Faith & Clergy
Williams Chapel Community Forum Discusses How to Use Block Grant Funding
Oakland District 2 residents and other interested people gathered recently to brainstorm how to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money to benefit their neighborhoods.
The forum was held last Thursday evening at Williams Chapel, which under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth Anderson is mounting a $52 million development project.
The development will be built in the church parking lot, building 88 apartments of affordable housing for low-income seniors. The development is still its first phase at 10th Avenue and International Boulevard and at the beginning of the funding application process.
Dr. Anderson opened the forum by thanking those in attendance, stating that “community engagement matters so much.”
District 2 City Councilmember Abel Guillen also offered greetings, saying, “This is the second of four gatherings. One was held in Chinatown last night, and I thank you for participating tonight.”
Councilmember Guillen said around 50 people attended the Chinatown forum, and around 40 people attended this second forum.
The church made its fellowship hall available for the evening, and after opening remarks, breakout focus groups discussed ideas that will be recorded and voted upon by them.
District 2 is one of only two districts in Oakland that gather direct community input, rather than using an established board to decide how CDBG funds are used, “Maybe you won’t even know the decision by the board in your district,” said Councilmember Guillen.
The event was facilitated by the Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP), which has offices in New York and Oakland. The organization is a nonprofit designed to support participatory budgeting and empower people to decide together how to spend public money.
Dr. Anderson pointed out that in District 2 prostitution, drug abuse and graffiti are major problems.
And while block grant money can be used for infrastructure as well as programs and services, a facilitator pointed out that a stop sign costs $50,000, while a one-year weekly program for senior citizens costs $35,000.
As Williams Chapel under Dr. Anderson’s leadership mounts its building project, the church is also committed to broader planning for public monies available in their community.
For more information on community budgeting, go to www.participatorybudgeting.org.
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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