Today in California we are blessed with such diversity and ethnical outlooks that make this state what it is today. However, the diversity didn't just popped up out of the ground and grows. It has come from along line of dedication and work, through community and most of all church. Churches like Saddleback, First A. M. E, and now more recently Dream Center and many others. Technology is helping lead the way for many of these churches both new and old. The new ideas of the Southern Californian Protestant churches are beginning to liven up the churches with music, dance, and picture and paintings. Years ago they had paintings and color but not to the extent of this new era. Take mission San Juan Capistrano for example, it is a very well known church but, in this modern day it can't compete with churches like F. A. M. E.
I have had the chance to visit both sites and I remember
distinctly the mural of many African Americans and some of their history, and in the middle was a church and a little quote that said "God our father. Christ our redeemer. Man our brother. Woman our sister." This quote along with the mural said a lot about what the churches focus was; and to me it was community and faith. With those two things it is possible to do anything. All of the attributes of F. A. M. E were from the dreams of Biddy Mason, Biddy was born a slave in Mississippi, where she remained until she was older and had children of her own. Biddy raised the kids Mormon and when they were old enough Mason walked with her daughters from Mississippi to California herding sheep and cattle. Four years later she moved into her own house in San Bernardino, where her and her daughters petitioned to be freed, since California was a free state. Mason moved to Los Angel ...