Bethel AME Church-L.A.

CD 8 Reimagine Grant Helps Bethel-LA CDC Expand Community Services

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorFebruary 1, 2023

Youth, families and senior citizens will benefit from the $75,000 Reimagine Grant awarded to Bethel-LA Community Development Corporation by Council District 8. CD 8 Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson attended Bethel’s worship service on January 29 and presented Pastor Kelvin T. Calloway with the check, who announced that the funds will assist the nonprofit’s many programs such as its life skills training, career guidance initiatives and gang intervention efforts. “We commend Councilman Harris-Dawson for his visionary efforts and support of the charitable and non-profit organizations that we believe to be vital to the health, safety, and quality of life in CD 8,”

Religion

Overcomers Series Part 2 – Overcoming the Paralysis of Your Present

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterJanuary 11, 2023

To overcome the paralysis of your present, you must decide to get up from the place of your paralysis, get out of the place of your paralysis, and decide to get to the place of your freedom, blessing, healing and deliverance.

Religion

Words of the Week – A Reason To Be Thankful

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterNovember 24, 2021

Believers can praise and worship the Lord because they know the Lord and they knew what the Lord had done. They knew of the goodness of the Lord.

Religion

Words of the Week – What Really Matters: Family Matters

Rev. Dr. Kelvin Calloway, Contributing WriterSeptember 15, 2021

Scripture – Galatians 6:1-10 This is the second sermon in a series entitled, “What Really Matters: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic”. During the pandemic we discovered what we thought really mattered in life did not matter as much as we thought. Sporting events, entertainment events, restaurants, and shopping did not matter as much as we thought. In just learning how to survive to see another day as hundreds of thousands were dying around us, we discovered that Faith Matters. People prayed who had never prayed before. People heard, watched, and viewed church worship services on their phones, televisions,

Religion

Words of the Week – What Really Matters: Faith Matters

Rev. Dr. Kelvin Calloway, Contributing WriterSeptember 8, 2021

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6 One of the great lessons of the Covid-19 Pandemic has been discovering what really matters in life. During this pandemic, we have come to realize what we thought really mattered in life, does not matter as much as we thought. Attending sporting events; Rams and Chargers football games, Lakers and Clippers basketball games, Dodgers and Angels baseball games, Galaxy soccer games, and the Kings hockey games really don’t matter as much as we thought. Attending concerts, entertainment venues, restaurants, shopping, being in a crowd and being part of the crowd really don’t matter as much as we

Religion

Bethel AME Pastor Calloway Offers Reopening Strategies

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorJuly 21, 2021

Many L.A. ministries closed their church buildings in the middle of 2020 and just recently, either have opened, or plan to resume worship in the edifice. Bethel AME Church in South Los Angeles is among those holding in person service in the near future. Fellowshipping in person, like has been done for centuries, holds lots of appeal. Yet, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic is still here, the Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Sr., aims to implement a range of measures to ensure the health and safety of the parishioners when the service is held at Bethel on Sunday, August 1.

Religion

Faith Community Coalition Helps Churches Sustain and Even Expand Ministry

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorMay 26, 2021

FCC and LOGOS Faith Development aid churches in transforming properties for affordable housing and community gardens Even before COVID-19 hit, many churches were struggling to maintain their property and the pandemic made the prospect much harder. But, Faith Community Coalition aims to transform that outlook by helping South Los Angeles worship centers sustain and even expand their ministries. The coalition is comprised of an ecumenical group of pastors and faith leaders focused on identifying financial and human resources to aid ministries in addressing issues such as affordable housing and food deserts throughout South L.A., said the Rev. John Cager, FCC

Religion

Words of the Week – A Resurrection Witness

Rev. Dr. Kelvin Calloway, Contributing WriterApril 21, 2021

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43 In the tenth chapter of Acts, Luke introduces his audience to a man by the name of Cornelius. Cornelius was an Italian centurion. Verse 2 of this chapter tells his audience that Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, always prayed to God and was generous to people. Cornelius has a vision one day where an angel of the Lord says to him that God has taken notice of his prayers and his almsgiving . God notices our prayers and our deeds. No prayer to God goes unnoticed. Prayer is not just some spiritual discipline only

Religion

COVID Vaccinations Available in South L.A.

