As we commemorate the life, legacy and ministry of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., please reflect on this Baptist News Global article by our beloved Pastor Emeritus Dr J Alfred Smith Sr., “Remembering the Real Martin Luther King: Forgive Us, Lord”
On Sunday May 28 at our 9:30am service, we will share in a special Pentecost Sunday worship experience! We invite you to meditate on and be blessed by this Prelude to Pentecost - “When the Day of Pentecost Had Come: The Birth of the Early Church” by our own Reverend Dr. Martha C. Taylor. And, invite your family and friends to join us in worship on campus or online via YouTube, Facebook, Livestream, or Vimeo.
Read more: A Message from Bethsaida Counseling Services - Happy New Year! We're Still Standing!
We are excited and blessed to share that in recognition of the amazing life and legacy of our beloved Pastor Emeritus J. Alfred Smith Sr., the Board of Trustees of Berkeley School of Theology (BST) unanimously approved the creation of the J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Endowed Chair of Theology in the Public Square!
This endowed chair is part of the establishment of a new Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Restorative Justice made possible through the largest lead gift ever given to BST from the good people of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto and other donors of nearly $3 million, so far. Click here to read the press release!
Please join us in extending our warmest congratulations to Pastor E!
BLACK REPARATIONS – A Public Ministry Priority
“And when you set them free don’t send them off empty-handed”. (Deuteronomy 15:13 MSG)
Reparations for American Descendants of Slaves (ADOS) is the process for making amends and atoning for all the damage done through government sanctioned injustices between 1619 and 1865 by the fledgling United States and the original 13 colonies which still impacts the ADOS today. Rep. John Conyers D (Mi.) first introduced HR40 to the legislature in 1989 and every subsequent year until he retired in 2017. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee D (Tx.) picked up the mantle, and in June 2019 subcommittee hearings were held. The bill would create a commission to study the effects of slavery and discriminatory policies on African Americans and make recommend remedies, including reparations. History was made on April 14, 2021 when the House Judiciary Committee voted to move the bill forward; however the Bill must still pass the House and Senate.
Read more: Public Ministry Newsbrief - October/November 2021
We’re almost halfway through Mental Health Awareness Month. How IS your mental health doing? Whether you realize it or not, mental health plays a big role in your overall well-being. When you’re mentally healthy, you are able to enjoy your life and the people in it, feel good about yourself, keep up good relationships, and deal with stress. It’s normal for your mental health to shift over time – we all face difficult situations in our lives. Creating positive habits is a great way to support your mental health when you’re doing well and helps you build skills to use if you do face symptoms of a mental health condition.
Read more: A Message from Bethsaida Counseling Services - What? May is Mental Health Awareness Month