2020 | Can You Handle the Truth?

From the Desk of the Pastor

In person worship Services continue to be temporarily cancelled as we abide by the policies of the State and local authorities.  We have begun to work on a plan for the church reopening which will lessen the likelihood of exposure during services. Information will be coming soon.

Please note that on the Holy Light MBC Facebook account there is a live service at 9:00am every Sunday morning.

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HIRING EVENT

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INFORMATION ON FREE MEALS

True Friendship MBC Dr. James Perkins, One Lord Ministries, Pastor Leroy MatthewsTHE, LIFT/Assante Farms Dr. S. Scuffy Shigg In partnership with National Action Network Jonathan Mosley & World Central Kitchen McKenzie Richerson is distributing Meals.

WHEN: Monday-Friday 11AM-1:00PM (or until meals run out). Please share with anyone who are in need.

WHERE: True Friendship MBC: 7901 Van Ness Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90305

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PANEL DISCUSSION

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Finally what can we do as a body of Christ during this time that we are experiencing this physical distancing from each other.

• Continue Reaching Out to One Another – Calls, Emails, texting messages

• Continue praying for one another

• Certainly an Opportune Time to Read Scripture and Christian literature

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU!! BE SAFE!  BE WELL!

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Sermon on John 6:65-69

Can You Handle The Truth?

NOT EVERYONE CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH

The fact of the matter is that while not everyone walks away from the Lord, some do. Why is that? If we take this passage as the answer to that question, it becomes clear that Not Everyone Can Handle The Truth.)

As this chapter unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that doubt, suspicion and hostility are mounting against the Lord Jesus. These people who wanted to make Him king after He fed them, v. 15, want nothing more to do with Him after they hear His message, v. 26-65.

Why the change? Jesus told them the truth and they could not handle it! Notice His claims:

• To Be The Way Of Salvation - v. 29

• To Be The Son of God - v. 32

• That He Is Superior to Moses and the Manna - v. 35; 49-58

• That Salvation was a matter of faith alone - v. 35-40; 63

• That apart from God's intervention, they could not believe - v. 44; 65

When truth is revealed to us, there are only two possible reactions to it: It can be received, or it can be rejected. People receive the truth when they see it for what it is: Truth! People reject the truth for many reasons. Here are just a few:

Some People Misunderstand It - Nicodemus thought Jesus was talking about gynecology, when He was actually speaking of the new birth. The woman at the well thought Jesus was talking about plumbing, when He was actually talking about Himself, the Water of Life. The man at the pool of Bethesda thought Jesus was talking about a rescue mission, when He was actually talking placing faith in Jesus. This trend continues today! That is why people join the church and are baptized without ever being saved. That is why the Word of God is so offensive many people. They misunderstand the truth and, as a result, they reject it.

Some People Are Opposed To It - As Jesus revealed Himself and His demands in this passage, the Jews were in constant and increasing opposition, v. 41-42; 52; 60. The Jews were not able to accept His Deity, His impending Death or His claims of Lordship. They opposed Him at every turn! So it is today, many are opposed to the truths of the Bible and the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ. His call to commitment goes against their desire to live for self, and as a result, they find themselves in opposition to the Lord.

Some People Are Blind To It - All the way through this passage, the Jews had this approach to Jesus: "Show us and we will believe." They had already seen Him feed five thousand with five loaves of bread and 2 fish, v. 5-13. They had already surmised that He had somehow, miraculously, crossed the lake, v. 22-25, yet they were blind to Who He was and what He was doing. When He made His claims and issued His call to commitment, they were unable to see the truth because they were blind! The sad fact of the matter is this: all men are blind to the truth until their eyes are supernaturally opened by the intervention of God, 2 Cor. 4:4; John 6:44; 65. That is why so many people reject the truth and embrace the lie, they are simply blind to the truth!

Some People Want The Experience But Not The Expectation - These people were following Jesus because He had satisfied their fleshly appetites, v. 1-15. They wanted more of the same, v. 34. In fact, they wanted Jesus to prove that He was greater than Moses, v. 22-31. They were looking for something that satisfied their flesh and that made them feel good about themselves. They wanted an experience! They wanted to be following the next king. They wanted the miracles and the sensational. But, when Jesus began to talk about His expectations and issued a call for commitment, they turned away from Him and walked away. Why? They wanted to be carried away in the excitement of the moment with no commitment.

