. Because of the Lord's mercies, we have not been consumed. With all that we have faced historically and continue to face in the present, we have not been consumed. With all that we will face, we will not be consumed. Through all that you have been through and are going through right now as you read this, you have NOT been consumed. There are no easy answers to all the questions we are faced with in this hour. But the hard questions must be asked and the work must be done. We owe it to the ones who came before us and to those who will come behind us.

In this first week of ADVENT, where hope is at risk of becoming empty and cliché, let us actively call some things to mind and renew our hope. For as much as I wanted to disagree with Jeremiah, when I look back over it all and call some things to mind, I must admit I still have hope. And today with even greater clarity and resolve, I can say like the hymn writer Edward Mote: My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, ALL OTHER GROUND is sinking sand. All other ground, is sinking sand.

Keep hope alive,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor

Greetings Allen Temple Family and Friends,

Hoping this midweek note finds you blessed by the grace of our God! Well, it's here! This Sunday we celebrate 95 years of God's faithfulness to the Allen Temple Baptist Church. Great is God's faithfulness.

This faith journey is the last one featured in our I BELIEVE Campaign. This week, we hear from Sis. Doreen Bullard. She is a faithful member of our music ministry and serves as liaison for our historic relationship with Northern Light School:

As I agonized over why I should volunteer to share my journey, I came to the conclusion, how could I not share? Every day I live is a gift from GOD and it wouldn't be possible if I didn't rely on GOD working in me and through me ! Faith has been the main and only source of my strength!

As a child I was raised Catholic and Muslim simultaneously because my parents were divorced. I didn't understand or agree with lots that I heard or experienced, but I had a Great Aunt who was head of the ushers at Union Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who told me that GOD loved me ... I Believed.

We didn't have food to eat many times, but the LORD provided. My mother got a low paying job at a meat market close to home, so we were able to eat well...I Believed. Blessings were so abundant!

We kept getting evicted from many apartments, moving in the middle of the night. We finally got into the Housing Authority Projects. I felt so blessed, I never knew we were so poor...I Believed.

My counselors at high school told me I wasn't college material and my mother couldn't afford to send me anywhere. Upward Bound, a program to help disadvantaged, ethnic minorities go to college began the year I graduated and I was able, through the Grace of GOD, to attend college and become a teacher...I Believed. Thanks be to GOD!!!

In April of 1995, I experienced the most excruciating pain ever in my head. I had a cerebral aneurysm that ruptured! After nine hours of surgery, nine days in the hospital,and two aneurysms repaired, I came to Believe that GOD was not finished with me yet. In August of 1995 two more aneurysms were repaired. I was able to return to teaching in October. I was so thankful to be a vessel used by Him, to serve the children. A fifth aneurysm was discovered, but I was not afraid! Faith had replaced my fear! I trusted that GOD's Will would be done. A third surgery was required, but I Believed that the number three was a perfect number, representing the Holy Trinity; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. I was blessed to be able to return to teaching. Praise the Lord! I retired after completing forty years of teaching.

My journey is still not over and I look forward with abundant expectancy to be used by GOD according to HIS Will. If I have an opportunity to give back, I do so without hesitating, because GOD is so good. I am glad to be able to make the " I BELIEVE " contribution!

To be able to give back is indeed a blessing from God. We've come this far by faith!

Blessings to you,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor

Greetings Allen Temple Family and Friends,

Hope this midweek note finds you strong in the Lord and the power of his might! Our Pastor Emeritus reminded us so eloquently and prophetically through the witness of Job that faith is living in Christ. Our month long celebration has begun. Thank you to all of who have joined our campaign and shared your faith journeys thus far. The road is never easy but it is as we persevere that we learn God's grace is enough for the journey.

