Pastors Unite for an Apology Tour to Re-Engage the Community

Pastor Set to Throw His Hat in The Race for Tenth District Council Seat

There’s less than a year to go until the next round of elections and already the races for who will win seven of the 15 council posts up for grabs are shifting into high gear. No where is that truer than in the CD 10 where those newly installed councilwoman Heather Hutt is set to face off against include Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer and attorney Grace Yoo.

Agape Church of Los Angeles Worship Center: Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center 4305 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Corprate Office: 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Suite 2A, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 295-5571 www.agapela.org

Bishop Craig A. Worsham, Founder & Senior Pastor

Sunday School: 10:00am

Morning Worship: 11:00am

Loving, Lifting & Liberating Humanity Through The Word

Bethesda Temple Apostolic Faith 4909 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 299-2591 • thevoice4904@att.net

Pastor Kyron S. Shorter

Sunday Morning Prayer: 9:00am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Morning Worship: 11:00am

Children’s Church: 11:00am Sunday Evening Service: 6:00pm

On Pentecost Sunday, May 28, a group of Black pastors are coming together to launch an apology tour in an effort to restore the union between the local church and the local community–healing strained relationships and reintroducing their churches to neighborhood residents.

At 12:00 pm, each participating ministry will walk out of the building and into the community for 1-4 hours, offering varying services or giveaways reflective of that community's need assessment and priorities.

The Apology Tour is the brainchild of Pastor Shep Crawford of the Experience Christian Ministries, who believes that the interconnectedness between the church and community is so vital to the sustainability of both that we must restore the relationship.

“The union between the two entities (the church and the community) is in crisis, especially following the global pandemic”, Crawford said. “The apology is the approach, because we haven’t been there for residents in the way it’s needed. I’m very engaged in the community and they are very angry with the church. They feel like we’re in it for the money. Sure, we’ve done well with food giveaways, but they need us for far more than that. So, we’re trying to train pastors to engage the community within a one mile radius of their church. If we do that, L.A. will be covered.”

The collective of 100 faith-based organizations moving together in the united effort includes Baptist Minister’s Fellowship President, K.W. Tulloss, Center of Hope Pastor Geremy Fisher, Greater Zion Church Family Pastor Michael Fisher and Dr. Najuma SmithPollard, who pastors the Word of Encouragement Community Church.

The move is intended to tear down any walls of division, misunderstanding and tension between the church and the community.

“The goal,” says Crawford, “is for all participating ministries to meet with, talk with, and love the community surrounding their specific local churches. We hope to establish the church’s facilities as a safe and healthy space for community healing, resources, meetings, and peace advocate support.

“What we know is that in every community, there are several local houses of worship. We also know that with the shift in demographics, and the residual impact of the pandemic, there is a greater possibility of disconnect in the relationship between the community and the local ministry, house of worship, and vice versa. Our objective is simple, to revive and restore that the relationship and have both become stronger together.”

The engagement period for the effort is slated to last from June 2023 through May 2024. That the tour is set to launch on Pentecost Sunday is no accident.

“The united effort symbolizes The Day of Pentecost,” Crawford said. “This spirit-filled movement started in a building and eventually made its way to the streets, changing the community through the Spirit of God's love. This approach to communal unity is not intended to be just a special moment but a lasting movement.”

Set to join the race is Pastor Edward “Eddie” Anderson of McCarty Memorial Christian Church. While a formal announcement is pending, Anderson spoke to L.A. Focus about a possible run and his qualifications for the post.

“The fact that I am a pastor and a prophetic voice means that I take very seriously the call to serve the folks dealing with the pain in our community and with the broken systems. I have honed the skills of not only deep listening and organizing but also responding with folks around how do we get to the other side,” Anderson said. “That’s a unique characteristic I do not think you will find in the field of those running. Out of everyone I am the most aggressive person who has been a fighter and actually been a part of the brain trust and grass roots efforts to push change forward in this city over the last decade.”

Anderson has been serving the community as a spiritual leader and activist for more than a decade as a regional organizer for L.A. Voice, a co-founder of Clergy4BlackLives and as former Co-Chair of the New Poor People's Campaign in California (led nationally by Rev. William Barber II). He has also served as a Commissioner for the Los Angeles Redistricting Commission (2020-2021) and is on the board of the ARDI Advisory Body of Los Angeles County and the Black People Experiencing Homelessness Committee for LAHSA and LA County.

“I have been an integral part of the faith community bridging the divide between the faith community movement and the city on the ground as well as working through LA voice to bridge the divide between different institutions whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or Buddhist so that we can move powerfully together.”