The same mentality has developed within the church! There are many today who want a religious experience, but without and expectations. They want to serve God for what they can get out it, without any concern for His glory of His will. They want entertainment and excitement without the commitment that comes along with the proclamation of the truth. The churches that are growing the fastest today are those who minimize biblical doctrine the requirements of the faith and emphasize entertainment and experience. All you need to succeed today as a church is a contemporary band, a message that challenges no one's life, a youth program that will babysit the children while the parents are lulled to sleep by a "touchy feely" religion that is devoid of the truth! 

Not everyone can handle the truth! Sometimes, the truth is tough! Sometimes the truth makes demands upon our lives. Sometimes the truth is brutal and seems unfeeling. But, the truth is always true! It is always right and it is always perfect. Not everyone can handle the truth! Can you?

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SUNDAY SCHOOL PUZZLE SOLUTION

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CENSUS RESPONSE

I was contacted by the census specialist, please see below and if you haven’t responded please do so as it is important for our community

As I mentioned in the initial email, the response rate in the area where your church is located is below the State’s and county’s average.

We need to reach as many more households as possible so that these areas don’t miss out on their portion of the 675 billion dollars of yearly federal funding.

The response rate in your area as of 5/20/20 is only 43.4% (Final 2010 Self-Response was 56.2%) while the national average is 59.8% (74%), California 61% (68.2%), LA County 56.2% (69%), LA City is 49.6% (68%). 

That’s why we need your help as a Census partner to encourage your community members to self-respond to 2020 Census.

We would like to take this opportunity to ask you to remind your members of multiple ways to self-respond to 2020 Census.

There are three ways that people can participate in the Census :

• Online at www.2020Census.gov

• Toll-free number

• English, 844.330.2020

• Spanish, 844.468.2020

• Other language lines are available.

• Return paper questionnaire (a small number of households will receive a paper form)  

2020 | Keys to Success

From the Desk of the Pastor

In person worship Services continue to be temporarily cancelled as we abide by the policies of the State and local authorities.  We will begin to work on a plan for the church reopening which hope to lessen the likelihood of exposure during services.

We will begin to meet and with careful consideration based on all factors and only reopen after we make necessary preparations and set up church guidelines, establish cleaning procedures and set up safe practices for in person worship services.. We need to be clear that whatever practices we make will not eliminate the virus. Please feel free to contact me as I would like to hear your thoughts on reopening.

Please note that on the Holy Light MBC Facebook account there is a live service at 9:00am every Sunday morning.

Finally what can we do as a body of Christ during this time that we are experiencing this physical distancing from each other.

• Continue Reaching Out to One Another – Calls, Emails, texting messages

• Continue praying for one another

• Certainly an Opportune Time to Read Scripture and Christian literature

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU!! BE SAFE!  BE WELL!

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 Sermon on Proverbs 3:5-6 | God’s Keys to Success

God doesn’t measure success like we do. We know that God looks at things quite a bit differently than we do. “The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD” (Is. 55:8).

There are various ways we measure success. A student who gets straight “A’s” is deemed a success but isn’t success really in how much he learns.. The more money an athlete earns the more successful he is, but isn’t performance really indicative of success  in how well he plays. The more well-known an actor is, the more successful he is, but is acting performance is really how he performs.

Rely Upon God

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” The phrase “Trust in the LORD” occurs some 180 times in the Old Testament; therefore, we know it’s an important part of God’s success formula. The Hebrew word for trust expresses that sense of well-being and security which results from having something or someone in whom to place confidence. Trust pins one faith on. In the Old Testament, the reason one could have such confidence in God was the Lord’s faithfulness and trustworthiness. “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (1 Ki. 8:56). “Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Ps. 36:5). The idea in God’s faithfulness is that God keeps his promises. Notice what Solomon said in his prayer of dedication at the temple – “There has not failed on word of his good promise.” We can place our confidence in God, because God does not change. He is not going to be here for us one minute and forget about us the next. He is constant in his love, in his concern, in his watchfulness. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you”‘ (Heb. 13:5). We are to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. This confidence we are to have in God should be whole-hearted. If we do not trust in God with our whole heart, we really do not trust in him at all. If we just place part of our confidence in God, we will try to solve all of our problems ourselves, instead of allowing God to play his role. We and God cannot both be in the driver’s seat of our lives – there’s room for only one there. God cannot measure success that way. Financial strength is not a measure of success – “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mk. 8:36). Fame and popularity are not a measure of success – “The world is passing away” (1 Jn. 2:17). Doing his will is what God considers successful – “He who does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn. 2:17). Why wouldn’t we want God to be in the driver’s seat of our lives? He is the one who knows what the future holds. He is the one who truly understands what it in our best interest.

Read the Word of God

“Lean not on your own understanding.” “Understanding” refers to insight, prudence, and intelligence.

