SHARING OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

1968--In the Beginning
As the saying goes, "from a tiny acorn a mighty Oak will grow." This philosophy has proved to be true from the inception of the Palma Ceia Baptist Church under the visionary and spiritual leadership of its Founder and Pastor, the Reverend Charles Franklin Bennett. It was his planting, developing and nourishing the seed of faith, perseverance and divine hope in God that led to starting the church. In early 1968, with God as their guide, the Pastor, his devoted wife Mary Louise, and their young daughter Connie, made many trips from Oakland to the city of Hayward. They began knocking on doors letting people know about a risen savior and their desire to start a church. There were seven committed Christian women who answered that call.

Acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, on the second Sunday in September 1968, Reverend Charles F. Bennett organized our church at the Evangeli~a~ ~ovenant Church at 1021 West Tennyson Road. In attendance that day were the nine Charter Members: Sister Darlene Bell, Sister Mary Louise Bennett, Sister Jessie Bobo, Sister Mary Jenifer, Sister Vera Johnson, Sister Ozzie Madison, Sister Bernice Randle, and Sister Doris Williams. Those elected to office were: Reverend Charles F. Bennett-- Pastor, Sister Doris Williams--Church Clerk, and Sister Ozzie Madison-- Church Treasurer. Sister Darlene Bell, who now resides in Philadelphia, suggested the name Palma Ceia, because the church was located in Palma Ceia Village.

In attendance on this historic day were the Reverend Newton Carey, Pastor of the True Vine Baptist Church, Oakland, California, who officiated at the charter and installation ceremonies of the church officers.

Our first auxiliary was the choir, consisting of a few children and two or three adults. The first president of the choir was Sister Vera Johnson, and the first pianist was Sister Bernice Randle. Next, our Sunday School and Missionary Society was formed. At this time, coming to join us, was our second male member, Brother John Williams, who is now deceased.

In April 1969, Palma Ceia moved from the Covenant Church to the Old Village Church building on Mission Boulevard, where we worshipped for one and one-half years. Here we were joined by our third male member, Brother James L. Inglehart. Our congregation grew to about 85 members and the Lord blessed us with our first regular pianist, Sister Sandra Hill Inglehart, and the choir grew in members.

Palma Ceia next moved to the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Patrick Avenue, where we were joined by our fourth male member, Brother John Butler. After worshipping there for a short time, in April 1970, we moved to the Pioneer Chapel on Birch Street in Hayward. Here the Lord increased our congregation to over 300 members with two choirs.

Our choir was quickly developing and in 1972 the Lord sent us Sister Cleona Brooks, who was our Minister of Music until her homegoing in 1989. During those 16 years she organized the Adult Choir, Voices of Praise, Gospel Sounds of Ebony, the Sunshine Choir and the Male Chorus. Sister Brooks also mentored and guided our talented young pianist, Anthony Jenifer. Tony played for all of the choirs over the years and was an invaluable part of the Palma Ceia Music Department and to the current Minister of Mllsic, Brother Silvester Henderson. The Music Department € suffered a g~eat loss in 1996 when Tony Jenifer passed away.

The Music Department has continued to grow and develop under the talented and competent leadership of Brother Silvester Henderson. Under his leadership the choirs and the male choruses have continued to grow and they have been very successful in their efforts. We have been richly blessed by having a very gifted, versatile, and accomplished musical staff in the persons of: Connie Bennett, Soloist and Directress; Yvonne Joshua, Directress; Eric White, Organist and Director of the Gospel Sounds of Ebony and Voices of Praise; Omar Maxwell, Drummer; and Lynette Daniels, Director of the Sunshine Choir.

The Palma Ceia Baptist Church Choirs have been greatly rewarded and are considered to be some of the best singing groups in the state of California.

March 1973 to January 1987
We had the same spirit spoken of in Nehemiah 4:6. "So built we the wall and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work." During this five-year period, we made giant steps. We purchased the property where our first sanctuary was built, now known as the Charles F. Bennett Hall.

The construction of the building started in March 1973. Six months later, we held our first worship service in the new sanctuary on the third Sunday in September 1973. God has truly blessed our efforts and dedication, and our membership grew to over 1,500 members.

As Pastor Bennett was led by the Lord, Palma Ceia became progressive with the ordination of our first female minister, Sister Evia Goines, on February 20, 1976. Sister Goines, who died in 1996, was also the church's Financial Secretary. Pastor Bennett ordained Sister Ophelia Williams, our second female minister, in 1991. Sister Williams is the Director of Evangelical Ministry.

Due to the growth of the membership, Palma Ceia had two worship services, at 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., to accommodate our expanding church family. Pastor Bennett had a desire for the entire church family to worship together at or~e worship service, and God saw our need to bring thechurch family together and blessed us with a larger building. We had our first worship service in our new and present sanctuary in January 1987. Today our church family, which consists of over 3,000 members, worships together at our main worship service at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. We've worked hard and faithfully and God has truly blessed Palma Ceia Baptist Church.

January 1987 to Present
The Board of Deacons consists of thirteen members, of which Brother James Forrest is the Chairman. Brothers: John Butler, Lloyd Brimmer, William Burris, Eugene Carter, Craig Adams, James Knuppe, David Gaskins, Russell Merical, Vernon Goines, Al Thomas, John Williams, and James Word.

1999--The Present and Our Future
Today, we of the Palma Ceia Family, have come to a crossroads in our ministry. Reverend Charles F. Bennett has prepared us for a well-earned retirement by providing us with a group of committed men, whom he has trained to carry on his legacy. The legacy of compassion, dedication, and commitment to our Palma Ceia Family.

In early 1997, the pulpit staff of Reverend Tommy Smith, Reverend Ronald Coleman and Reverend Vance Hunter, took up the mantle and under their competent and committed leadership, have carried out and addressed the needs of the day-to-day ministry of Palma Ceia, by winning and bring souls to Christ. To them, we say, "Well done, thy good and faithful servants."

Today we have a vibrant ministry with a pulpit staff consisting of nine ordained ministers, four women and five men. We continue to have dedicated and committed auxiliaries and, most of all, a loving and faithful congregation.

The Palma Ceia Church has been awarded by the Southern Baptist Convention for the year of 1997 as being one of the most outstanding churches in the nation. First in membership and third in baptisms among 2,500 churches nationwide.

Our continuing creed: Philippians 3:13-14: "Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things behind and reaching forth into those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Today, in 1998, as we press toward the 21st century, Palma Ceia remains firm in its stand on the Rock--Christ Jesus. Though some of our members have fallen asleep in Jesus, we continue to press on.