Receive your 2014 contribution statement: 

1) Online via Allen-Temple.org (My Allen Temple/Giving History; please note that if you have not done so, you will need to register to obtain your statement)

2) By mail (pick up a form at the Narthex Information Station, Church Office or from any Usher)

3) In person at the Trustee Ministry Office (Sanctuary second floor)

The Worship Cluster is seeking persons with Early Childhood Development educational backgrounds, especially those who have had experience in starting programs for infants and toddlers aged zero to five years.  As we work towards reopening our Church Nursery that will serve our youngest Church family members and guests, your experience and input is much needed and will be invaluable in designing and developing our revamped Nursery Ministry!  To lend your expertise and experience, please contact Rev. Charlotte Williams, Director of Communications, at [email protected] or (510) 544-8980.

Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer for both men and women. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most of these deaths could be prevented if everyone over the age of 50 got screened for colorectal cancer. The best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened. There are often no signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer. If left undiagnosed or undetected, colorectal cancer can spread throughout the body.

The Department of Health and Human Services states that colorectal cancer screening tests can detect cancer early, when treatment is very successful.

Allen Temple's Cub Scout Pack 409 welcomes boys who are incoming first through fifth graders who like to go camping, skiing, hiking, swimming, football, basketball, fun and more to join! The Cub Scout Pack meets at the Allen Temple Wildy-Carpenter Hall on Monday evenings at 6:30pm. For more information, contact Cubmaster Don Smith at [email protected].

Do you like to praise God through movement?  The Allen Temple Praise Dance Ministry invites you to come join us in class Fridays from 6pm to 7:30pm (Children 11 and under), and 8pm to 9pm (Youth and Young Adults) in the Family Life Center's Dance Studio.   The ministry meets on Monday evenings from 6pm to 7:30pm.  As a ministry, we worship through movement, we learn different dance techniques, we minister through dance, and most importantly, WE HAVE FUN!  For more information, contact Sis. Andrea Spearman at [email protected]!

The Betty D. Gadling Fine Arts Academy offers instruction in reeds, brass, guitar, voice, percussion, strings, music theory, piano and dance for children and adults!  Classes held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays!  For more information and to enroll, call (510) 544-8924!

Come join us at the Persons with Disabilities Ministry as we strive every month to make Allen Temple Baptist Church accessible to everyone!  We want to ensure that the sanctuary is accessible and accommodates people with disabilities, educate our faith-based community partners and friends about the disability community, and encourage the congregation to recognize people for their abilities rather than their disabilities.  We also want to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from worship services, events and programs, as well as develop awareness on how to interact and assist people with disabilities.   Your input on these subjects will be much welcomed.   We meet on the fourth Monday of each month from 6pm to 8pm in Family Life Center Room D-104.

Are you seeking a place to serve?  The Church Library Committee is seeking committed workers for the Family Life Center Library!  Our goal is to make our library the study center for the church! 

The community is invited to join in services of worship and celebration for Allen Temple friend and son in minstry Pastor Elect Rev. Dwayne D. Eason as he is installed as Senior Pastor of Church of The Good Shepherd in Oakland on Sunday, March 29!  Worship services will be held at 11am at Church of the Good Shepherd (799 - 52nd St. in Oakland) and at 3:30pm at First AME Church (3701 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland) 

Allen Temple Health & Social Services is honored to announce special lunchtime forums by our valued Community Partner Samuel Merritt University! On Wednesday, April 1 from 12 Noon to 1:30pm, the Samuel Merritt University Office of Diversity & Inclusion presents Genetically Inherited Illness: The Lived Experience & Role of Clinicians Speaker Series Donor Pools & Transplants in Pediatrics: Clinical & Ethical Issues Advances including Thalassemia with Dr. Mark Walters with special guests A Family Living With Thalassemia. The forum will be held at Samuel Merritt University, 3100 Telegraph Avenue, Room MOB 4003 in Oakland. This forum is free! Lunch provided for the first 30 people! Dr. Walters is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist with a career interest in hematopoietic cell transplantation for hereditary non-malignant disorders. He has established a national and international reputation in this academic area of interest. Dr. Walters has led the Blood and Marrow Transplant team at Children's Hospital Oakland since 1999. He is also the medical director of our Sibling Donor Cord Blood Program. Dr. Walters' work is primarily with patients/families who have sickle cell anemia or thalassemia. A family living with Thalassemia will discuss their lived experience.