Human wisdom and understanding cannot be the standard by which we live, for human wisdom is so often faulty. “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). “We were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow” (Job 8:9). There is so much that man does not know – How does the sun operate? What were the dinosaurs like? What is the surface of Jupiter like?

Because man does not know much, he needs guidance, and God gives the guidance man needs in Scripture. Solomon tells us here not to lean on our own understanding. How can we do that if it’s not through reading/studying Scripture?

The Bible provides God’s guidance for life. “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation” (Ps. 119:99). “Through Your precepts I get understanding” (Ps. 119:104). “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple” (Ps. 119:130).

If we want answers to the questions of life, we need to look no further than the Bible. In the Bible, we have everything we need to know about how to live lives acceptable to God – “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). There is nothing that we absolutely need to know that the Bible does not tell us.

It’s better to invest fifteen dollars in a Bible now than twenty-five dollars an hour for a psychiatrist later.”

Are you leaning on your own understanding or are you studying the Bible to obtain God’s understanding?

Recognize the Hand of God

“In all your ways acknowledge him.”

We are to acknowledge the God’s work in our lives. God works in our lives through providence. The idea in providence is that God works in our lives through non-supernatural means. Although this idea is not well-explained in the Scriptures, the Scriptures do point to this idea. “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust'” (Matt. 5:45). “He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17).

God works in our lives today through providence. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28). The best example of providence in the Bible is the case of Joseph who was sold as a slave into Egypt but ended up saving his family from extinction – “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:8).

We need to recognize the hand of God, the providence of God, at work in our lives. When things are not going the way we want them to, we may not see the hand of God, we may not know what God has in store for us. It’s after the fact that we can look back and say, “God had a hand in that.” If we recognize God’s providence at work in our lives, we’ll have reason to hope, rejoice when things aren’t going as we planned. We’ll have something to look forward to, because we know that God will work everything out.

Do you recognize the hand of God in your life?

Conclusion

God wants us to be successful. He doesn’t care about our being successful in the ways of the world, but he cares about our being successful in the way he views success. If you want to be successful God has some benefits. The bible calls it God’s favor.. 1. Favor is greater than material wealth. Proverbs 22:1 – "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold." 2. Favor is stronger than military power. Psalm 5:12 – “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” 3. Favor releases from bondage. Psalm 85:1 – “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.” 4. Spiritual wisdom leads to favor. Proverbs 14:35 – “The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.” 5. Doing what is right brings favor. 1 Peter 2:20 – “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” 6. Favor breaks the power of shame and disgrace. Luke 1:28-30 – “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” 7. Favor brings supernatural increase and promotion. Genesis 39:21 – “But, the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” 8. Favor will give honor in the midst of adversaries. Exodus 11:3 – “And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.” 9. Favor brings prominence and preferential treatment. Esther 2:17 – “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” 10. Favor brings recognition even when you seem the least likely to receive it. 1 Samuel 16:22 – “Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL PUZZLE

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CENSUS RESPONSE

I was contacted by the census specialist, please see below and if you haven’t responded please do so as it is important for our community

As I mentioned in the initial email, the response rate in the area where your church is located is below the State’s and county’s average.

We need to reach as many more households as possible so that these areas don’t miss out on their portion of the 675 billion dollars of yearly federal funding.

The response rate in your area as of 5/20/20 is only 43.4% (Final 2010 Self-Response was 56.2%) while the national average is 59.8% (74%), California 61% (68.2%), LA County 56.2% (69%), LA City is 49.6% (68%). 

That’s why we need your help as a Census partner to encourage your community members to self-respond to 2020 Census.

We would like to take this opportunity to ask you to remind your members of multiple ways to self-respond to 2020 Census.

There are three ways that people can participate in the Census :

• Online at www.2020Census.gov

• Toll-free number

• English, 844.330.2020

• Spanish, 844.468.2020

• Other language lines are available.

• Return paper questionnaire (a small number of households will receive a paper form)  

2020 | Don't Miss Your Blessing

From the Desk of the Pastor

In Person Worship Services continue to be temporarily cancelled as we abide by the policies of the State and local authorities. The Governor said this week that churches could open once a plan for reopening is put in place. The guidelines include attendance at worship services to not exceed 25% of capacity, safe distancing plan and also a plan for church reopening.

I look forward to our beginning to return to in person worship. However Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 26:41 as he knew the time was coming for his assignment at Calvary. Jesus told his disciples “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak” Pastors and leaders must make decisions after watching and then praying, The scripture does not say watch or pray.