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorMarch 3, 2021

The Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, pastor of Bethel AME Church – L.A., received his first vaccination shot to fight the COVID-19 virus at Kedren Community Health Center in South Los Angeles and is scheduled to get his second shot in four weeks. He said, “I’ve had three members to die from COVID and several others that I believe that the pandemic has exacerbated their existing health conditions such as dementia and depression. I want to encourage our community to get the vaccine, which will save lives and lead to opening our churches!” (Courtesy photo)

Op-Ed Opinion Religion

Let The Trumpets Sound – The Murder of George Floyd

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Sr., Contributing WriterJune 3, 2020

Scripture: Revelations 8:1-13 Stephen B. Oates is a former professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA and an award-winning author. He wrote several biographies of Americans profoundly affected by the moral paradox of slavery and racial oppression in a land based on the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. He is the author of “With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln,” “To Purge This Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown,” and “The Fire of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion.” His fourth biography is entitled, “Let The Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther

Religion

Words of the Week – A Mother’s Prayer

Rev. Dr. Kelvin Calloway, Contributing WriterMay 6, 2020

Scripture:1 Samuel 1:9-28 In biblical times, names had meaning. The name Babel meant “God confused” (Gen. 11:9). The name Bethel meant “house of God” (Gen. 28:17). The name Shiloh meant “peaceful One” (Gen. 49:10). The name Jacob meant “sub-planter,” deceiver or trickster (Gen.27:36). The name Immanuel meant “God with us” (Matt. 1:23) and the name Samuel meant “asked of the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:20). My grandfather and my father were both named Samuel; Samuel T. Calloway, Sr. and Samuel T. Calloway, Jr. My grandfather told me the story about the birth and naming of Samuel, one of the most respected

Crenshaw & Around Religion

First Ladies Share Words of Encouragement for Mother’s Day

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorMay 8, 2019

Mother’s Day is May 12 and the observance usually means gifts and enjoyment for women who serve in that role. Unfortunately, in these troubled times, some women are facing overwhelming troubles and obstacles in their lives, which makes it hard to celebrate in the midst of their situation. The L.A. Sentinel asked three local first ladies to offer words of encouragement to mothers who may be facing challenging circumstances. Below are their responses. First Lady Jacquelyn Calloway, Bethel AME Church It has been said that challenges are often tools by which God fashions us for better things. As mothers, when

Crenshaw & Around Religion

Community Lenten Caravan Ends with Donations to Worthy Causes

April 24, 2019

The Community Lenten Caravan (CLC), a series of services hosted by eight AME churches, concluded the April 17 worship at Bethel AME-L.A. by assisting others. Continuing their long tradition, the pastors of the sponsoring churches presented financial donations to the Long Beach/Lakewood Department of Children and Family Services and the Rev. Dr. Francine Brookins, pastor of Bethel AME in Fontana and a candidate for bishop in the AME Church. Bishop Clement W. Fugh, presiding prelate of the AME Church Fifth Episcopal District, was also on hand to congratulate the recipients and lend support to Brookins’ candidacy. “Francine has a tremendous

Religion

Words of the Week – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterFebruary 13, 2019

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-5 As our Church School has led us in the celebration of our heritage during this second month of the year, last year they highlighted the contributions that our ancestors made in the field of music; the universal language. Music has been called the universal language because it transcends race, ethnicities and cultures. The contributions of our ancestors to the field of music from the spirituals, to gospel, to jazz, to the blues, to rhythm and blues are too numerous to name. Today I’d like to just highlight a few. The influence of the music of our ancestors

Religion

Words of the Week – A Life Worth Living

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterSeptember 26, 2018

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6 Sometimes, sisters and brothers, the challenges and complications of life can be so overwhelming that they can cause us to want to give up on living. Earlier this summer, the challenges and complications of life caused fashion designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain to give up on living. The complications and challenges of life don’t just effect high profile individuals but they have had a rising effect on teens and young adults. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the rate of suicide among teen girls is the highest it