News

Spring Prayer Seminar - Presentation Notes

We hope that you were blessed by our Spring Prayer Seminar hosted by the Prayer Warriors Ministry!

Use these presentation notes for prayer and devotion!

Have a prayer request? Or want to join with the Prayer Warriors Ministry? Email prayer@allen-temple.org!

A Message from Bethsaida Counseling Services: May is Mental Health Awareness Month – Mental Health Matters. Black Mental Health Matters. Christian Mental Health Matters

Did you know there is an awareness month for almost everything - medical conditions, social causes and just for fun? Visit https://crestline.com/c/calendar-of-events or https://www.healthline.com/health/directory-awareness-months for a listing of some of the different awareness months.

Speaking of Awareness Month, a couple of weeks ago, the Health Education Ministries’ Emphasis shared that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Tips were provided recommending some things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty. The 5 tips listed were: separate what is in your control from what is not, do what helps you feel a sense of safety, get outside-even if you are avoiding crowds, challenge yourself to stay in the present, and stay connected and reach out if you need more support.

Continuing the message, Bethsaida Counseling Services wants to reiterate the importance of making your mental health a priority in May and every month. As matter of fact, make mental health important every month, every day, throughout the year. Taking care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health daily is self-care and self-love. They all matter. Strive for overall behavioral health and wellness. This will require you to be intentional in practicing self-care every day which includes being mindful of nurturing healthy habits, i.e., food intake, exercise/movement, meditation/prayer, etc. In order to have the fortitude to do the work of the church, more specifically, the work in the community, we have to first take care of ourselves.

After implementing some healthy lifestyle changes, if you find yourself continuing to struggle but do not know where to start to seek assistance, feel free to reach out to Bethsaida Counseling Services for information and referral. We are here to help direct you appropriately to get the support you need. Contact us at (510) 544-8945 or email us at bethsaida@allen-temple.org.

Consider every month Mental Awareness Month. Remember, Mental Health Matters. Black Mental Health Matters. Christian Mental Health Matters.

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Expense Reimbursement Assistance

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. Click here to learn more

Rent Relief for Tenants and Landlords

CA COVID-19 Rent Relief will help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for past due and future payments for tenants and landlords. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides funding to support the program and tenant (renter) protection laws signed by Governor Newsom. Click here to learn more.

A Message from Bethsaida Counseling Services: Strengthening Families: Fostering a Sense of Community and Hope Through the Pandemic and Beyond

We have come upon a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. When Allen Temple Baptist Church (ATBC) had its service on Sunday, March 15, 2020, we had absolutely no idea it was going to be the last service for a year plus. And even though we have not all sat together fellowshipping in the pews since that day, we still have managed to nurture a sense of community and hope among our ATBC family which we pray has extended to your own personal families.

Hear from some of the voices of Bethsaida Counseling Services Core Team Members:

“This past year as a result of the pandemic, the African American community and specifically, families have experienced tremendous challenges on many levels. These challenges were culturally, financially, physical, psychological and, spiritually. Despite it all, it is my hope that African American families can still find joy AND gratitude even in a time like this.”

~Debra F. Richardson, MSW, LCSW

“The national Black History Month 2021 theme was “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”. Family is the backbone of a community for the two are interchangeable where it provides a place of belonging. We are family and we face everything that the world throws at us daily. That unity keeps our focus on the hope of a better future.”
~Derrick E Felton, MSW, MPA, MBA

“Families are more likely to be resilient in times of stress when they have strong social and community connections. Focusing on protective factors has proven to be more productive because they are positive attributes that strengthen all families. Risk factors only focus on characteristics that are associated with a higher likelihood of negative outcomes. Promoting protective factors help families build on strengths they already have and empower them to identify the best strategies to help enhance problem solving. Here are a few examples of protective factors: being nurturing and supportive; building a close bond with family and community members; being good at listening or communicating needs; having access to resources (financial, housing, and other concrete resources & community services) that can help meet basic needs.”
~La Tronda Lumpkins, MSW, MBA

During this time, Bethsaida Counseling Services wishes you and your family joy, encourages you to practice gratitude and in unity maintain hope while continuing in the spirit of resiliency. Together, as a strong family and with God’s help, we can and will come out of this victorious.

