Bethel AME – Oxnard

U.S. Rep. Lee and Rev. Dr. Oden Unite in Marriage

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorJanuary 8, 2020

The Rev. Dr. Clyde W. Oden and U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee united in holy matrimony during a ceremony on Dec. 31. Oden, who retired in 2019 as pastor of Bethel AME Church in Oxnard, served many years as the pastor of Bryant Temple AME Church in L.A. and was a former CEO/president of United Health Care. He was widowed in 2016. Lee has served 11 terms representing Oakland and the East Bay in the House of Representatives. She wrote on Twitter, “I look forward to welcoming Clyde to the East Bay community and introducing him to you as my kind

Religion

Gen X Pastor Aims to Draw Traditionalists and Millennials to Christ

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorNovember 14, 2018

The Rev. Marvin McKenzie aims to draw all ages to Christ and doing that, he says, takes “out the box” thinking. As the new pastor of Walker Temple AME Church in Los Angeles, McKenzie believes multiple generations will come to know the Lord if he incorporates that creative philosophy to spreading the Gospel. “I want to grow the membership of the church by trying things that have never been done before,” says McKenzie. “I think of the four men who brought their crippled friend before Jesus. These men were not able to bring their friend through the front door via