This week we hear from another one of our own, Minister Charlotte Williams. She serves in so many capacities but officially as our Minister of Communications. She is a daughter of ATBC and of our renowned Worship Leader, Mrs. Bettye Williams. She knows something about the grace of God. Let's hear from her:

In my thirties, I lived a rather high-flying life, literally and figuratively. In addition to being in itinerant ministry, I was the Country Manager for Sephora Canada based in Toronto; my life took me around the world for work and play. More than anything, I wanted to be in ministry full-time; the bi-vocational lifestyle wasn't satisfying. What I didn't know at the time was how God would work through a series of events that changed the trajectory of my life.

One balmy Toronto spring evening, I became the victim of domestic violence, and the resulting scars were emotional and spiritual, but most of all, physical - head trauma. I stuffed everything about that experience deep into the recesses of my mind and soul, told no one, and went on trying to live what soon became apparent was a shell of a life. My emotions were frayed, I was ready to jump out of my own skin, and I couldn't pray, I couldn't cry, I couldn't scream. Instead I found myself living with headaches that seemed to get worse as the weeks lingered on. I'd gotten to the point where I could barely get out of bed for the pain, couldn't see well, at times I couldn't hear.

One day while flying between Montreal and Toronto, my head hurt so badly that I thought it would explode. Soon after landing, I made my way to Women's College Hospital. A kindly lady doctor told me her findings with sorrow in her eyes - I had post-concussion syndrome on top of severe chronic migraine disorder. Test results showed that I indeed had some brain damage, and in short, I wouldn't be able to continue my high-powered lifestyle; I would live this way for the rest of my days. All I could do was wonder...there was no way that I could be like this - could I?

In the months that followed, I read my Bible (when I could see well enough). What resonated with me the most was the very person of Jesus Himself as foretold by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 53, verse 5: "By his wounds we are healed." (CEB) I had to become the one who was doggedly determined to stand on what the Scriptures said, and believe who He is. I gave up my job and moved back to the States. I had to learn to deal with the daily ups and downs of living in chronic pain. Migraine attacks come out of the blue and bring me to my knees. There are days that it hurts to hold my head up, let alone put one foot in front of the other. I still haven't found the exact combination of medication that works perfectly. The battle with insomnia is real. I have memory lapses sometimes. Some days, it hurts to think. There are times where I have to go to the emergency room for serious episodes. My neurologist is on speed dial. And yet, I know that Christ Himself hung on a cross so that I might be healed.

Since then, the physical scars have faded, but the emotional and spiritual scars have taken a bit more time. Through much grace, prayer, and therapy, I have come to see that our Lord will love us through our healing and walk in front of, alongside, and behind us on our journey. I believe 2 Corinthians 8:9, "My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness." (CEB) I'm okay with the lasting effects because they force me to be completely dependent on Him for the life's daily functions. He continually makes a way for me to survive; I no longer make six figures, but He has given my life an indescribable fullness and richness in allowing me to serve His people in full time ministry, and even blessed me to finish seminary with excellent grades - something that my neurologist said I'd never be able to do. Some people say I do too much with too much intensity. Every little thing I do is an offering of thanks to The Lord because He let me live. And I am aware at every moment that if God can do all of that through me when I'm at my so-called worst, what more can He do in my life?

I've shared all of that to say this...my testimony isn't about me. It's about my experience helping to save someone else that may be experiencing what I did in the here and now. Someone may be reading this or perhaps you know someone who is trapped in the vicious cycle of domestic violence, whether physical, emotional, or financial. Domestic violence knows no barriers; age, racial, socioeconomic, educational, or geographical. During October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we must come together to destroy the stigma and create safe spaces for survivors to heal and reconstruct their lives. They should be able to come forward without fear of gossip, repercussion, rejection or shame, whether in their communities, the courtroom, or the church. The National Domestic Violence Hotline has trained advocates to take calls through their 24/7 hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Knowing and sharing that number could help you save your life or that of someone you love, work with, lives in your community, or sits on the same pew with you at church.