Free tax return preparation for 2014 and prior tax years for low to moderate income individuals and families is offered by the Allen Temple VITA site through Wednesday, April 15!  Our hours are Wednesdays from 3pm to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 4pm; we are located in Family Life Center Room D102.  Should you have questions, feel free to contact (510) 544-8971 or [email protected].  We are happy to offer this service to our community and look forward to serving you!

Join iGirl Institute and Women Lead Forward for Our Voices Our Girls: Black Girls Matter: A Call to Action on Saturday, June 20 from 11:30am to 3:30pm at the San Leandro Public Library Lecture Hall, 300 Estudillo Avenue in San Leandro. This town hall meeting will address the critical issues affecting our black girls and call us to action on how we can help! RSVP for this free forum by visiting blackgirlsmatteracalltoaction.eventbrite.com!

The Prostate Health Education Network is sponsoring PHEN Walk 2015 through September 18, a virtual walk to raise Prostate Cancer awareness. The objectives are:

• To raise the national level of prostate cancer awareness
• To increase federal government funding for prostate cancer research, education and awareness
• To initiate a public review of the scientific evidence and process used by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force for its' Grade D Recommendation for prostate cancer tests, and to protect the medical benefits for patients' access to prosthetic urological devices
• To increase the visibility, participation and support for PHEN's "Rally Against Prostate Cancer" initiatives 

To learn more and to sign up, click here to be redirected to PHEN's website

Oakland Parks & Recreation is accepting applications for its' Youth Explorer program. This program trains youth, ages 13 to 17, for leadership positions within children's recreation, business and community activism. Participants will also learn how to apply for jobs, including resume writing and applying for jobs using online application platforms such as NEOGOV. Since the program needs to be self-sufficient, participants will also learn business tactics to raise funds. This program is ongoing and youth can apply to participate at any time. Please contact any recreation center for an application. For more information, please contact Michelle Doppelt, Recreation Supervisor, at (510) 482-7831.

Do you or your family need healthcare or have healthcare questions?  Visit The Enrollment HUB at Allen Temple!  We're open Tuesdays from 9am to 1pm and the first and third Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm! The Enrollment HUB is a center for enrollment into various health coverage and food programs such as Covered California, Medi-Cal, HealthPAC, and CalFresh. But most importantly, it's a place where community members can receive information, education, and support to navigate through the process of enrolling into and accessing health care.  For each household member you wish to include on your application, please bring a social security card or proof of citizenship/lawful presence in the US, driver's license or photo ID.  Have questions?  Call (510) 544-8975!   

The Allen Temple Computer Lab is open for people of all ages Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 9am to 2pm in Family Life Center Room C-124!  Training and assistance available.

Young athletes are invited to join the Athletic Ministry for Open Gym in the Family Life Center on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8:30pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8:30pm!    

The Mercy Brown Bag program provides food to eligible Alameda County residents 60 years of age and above twice per month (second and fourth Fridays) for a $10 annual contribution. If you are interested in signing up or would like to sponsor a senior, please contact Krista at (510) 534-8540, ext. 369 or Mother Brown at (510) 638-4085.

Early Oakland is a campaign to help you find early care & education services and free or low cost, quality preschool programs in Oakland with safe learning environments that help build positive relationships and serve nutritional food. Visit earlyoakland.org or call Oakland Headstart at (510) 238-4165, Oakland
Unified School District at (510) 273-1590, The Unity Council at (510) 535-6102, or Bananas at (510) 658-0381.

The Oakland Public Library Second Start Program offers a confidential setting in which adults with low skill levels are able to get a "second start" at learning, for free. Adult students meet on-to-one with volunteer tutors. They can also participate in the computer learning lab and in family literacy programming if they are parents or have children in their lives. Small learning groups focusing on reading, spelling, math, and book discussions are also available to adult literacy students enrolled in the program!   For more information, click here to be redirected to their website.

"These essays speak of how we have incorporated our contemplative practices into our family life; our urban, non-religious background; how we have been nurtured in struggles for health and life through our contemplative prayer practices and our courage to survive and even thrive in the midst of dire circumstances. We speak of the unfolding bridge between faith and culture; our conflicts with an Interspiritual journey with a Christian foundation; our sexuality; our journey to healing and authenticity; and how we are taking this practice that began in the first centuries of the church with the desert mothers and fathers to the present and into the future with spiritual direction through the Internet across the world."  

- from the Introduction