Saturday, February 11, 2017

Pastor Tyrone Skinner to Speak at Altadena Baptist for Black History Celebration

The 33rd Annual Black History Celebration will be held at Altadena Baptist Church [ABC] in Altadena, California at 5:00 p.m. on February 19, 2017. All are welcome to attend.

Prominent speakers join local artists and dignitaries for this celebration every February: in 2015 nationally-known author Brenda Salter-McNeil spoke to a standing-room-only crowd. This year, Reverend Tyrone Skinner of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena will be the featured speaker. He has served as an instructor for the National Baptist Convention with the Western Regional Youth Conference and Laymen’s Department, and holds positions on several non-profit boards. Reverend Skinner will speak on this year’s theme: “Still We Rise.”

“This is a pivotal time to be focusing on Black history,” said ABC’s co-pastor George Van Alstine. “We speak prophetically as a church, and that prophetic voice rises from the Black community in an empowered and beautiful way. Now is the time to embrace our history and our future together.”

The 33rd Annual Black History Celebration is an Altadena institution. For over 30 years, Altadena Baptist has been a voice for justice for the black community and reconciliation in Altadena’s schools and neighborhoods. For the first forty years of its existence, it was a typical Caucasian congregation, but since 1974 African-Americans have comprised a major part of its membership. It is now one of the most thoroughly-integrated congregations in the Pasadena/Altadena area. Recognizing that its early history was dominated by Caucasian-American cultural and religious values, the church decided that its African-American roots need to be intentionally celebrated through this annual event. A dedicated committee under the leadership of Paula DeVaughn has been planning the event, supported by the church’s co-pastors Connie DeVaughn and George Van Alstine.

The Celebration will be followed by a free soul-food dinner, provided by the congregation for all those attending.

For more information contact Altadena Baptist at (626) 797-8970. Event Facebook page at http://bit.ly/altadenablackhistory2017 or visit Altadena Baptist at http://www.altadenabaptist.org.