Bay Area

The Church Community Responds to COVID-19

Published

4 years ago

May 6, 2020

“God is our refuge and strength…therefore we will not fear.” Psalm 46: 1-2

Much has been discussed about the coronavirus and how it has impacted grocery outlets, schools, businesses, gyms, salons and recreational facilities. Yet minimal attention has been given to how COVID-19 has affected the church community.

Dr. Cindy Christovale, co-pastor at River of Life Christian Fellowship Church in Oakland, noted that COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way church services are held and how using technology is now the new norm to reach parishioners.

“With social distancing and amid health and safety concerns, congregations have creatively reached out to church members through the internet, social media and sites such as steaming live on Facebook, Periscope, YouTube, and Twitch to conduct services for smaller churches,” said Christovale.

“Additionally ZOOM, the site for meetings and video conferences, has become a very useful tool to effectively reach church-goers that have sheltered in place, especially for older generations.

“Everything we talk about at River of Life is based on the biblical foundation of truth,” she said. “We realize that COVID 19 has affected everyone, spiritually, physically and financially. Knowing the hardships people are facing, we have to reach out to our congregations via phone, text messaging, and social media to let them know the church is there for them.

“The Body of Christ is responsible to come together and pray about our situation,” she added. “We are now suffering because the Body of Christ has been separated since the last presidential election. The enemy has caused division among the Body of Christ.

“As a result of this, we were not prepared for this pandemic and we were lacking our armor. We should continue to read our Bible and pray every day, and not just when we have a present need.”

Rev. Anthony L. Hughes, MDIV, senior pastor at St. Paul AME Church in Berkeley, said parishioners are missing the face-to-face contact, but it’s necessary because of the pandemic. “We no longer have that opportunity to have close contact,” said Hughes. “Reaching out by phone and video streaming is now commonplace.”

“This also applies with giving to the church,” said Hughes. “People have adapted to paying their tithes and offerings electronically. This can be done using the app Givelify on your smart phone by simply identifying your church and the ministry you want to give to.

“Alternatively, if you bank online, parishioners can use Zelle which is a giving program that all banks have. Monies can be transferred to your church by simply entering the church’s email address or phone number, and select the ministry you want to provide funding.”

Hughes stated that during these difficult times, it is important to consider prayer. “One of the main things prayer does is that it keeps us in touch with the spirit of God,” said Hughes. “That’s where we get our direction, our assurance and that’s how we keep our faith strong.”

“Those things come through prayer, so it’s very important that we pray to reach the church community. When this pandemic is over, people will be more appreciative of each other and we will strengthen our ministries with a new enrichment that was not present before.”

Both Christovale and Hughes believe the churches that have ignored orders to shelter-in-place have not used wisdom, and those pastors have been holding services to their peril.

“God has never allowed us to put ourselves in danger,” said Hughes. “What those churches are doing is problematic. They should be prioritizing the health, safety and well-being of their members, especially those congregations that have seniors and people with compromised medical conditions.”

Christovale said that the actions performed by defiant churches are unlawful. “The Bible says to abide by the laws of the land, and those churches are unwise for encouraging activities that put their congregations in danger,” she said.

“Churches in the future will be of a new order,” she added. “Places of worship will need to be cleaned and sanitized, and in many instances, people will still have to remain six feet apart. The technology now in use will most likely continue even more so in the future. It will be a new way of life.”

Clifford L. Williams

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”