TBC Today!

 

At TBC today you will find a church that offers worship services and programs that continue to attract people from all walks of life like our exciting weekly “Living on the Load” Bible Study and our new nursery project, “TBC for God’s Little Ones", and a daily tutorial program called Back On Track sponsored jointly by TBC and Congregation Emanu-El. Organized by a full-time paid staff and supported by tutors and mentors of all races and religions that have mentored over 3000 students of Asian, African, South American, Australian European descent many of which have achieved academic and personal success. It is in our DNA to be a church of civic engagement and social action! All of our leaders have been involved in the political processes that affect the plight of underprivileged minority communities. We are a church of Jesus Christ, and thus we are concerned about salvation and justice. 

As most 100+ year-old churches, TBC has experienced many cultural, economic, political, and indeed religious seasons. At the height of our numeric standing during the 1940s through the 1980s and up to the new millennium, our church membership peeked at 3000. If one did not arrive thirty minutes early, they were bound to have to sit in the balcony, stand against the walls, or be relegated to an overflow area. This was primarily due to the “Fillmore” being an area of black enterprise, black education, and a melting pot of black culture. Thanks to the “urban renewal” or as Pastor calls it “urban removal” (suggesting the systematically deliberate removal of blacks from inner city to the now mundane suburbs) in the late 80s and the even more recent process of re-gentrification, the demographics of San Francisco has drastically changed.  Over a period of 20 years, the city’s 100,000 black population has dwindled to approximately 44,000 only 6% of which claim religious affiliation. (Keep in mind that these statistics are referenced in terms of approximation.)

Thanks to forward and progressive leadership of Dr. Brown and the unwavering commitment of our membership, while TBC still remains a well-structured, well-attended, well-supported and world-respected institution. We are not content, until we reach you!

Come one, come all and let God meet where you are through TBC!

 

Our New Bulletin Cover

 

As you have noticed, the cover of our bulletin consists of a set of new and contemporary images. Images serve as a tool of evangelism in that they carry subtle but important messages to the community on the church's behalf. Knowing this, notice the following explanation of what these images mean.

Image 1: The cross atop the church's steeple against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge represents our presence in the community and city of San Francisco. The picture of Dr. Brown represents the visionary, progressive, and Christian leadership under which our church serves the community and continues to be a reputable and respected force in the life of San Francisco.

Image 2: The backdrop of the city represents the urban context in which serve. Given we worship and minister - not as a suburban church but a city church – a church located and situated in the heart of the contradictions of society. While we are located near places of big business we are neighbors to people lacking employment, healthcare, and other of life's bare necessities. The picture of Rev. Allen and the multi-racial circle of children represents the balance of administrative leadership as the Senior Pastor entrusts the growth and oversight of youth and young adults to leadership that looks like them! It also represents the sense of family and community the church provides within the urban setting. This speaks to the relevance of our church.

Image 3: The embrace of Sister Rhonda Scott by her great aunt, Sister Vera Clanton represents our being an intergenerational church, one where the leaders of the past and anchors of the present rejoice with and support the leadership and involvement of younger members. If we are to be an effective church, we cannot rely on our reputation and relevance alone, we must be relational.

Image 4: This image as interpreted by Pastor Brown portrays a husband embracing his wife while holding their child on his shoulders who points toward the future. This represents the aim of our vision – "Family, Faith and Fortitude!" The statue presents a family, the child's looking to the future represents faith, and the granite material of which it is made represents fortitude. In remaining and becoming a respected, relevant, and relational community of faith, we seek to do so by building the family, maturing their faith, and supporting their fortitude.

As award-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola says, "A number of images put together a certain way, become something quite above and beyond what any of them are individually." When put together these images represent the vision becoming a reality! It reflects that we are a respectable, relevant, and relational community of Christian believers seeking to let God meet us and others where we are through TBC!