As we watch, we see the pandemic is a serious health situation and specifically in our community the percentages of cases and deaths are greater in our community. We see that those who have current health conditions are most vulnerable and those over 65 are most vulnerable. We watch and listen to the health care professionals and consider strongly their advice. After watching then we as Christians pray. We pray because in Luke 18:1, Men ought always to pray and not faint.  I Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing.

The President doesn’t realize that the church is not a building. Yes we shouldn’t forsake the assembling of ourselves, Hebrews 10:25 but we the ecclesia (the called out ones) can still lift him up in our homes, in our cars and in our families.

We will begin to meet and with careful consideration based on all factors only reopen after we make necessary preparations and set up church guidelines, establish cleaning procedures and set up safe practices for in person worship services. We need to be clear that whatever practices we make will not eliminate the virus. Please feel free to contact me as I would like to hear your thoughts on reopening.

There is another virus that is the virus of racism. This resurgence of racism is a problem in our land. Prayers to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor who have to face. Unfortunately racism is part of the DNA of this country.

Finally what can we do as a body of Christ during this time that we are experiencing this physical distancing from each other.

• Continue Reaching Out to One Another – Calls, Emails, texting messages

• Continue praying for one another

• Certainly an Opportune Time to Read Scripture and Christian literature

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU!! BE SAFE!  BE WELL!

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Don’t Miss Your Blessing Luke 10:38-42

Lk 10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. Lk 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. Lk 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Lk 10:41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, Lk 10:42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” John 10:10 I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly The Christian life is a marvelous adventure, an exciting journey. Many people-including Christians-seem to be content to float in a sea of mediocrity, settling for second best. Do you want the abundant life that Jesus promised?

Devoted or Distracted?

Here before us today is another account that has only been preserved for us by Luke.  This is the encounter Jesus has with Mary and Martha.

This text is all about welcoming a guest.  It’s about hospitality.  Under normal circumstances, Martha’s acts would be correct and Mary’s would be wrong.  Here, however, the scene is much different.  The guest reclining in their home is not a normal visitor but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  The Visitor has Word of eternal life.  The Words Jesus shares with this household are the Words of the Gospel, the Kingdom, and discipleship.

Mary, not Martha gives Jesus the welcome He seeks by listening to His teaching.  Jesus is concerned with genuine hearing of the Word.  The Lawyer in our account last week heard what Jesus said but did not really hear.  Mary, on the other hand, gives Jesus her undivided attention…she is hearing like Jesus desires.

Notice as I read, the difference between distracted sinful Martha and Mary who is on the edge of her seat as she listens to every Word Jesus has to say.  Also notice that in her distractedness, she becomes agitated because her sister is not concerned with the things she is anxious about.

This is God’s Word…

1. Mary’s Devotion

Fixed On Jesus

We have an example of a young lady who is the picture of discipleship.  Here devotion to Jesus is seen very clearly as we’re told she was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His teaching.  Her attention was fixed on Christ and His every Word.  The words of Jesus had captivated her and it was as if she was transported to another world.  The cares of this life had left and all she was focused on was the teaching of Jesus.

We’re not told what He taught about…perhaps He was in the midst of explaining the Gospel to her.  He may have been describing experiences and sharing their meaning.  He, might have been instructing her as to how to be a better follower.  Whatever Jesus was saying to Mary, she was glued to His every Word.

Faithful to his Word

Her posture is important.  Luke tells us she was sitting at the feet of Jesus.  This is an ancient tradition that a student or disciple would sit at the feet of the One with authority.  So her posture shows that she was the student and He was the Master Teacher.  She was submissive to His authority.  The Bible says, she sat and listened.  She was one of the ones who was really hearing His Words.  She was taking them in and pondering their meaning for her.  She was a true disciple.

Do you sense the peace in Mary’s heart?  She is calm and content to listen to and be with Her Lord.  The time she is spending with Jesus is more important to her than anything else.

2. Martha’s Distraction

Mary is at peace listening to Christ but Martha is distracted, literally, Martha’s mind is pulled in every direction - Martha’s mind is caught up in superficial things.  It’s entangled in the business of the hour.  She is anxious and troubled.

These were sinful distractions.  That’s something most people overlook.  Martha was not just doing something good at the expense of something better she was flat out not putting Jesus first.  These distractions caused her to be anxious and troubled.

Phil 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Mt 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

We all have a little Martha in us that we need to root out.  What are the things that you get entangled in at the cost of something crucial?  Martha’s priorities were wrong.  She was not at peace.  She is serving while Jesus is sharing the Gospel.