Anderson is most proud of the work he has done around voting rights, transformative justice, the passage of Measure J and police accountability. He is set to launch a $7 million, state-funded urban farming initiative to counter the food desserts in South L.A.

“As a millennial I have been one of those who have bridged the generational divide while still pushing forward progressive policies and the worldview we need at City Hall that can change the fabric of our city for the better where we all have dignity and a pathway towards equity. And that we become a city where we don’t have angels with broken wings but a city where angels can actually fly.”

Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church 3719 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-5610 • www.bkcamechurchla.org

Rev. Mary S. Minor, DMin,Pastor

Sunday Church School: 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00 AM (in-person and virtual)

Thursday Bible Study with Pastor Minor (via Zoom): 6:00 PM

Please call the church office for virtual information.

Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082

Sunday School: 8:15am

Morning Worship: 9:15 am

Bible Study (Tues): Noon

Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm

Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (323) 298-4867 • calvarybaptistla.org

Rev. Dr. Virgil V. Jones

Sunday Prayer: 8:30am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Sunday Worship: 11:00am

Wednesday Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm

We are the Church on the Hill where the Light Shines Bright!

Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • F: (323)565-4231 • www.faithdome.org

Dr. Frederick K. Price

LiveWorship Service:Sun 10:30am,Tues 11:00am and 7:30pm at faithdome.org, Facebook, Roku, YouTube and the EIFM app (Download in Apple Store and Google Play)Website: faithdome.org

Giving Options: Text to 28950, type EIFMO and amount you wish to give (ex.,EIFMO 50) or mail to: P.O. Box 90000, Los Angeles, CA 90009

Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship

2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018

Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 www.christianfellowshipla.org

Pastor James K. McKnight

Sunday LiveStream: 10:00am (facebook.com/christianfellowshipla)

Sunday Conference Call: 10:00am (310-372-7549 / code: 342408)

Tue/Thurs Morning Word & Prayer: 7:00am

Wed. Bible Study w/ Elder Stephen Brown (701-802-5001 / code: 825252#

God’s Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ / Prayer Clinic & Deliverance Ministry P.O. Box 561368, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 293-7566 • www.gfdjc.org •gfdjc@att.net Dr.Ruby I. Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher Services every Friday: 7:00pm We

Grant AME Church

10435 S. Central Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90002

(323) 564-1151 • F: (323) 564-5027

Rev. Dr. Timothy o. Coston, Jr.

Sunday School: 8am

Worship: 9:30am Wed. Bible Study: 11:30am •6pm

Grace Temple Baptist Churchh

7017 South Bramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 971-8192 • gracetemplebaptist7017@gmail.com

Rev. Rodney Howard

Sunday Worship Service: 9:00am

Sunday Life Group: 11:30am

Wed. Night Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm

Wed. Night Bible Study: 7:00pm

Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church

5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062

(323) 759-4996

Rev. DeNon Porter

Early Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30am

Mid-Morning Worship: 11am

Radio-KALI 900AM:

Sun. 11-Noon, 7-8pm

KTYM 1460AM Sundays: 5:30pm

Bible Study (Tues, Wed & Thurs): 7pm

Holman United Methodist Church

3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018

(323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com

Email: holman@holmanumc.com

Rev. Dr. Ken Walden, Senior Pastor

Sunday Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Sunday Radio: KJLH 102.3FM at 11am

Sunday School: 9:30am (Children/Youth) & 9:45am (Adults)

Bible Study: Every Thursday @ Noon

We Gather,Grow,Go and Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ

McCarty Memorial Christian Church

4103 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 731-4131 • www.mccartychurch.org

Senior Pastor Edward Anderson

Sunday Worship: 10:45am

Bible Study: Tues @12:30pm/Wed @6pm

Zoom Call: (605) 472-5454 Access:188857

Online Stream Live: Sundays@10:45am to www.mccartychurch.org

Give: Text 77977

Instagram@mccartyconnect

Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc.

4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037

(323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964

Rev. Johnteris Tate-Pastor

Sunday Church School: 8:00am

Worship Service: 10:00am Baptist Training Union: 7:00am

Tuesday Refueling : Noon

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043

Phone (323) 291-1121•F: (323) 291-1133 office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church

George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher

Sunday Worship: 8am,10am

Tuesday Night( as scheduled): 7:15pm

All services stream live on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. Call for any pandemic-related questions.

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011

ONE LA Potter’s House Church 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (818) 763-4521 • hello@one.online

Pastor Touré and Sarah Roberts

The ONE Experience Online: