The Covid Pandemic has had a negative impact on a lot of local Black churches. Members have been lost. Tithes and offerings are down, and members are not sending money to help their church and many churches are struggling financially to survive.
Parks are filled on Sunday mornings with soccer and football practices, as coaches are rounding up the kids for practice and they gather with their teams, instead of going to church. Rather than learning that Jesus’ first miracle was changing water to wine, kids are learning to block a pass. Members who still want to have the church experience have turned to streaming church services online or going on Zoom. A lot of parents are sleeping in, or they are opting out of attending church to watch sports or the news on television, or doing the yard, or going shopping. We must not forget that the Black Church was the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement along with Black schools and colleges. The Covid period is now clearing up somewhat, and little by little, life is returning to normal. We need to return to church where we will get the “Word” to sustain us and improve our quality of life and renew our friendships and fellowships for mental stability. Attending church will strengthen and encourage us and our children in the coming days. Pasadena has a number of Black churches of all sizes performing services, from helping with housing, to food pantries and helping with food shortages. Some churches help fight Covid by providing testing and vaccines. Church is resuming their business meetings and social programs for holidays, youth services, Senior services, Retreats, Revivals, dinners, lunches, and conferences. These activities all contribute to the life of the church. Through the years, the churches we have featured in this paper in the Church Directory include Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena, First AME Pasadena Church in Pasadena, Friendship Baptist Church, Scott United Methodist Church, New Guiding Light MBC, Friendship Baptist Church, Bethlehem Church Pasadena, and a number of other churches in the Pasadena, Altadena area They all provide a Spiritual Welcome on entry to the Church. Music is heard that inspires you and lifts your spirit. A message is delivered by the Pastor or the speaker of the day in a clear and concise way for adults and most children to understand. As a collateral service we at the Journal have lost most of our Church Directory advertisers and we have had to make some thoughtful and tough decisions, going forward. We are thankful for the advertising that the churches have purchased over the years. To these churches, we want you to know that your patronage has sustained us. We thank you. We value our relationship with Church Directory advertisers and desire to continue working under the same policy as we have had in the past. We welcome churches back with open arms. We will continue to provide paper delivery services to churches as a convenience to church members. We pray that we have provided comparable service to you. Your advertising dollars guarantee cost-free exposure of your church and community events. We will continue these services as you renew your advertising which we will provide at the same low cost. These costs have not been raised in the last seven years. Besides our extra special low church Directory advertising costs, our pages remain open to your church at no extra cost for your messages, announcements, and extraordinary events which you invite the public is invited. Please contact us at the Journal Offices to say you are back! We will be happy to go over the details. What are your Covid policies and procedures, what is your church services/program information, and days/times of services, what is your contact information? |
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