My takeaway is simple yet beautifully complex. I know that the pain I live with 24 hours a day is a reminder to lean on Him. I am proud and blessed to be a survivor. And along the survival journey, I've come to believe Him to be who He Is - a healer, a sustainer, a deliverer.

We are grateful for the grace of God that keeps us even in the most harrowing situations. God most certainly takes what is meant for evil and works it out for our good. Praying that you will Believe God's Grace is Enough!

Blessings to you,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor

Greetings Allen Temple Family and Friends,

As always, I hope this midweek note finds you well and giving thanks in all things. Bro. Dan reminded us from his journey shared last week that no matter what we face in this life, we should "give thanks in all circumstances for this the will of God in Christ Jesus for you". (1 Thess. 5:18-ESV) Despite a week of unexpected challenges and attacks, I am still thankful for God's faithfulness. We as a church should be grateful as well because this Sunday marks the kick-off Sunday, celebrating 95 years of God's faithfulness to us as a community of faith.

How fitting then is it for us to hear from the one who served faithfully as Pastor of this great body of believers for 40 years, our very own Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr.. He has joined our "I BELIEVE" campaign, and when I asked him to give his testimony, he shared as only he can:

Christianity is a corruption of the religion of Jesus when it entices persons to become members just for the sake of earthly and heavenly benefits. Take another look at Job and see if Satan did not suggest to God that Job was worshiping God just for the blessings, benefits, and bounties that God has bestowed upon Job.

The faith of Job was not in his possessions. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and had numerous servants. Job had a large family of seven sons and three daughters. But Job lost his possessions. Job was a power broker. But Job's faith was not in his power. As a power broker, according to Eliphaz, Job had helped the helpless. Listen to Eliphaz speak to Job:

Think how you have instructed many,
how you have strengthened feeble hands.
Your words have supported those who stumbled;
You have strengthened faltering knees (Job 4:3, 4, NIV).

But Job's power to help others and Job's power to get things done were gone. Hear Job speak of his powerlessness:

I have become a laughingstock to my friends (Job 12:4, NIV).

Men open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me. God has turned me over to evil men and the clutches of the wicked (Job 16:10, 11, NIV).

Job truly said, "I used to have power, but God has taken my power. I am a broken and beaten man now."

All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target; his archers surround me. Without pity, he pierces my kidneys..." (Job 16:12, 13b, NIV).

Job's faith was not in position, possessions, or power. He had lost all of these blessings. He had even lost the respect of the younger generation.

But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs (Job 30:1, NIV).

Worse than losing the respect of the younger generation, Job was less than the lowest of the homeless underclass. He was worse off than a bagwoman.

He throws me into the mud, and I am reduced to dust and ashes (Job 30:19, NIV).

His precious children dead, his position stripped, his possessions taken, his power lost, his pride among peers gone, Job was reduced to mud and ashes. What kind of faith did Job retain?

Job's faith enabled him to say:

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me I will come forth as gold (Job 23:10, NIV).

Tell us a little more about your faith, Job. We want to know what you got from serving God after you had lost everything. Give us your testimony, Job. We want to listen and learn from you, Job.

Well, this is Job's personal testimony:

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my foot on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God
(Ps. 40:1-3, NIV)

Thank you, Brother Job, for your testimony. It will help us on our journey.

Do we have time for one more testimony? Is the witness a reliable witness?

Yes, your honor. His name is J. Alfred Smith, Sr.

If that is the case, bring J. Alfred Smith, Sr. before the court and swear him in so that we can hear his testimony. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., do you promise to tell nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do, your honor.

Proceed with the testimony.

Your honor, I have been crucified with Christ.

Wait a minute, witness; how could you testify if you have been crucified with Christ?

Your honor, you are partially right and you are partially wrong. I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Thank you, witness! What is in it for me? Now I know that it is not position, possessions, power, or pride, but it is Christ, Christ in me. Christ with me. Christ for me. Faith is living in Christ!

Nothing else to be said.

God has spoken..Let the Church say, Amen!

Blessings to you,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor