Faith & Clergy
LDS Church Volunteer Malia Luisa Lafu Saulala Recognized as Oakland’s Mother of the Year
Nephew Dave Moala; Elder Jay D. Pimentel; Malia Saulala, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
Malia Luisa Latu Saulala has been recognized as the City of Oakland’s 2017 Mother of the Year. Malia is the mother of thirteen children, five or her own and eight adopted. She was raised as a Catholic in Tonga, and at the age of 19 moved to American Samoa where she met her husband and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They moved to the United States in 1976 and she soon became very involved in her Oakland neighborhood.
Malia has worked tirelessly in her community, serving on the Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council. In 2001 she received the Silver Beaver Award from the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
As a faithful Mormon, Malia actively volunteers as an early morning Seminary instructor where she teaches a Bible and Scripture class to high school students each day before they go to school. She also helps lead the 3-11 year old Primary youth program and has served as a Sunday School teacher, women’s organization Relief Society President, and Cub Scout leader. .
At the public Mother of the Year ceremony, held at the Morcom Rose Garden in Oakland, Elder Jay D. Pimentel, a local leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, offered his thoughts about Sister Saulala.
ElderPimentel said, “She is a living example of what the Bible asks – that we extend our influence for good beyond the ‘bushel’ of our own individual lives.”
Elder Pimentel told the audience that he has known Sister Saulala for 25 years and believed her to very deserving of this recognition, adding “She is miraculous in her service in her immediate family, in her extended family, in her neighborhood, in her church, in the Cub Scout program of the Boy Scouts of America, and in the community.”
Bay Area
Faith Tabernacle A.O.H. Church Welcomes New Assistant Overseer Edmund A. Singleton
The Faith Tabernacle A.O.H. Church of God in Richmond announced last week that it is honored to welcome Assistant Overseer Edmund A. Singleton II as our new Pastor and to introduce him to the Richmond community. At the 108th A.O.H National Pentecostal services on June 10, 2024, Asst. Overseer Singleton was appointed Pastor of the Faith Tabernacle A.O.H. Church by the National Presider, Bishop Lawrence Williams.
By Pamela Carter
When Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to minister the gospel he told them how they should conduct themselves as kingdom servants (Matt. 10:5–15). But he also spoke of the responsibility of the people to receive these ministers as his official representatives. Jesus insists that the way people receive his ministers reflects their relationship with God (Matt. 10:40). He invites God’s people to welcome “a prophet in the name of a prophet” and “to receive a righteous man’s reward” (v. 41).
The Faith Tabernacle A.O.H. Church of God in Richmond announced last week that it is honored to welcome Assistant Overseer Edmund A. Singleton II as our new Pastor and to introduce him to the Richmond community.
At the 108th A.O.H National Pentecostal services on June 10, 2024, Asst. Overseer Singleton was appointed Pastor of the Faith Tabernacle A.O.H. Church by the National Presider, Bishop Lawrence Williams.
His official installation services will be on Oct. 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. PT. Pastor Singleton will be the 3rd Shepard appointed to this ministry over its 69-years of existence.
Singleton, originally united with the Faith Tabernacle church in 1993, under the leadership of Bishop George and Elder Verley Ayers. He served diligently on various ministries, including Youth Department, Deacons, Ushers, an the Choir.
In 2001, the Lord called him to the ecclesiastic ministry. He began his studies and tutelage to receive his Reverend licenses in 2003. At the request of Bishop Ayers, he studied and passed his Elder’s exam and was ordained an Elder at the 90th Pentecostal meeting in 2006. In 2021, he was elevated to Assistant Overseer of the Western Region Diocese by Bishop Lawrence Williams.
In 2020, Pastor Singleton founded the Jehu Unchained Podcast, a Christian show to help individuals discover who God is and the benefits of being a born-again believer. His listenership continues to grow and has spread worldwide. In 2021, he launched the Jehu Unchained non-profit organization, geared to encouraging and supporting the youth in our community.
Pastor Singleton is a native of Oakland and a graduate of Kennedy High School in Richmond. He attended Contra Costa college and has worked in the construction industry for over 30-years.
Pastor Singleton is blessed to be married to his wife, Sister Kristie Palmer, for 27 years. They have two children, Edmund, III and Kayla.
As a husband and father, he brings a bit of wisdom, a sense of humor and a love for God’s people. He as a passion for the youth and witnessing the transformation of souls by the power of God.
Arts and Culture
Oakland Architect William ‘Bill’ Coburn, 80
William (“Bill”) Pierce Coburn, longtime Oakland architect who helped Oakland and Berkeley preserve its architectural heritage, passed away on July 24. He was 80 years old.
By Michele Lamont
Special to The Post
William (“Bill”) Pierce Coburn, longtime Oakland architect who helped Oakland and Berkeley preserve its architectural heritage, passed away on July 24. He was 80 years old.
Coburn was born on May 10, 1944, in Melrose, Massachusetts, to Frank and Rachel Coburn. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Arts in 1966, and a master’s in architecture from Harvard School of Design in 1971.
In 1978, Coburn opened his own firm in Berkeley and eventually moved to West Oakland. He was passionate about the City of Oakland and found his calling in preserving Oakland’s architectural heritage. He spent many years as a professor of Architecture and Design at UC Berkeley as well as instructing at international universities in India and Hong Kong. Bill mentored many young architects from India, helping them to jump-start careers in the US.
Coburn’s process and design became a rare craft in the industry as he drafted entire home designs by hand without using any digital software. Many of his clients felt the drawings were more a work of art than just a blueprint. Many of his drawings are recorded in the UC Berkeley Architectural Archives.
Bill’s love for his community seeps through every crack in the sidewalk, where he planted flowers to beautify the land. It spans generations, where he worked as an architect to keep the historic beauty of Oakland and Berkeley alive through his dedication to restoration projects.
Bill was an integral member of the Oakland Heritage Alliance as a subject matter expert on the history of many significant historical buildings and sites.
He was an instrumental contributor to the City of Berkeley by selecting buildings to be moved and placed in the Delaware Street Historic District in West Berkeley.
Recognized by the City of Oakland for his work in the reconstruction of West Oakland after the massive, tragic destruction caused by the devastating 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Bill volunteered countless hours of his time and skills as an architect to residents needing to rebuild their homes and their lives. He was a visionary designer contributing to the modern-day Mandela Parkway development, which is now a verdant artery of the community.
Bill’s dedication to community improvement is evident in nearly every Oakland neighborhood. Driving through the city, you will see trees he planted, houses and buildings he designed with his hands, and a community which is a little better than when he found it.
After becoming a newly graduated architect, Bill loaded his VW Minivan with his dog and a sleeping bag setting out on a journey to the West Coast. Little did he know he would find his calling in the City of Oakland where he saw the potential to build a better world.
The love he had for all of the people in his community was omnipresent, sharing all that he had to those who needed it. Bill and his wife, Subhashini (Sue), have led the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland’s Food Ministry program for over 20 years, guiding a team of 50 volunteers to deliver 15,000 meals a year to encampments, host special holiday events for the unhoused, and provide those in need with hot meals at the church each week.
He was a gracious father, husband and a very humble soft-spoken man. William Pierce Coburn passed away at 7:55 P.M. July 26 after a four-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Subhashini, and sons Rahul, Rajiv, and granddaughter Arjuna Rose.
A memorial service for Bill will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m.
Arts and Culture
Join a Choir to Benefit the Hope Housing Community Land Trust
Come be a part of “United in Jubilation” Community Choir (UIJCC) to sing in a concert to benefit the Hope Housing Community Land Trust. The concert will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. at the First Missionary Baptist Church, 501 Drake Ave., Marin City, CA 94965.
By Godfrey Lee
Come be a part of “United in Jubilation” Community Choir (UIJCC) to sing in a concert to benefit the Hope Housing Community Land Trust. The concert will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. at the First Missionary Baptist Church, 501 Drake Ave., Marin City, CA 94965.
The UIJCC Choir, directed by Kevan Peabody, will be performing Negro Spirituals. Two selections will be sung in November for FMBC host church members. Local leaders have also expressed interest in having the choir sing two selections for the MLK 2025 celebration, and possibly during Black History Month. The Choir may also be invited to perform in other venues throughout Marin County.
Please attend a meeting at the FMBC, on Monday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. to meet each other, sing, and get rehearsal dates. Rehearsals will be held at FMBC on Mondays at 7 p.m.
No audition or dues will be required.
For information, call (415) 949-4908 or email: hopehousingofmarin.com
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