~Ricka L. White-Soso, MSW, LCSW, BIP, CEAT

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Know that we continue to be here to help by offering information and referral, consultation, education, trainings, and workshops. Psychotherapy and counseling sessions are not available through Bethsaida Counseling Services currently. As has been shared, development of a strong infrastructure needed to offer these services are ongoing and takes time. The ATBC community and its surrounding community will be informed once psychotherapy and counseling sessions have returned to our menu of services. If you are interested in our assistance, contact us at (510) 544-8945 or by email at bethsaida@allen-temple.org Our Clinical Coordinator/Director, Sister Ricka L. White-Soso, MSW, LCSW, BIP, CEAT will manage and triage your request.

Thursday Tutoring for K-12 Students

Allen Temple’s K-12 Education Ministry is continuing its’ partnership with UC Berkeley's KDSAP to provide FREE tutorial sessions for 1st - 12th grade students.

Students can receive tutoring on Thursdays from 4pm to 5:30pm. Parents/Guardians can click here to register their students

For more information, please contact Brother Brian White at bwhite@allen-temple.org

Resources to Support Distance Learning and Black History

We are grateful for our own Dr. Tasha Dean, who has compiled this informative list of resources to support Distance Learning and Black History! Click here to download!

SafeSpace - A Mental Health Resource for Youth

Bethsaida Counseling Center is honored to share information on SafeSpace — a Mental Health Resource for Youth.

SafeSpace is a a mental health advocacy nonprofit working to change the conversation around mental health that reaches over 50,000 students. In a storytelling format. SafeSpace stories features youth mental health stories and insights from mental health experts. SafeSpace aims to remind youth that they are never alone in what they are going through and give them advice from those who have faced similar struggles or are professionals.

You can find the podcast HERE on Apple Podcast, HERE on Spotify, and learn more about it HERE on their website.

Alameda County Residents COVID Vaccine Information Portal

The Alameda County Department of Public Health has prepared information on COVID-19 vaccination tiers. Click here to read the press release. To learn more and register to receive information as to when you will be eligible to receive a vaccination, click here

Bethsaida Counseling Services Update

Welcome to 2021!

With all of the challenges 2020 brought us, we made it! To God be the Glory!!! Bethsaida Counseling Services encourages everyone to maintain self-care and embrace thinking about this pandemic which has attacked our whole being in a different way. While we follow the CDC guidelines and the most current stay at home order, consider starting a Gratitude Practice. Instead of focusing on what we do not have and what we cannot do, let us thank God for what we do have and what we can do.

Bethsaida Counseling Services continues to be available to all Allen Temple Baptist Church ministries, members and the community to provide information and referral, consultation, education, training and workshops. In 2020, we presented to some of the Allen Temple Ministries, consulted on a number of calls and emails from different Allen Temple leaders, members; as well as, the community, to assess, offer brief counsel, encouragement and connect persons to services.

We are available to accept calls and emails to assist inquirers with connecting to much needed community resources and services including counseling. Psychotherapy and counseling sessions are not available through Bethsaida Counseling Services at this time. Know that our efforts to develop the strong infrastructure needed to offer these services are ongoing. The ATBC community and its surrounding community will be informed once psychotherapy and counseling sessions have returned to our menu of services.

Again, we are still here to help. Use Bethsaida Counseling Services as a resource. If you are interested in our assistance, contact us at (510) 544-8945 or by email at bethsaida@allen-temple.org Our Clinical Coordinator, Sister Ricka L. White-Soso, MSW, LCSW, BIP, CEAT will attend to and triage your request as needed.