Is your mind caught up and entangled with things that at the end of the day, really don’t matter much?

Martha’s mind was stuck in this world and all her responsibilities while Mary’s thinking was in the other kingdom.  Martha was stuck in sinful anxiety while Mary was at peace.

I want to show you what the sin of being distracted does to us.  Notice again Mary’s posture and what Luke says… sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

Mary is submissive.

Distractions cause us to lose our interest and ability to submit to Christ’s teaching.  Martha was so busy and so missing the point that rather than submitting to the authority of Jesus, she barges in and tries to tell Him what to do… And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Can you believe that Martha would be so arrogant as to tell Jesus what to do?  She is not submissive.  What is it that is so important that Martha would interrupt Jesus right in the middle of His teaching?

We can become consumed with things that really simply don’t matter.  What is distracting you from sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His Word?

The best place to do this is in the local church on Sunday mornings.  Are you distracted when you come to worship?  Do you arrive early anticipating what the Lord will reveal to us or do you just barely make it?  Are you often late?  Do you leave right after because you have some pressing distraction?  What about time to spend alone with the Lord in prayer and Bible study?  Do you struggle to find time?

What’s the answer to the sin of distractions?

Sit down and do some soul searching and make a list of priorities.  It may be that you should give up some things…maybe a lot of things.  Are you so busy, you can’t serve the Lord in the local church?

We must understand that distractions are sin and therefore, the answer is to repent and make changes.

One indication of distractions in your life is that you don’t submit to the Word of God.  You’re too busy to submit.  You’re too busy doing everything that you believe that if something is going to get done, you must do it.

What Martha was really telling Jesus was to be quiet until the important things are finished and then after they are done He could teach.

Jesus was more concerned for Martha’s soul than anything else…

Where was Martha’s heart?  Was it on the things of God or the things of earth?  Where is your heart?

Anxiety is produced when we care too much about the wrong things.  Anxiety is a good indicator that something is wrong.  You can take a pill to lessen it and make it more bearable but anxiety is speaking to you about the condition of your soul.  Jesus was lovingly telling Martha that something was very wrong with her thinking and her soul.  Jesus is expressing disapproval and grave concern.

There were more important things at the moment than an elaborate meal.  Martha was missing the Gospel.  Her mind was literally thinking about everything except what it should have been thinking about.

3. Mary’s Good Portion

Martha was troubled about many things…only one thing is important.  Christ’s Word.  Listening and submitting to the Word of God is the good portion that will not be taken away.

Can there be anything more important than complete and undistracted attention to Jesus Christ?

Mary was listening to His Word and becoming a disciple.

Perhaps Martha’s heart was opened as she realized that the things she had been doing were trivial compared to listening to the words of Christ.  The Bible doesn’t say but something changed in Martha’s heart at some point.  Her treasure was changed from earthly things to heavenly things.  At some point she got it and everything clicked.

Is our life full of distractions?  Do you find yourself anxious and troubled?  Allow those emotions to point to the fact that something needs to be different.  Let the superficial go and grab hold of the eternal.  Be devoted to Christ and not distracted from Christ.  Martha did it and so can you…

HOLD TO GOD'S UNCHANGING HANDS

Time is filled with swift transition

Naught of earth unmoved can stand

Build your hopes on things eternal

Hold to God's unchanging hand

Hold (to his hand) to God's unchanging hand

Hold (to his hand) to God's unchanging hand

Build your hopes on things eternal

Hold to God's unchanging hand

Trust in Him who will not leave you

Whatsoever years may bring

If by earthly friends forsaken

Still more closely to Him cling

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CENSUS RESPONSE

I was contacted by the census specialist, Please see below and if you haven’t responded please do so as it is important for our community

As I mentioned in the initial email, the response rate in the area where your church is located is below the State’s and county’s average.

We need to reach as many more households as possible so that these areas don’t miss out on their portion of the 675 billion dollars of yearly federal funding.

The response rate in your area as of 5/20/20 is only 43.4% (Final 2010 Self-Response was 56.2%) while the national average is 59.8% (74%), California 61% (68.2%), LA County 56.2% (69%), LA City is 49.6% (68%). 

That’s why we need your help as a Census partner to encourage your community members to self-respond to 2020 Census.

We would like to take this opportunity to ask you to remind your members of multiple ways to self-respond to 2020 Census.

There are three ways that people can participate in the Census :

• Online at www.2020Census.gov

• Toll-free number

• English, 844.330.2020

• Spanish, 844.468.2020

• Other language lines are available.

• Return paper questionnaire (a small number of households will receive a paper form)