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Going For The Gold-Building on Faith

Men in Suits
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September 28, 2006 at the Silver Dragon,Chinatown, Downtown Oakland.

Allen Temple Baptist Church/Allen Temple Housing and Economic Development Corporation

ALLEN TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH

Allen Temple Baptist Church was organized in 1919 as a Northern Baptist mission by the Reverend J. L. Allen. The church was originally located in a storefront on the corner of East 14th and Seminary Avenue in East Oakland.

There were 21 original members and the modest congregation conducted services using borrowed folding chairs for seating. The church subsequently moved to a house on 85th Avenue and was known as the 85th Avenue Baptist Church. Seven years later, after J. D. Wilson and R.H. Thomas had served sacrificially as mission pastors under the Northern Baptist Convention, the membership changed its name to the Allen Temple Baptist Church.

During this period, the congregation and its pastors began to forge its identity in the area of social justice through active involvement in the NAACP and the Marcus Garvey movement. Under the leadership of Pastor G.W. Wildy, the church broke ground on October 29, 1939 for the building of a small chapel. During this administration, great pastoral work was done to foster Christian fellowship across racial lines.

Allen Temple continued to mature under the polished and disciplined leadership of Pastor A. L. Carpenter and during the tenure of his successor, the Reverend Doctor C.C. Bailey, the church broke ground on July 17, 1960 for a sanctuary (which seated 550) and an educational facility. Pastor Bailey was a distinguished young pastor who broadened the congregation’s witness in the larger community as he led the effort to bring an Opportunities Industrial Center (OIC) to Oakland to provide vocational training for the unemployed. He also partnered with the Oakland Public Schools to provide an Adult Education Neighborhood Center at Allen Temple.

During the dynamic, visionary leadership of Doctor J. Alfred Smith, Senior, Allen Temple has grown to a membership of 5,500 and has developed a large array of holistic community ministries focused on redeeming and transforming the whole person and the whole community.

To administer this ever-growing ministry, Pastor Smith has assembled a strong pastoral staff. During this administration, the congregation has constructed a 1,200 seat sanctuary to accommodate two Sunday morning worship services. The 8:00 a.m. service often requires the usage of overflow seating for 300-400 worshipers in the fellowship hall. Also, the church has secured all of the property on the square block it occupies, and dedicated a 64,000 square foot Family Life Center in April of 1999.
Recently, Pastor Smith announced his plan to retire from his position as Pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church to devote his time to teaching Ministry.  His website is located at: http://www.jalfredsmithsr-ministries.org.

ALLEN TEMPLE HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COROPRATION

The Allen Temple Housing & Economic Development Corporation (ATHEDCO) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to address the pressing economic issues facing the residents and neighborhoods of East Oakland and beyond.  ATHEDCO was established as a separate 501(c) (3) in 1989. 

Over the course of its history, ATHEDCO has developed, operated and maintained five low income housing developments for seniors and persons disabled due to HIV/AIDS.  ATHEDCO has also contracted with the San Francisco Foundation to provide technical assistance to other faith-based organizations seeking to develop services to meet the needs of their communities.  In 2002, in response to an overwhelming need in the community, ATHEDCO established the Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Training Academy (DJASSTA).  This Academy provides comprehensive services to enable formerly incarcerated individuals to gain and retain living-wage employment and avoid recidivism.  The program was founded with funds received form the Governor’s discretionary faith-based initiative, and in 2003, ATHEDCO was chosen as one of only eight faith-based institutions nationally to receive funds through a joint program of Public/Private Ventures, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In late 2005, ATRHEDCO was awarded a national demonstration grant form the U.S. Department of Labor, through its Prisoner Re-entry Initiative, to expand DHASSTA so that they now serve more than 200 individuals annually.

ATHEDCO has an operating budget of $1.2 million and is overseen by an active fourteen member Board of Directors.  The Board includs individuals with professional qualifications and experience in accounting, law, real estate management and transactions, low-income housing, healthcare, economic development, and finance.  Current funders of ATHEDCO include the U.S. Department of Labor, Public/Private Ventures, the City of Oakland, Community Development Block Grand funds, the Oakland Private Industry Council, the Port of Oakland Social Justice Fund, PG&E, and World Savings Bank.  
For more information about Allen Temple Baptist and Allen Temple Housing & Economic Development Corporation go to their website at: http://www.allen-temple.org