By Marnita Coleman,
Special to the AFRO
Listed in zip code 21223 of West Baltimore, the Tabernacle of the Lord Church and Ministries (TOTLC) is a forward-thinking ministry, pastored by Bishop C. Guy Robinson, a mental health theologian. Successfully providing faith in the community for over 80 years, TOTLC is continuing the work of its predecessor, Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church.
In 2008, Robinson says he was “called by God and appointed by the Rev. Dr. Arthur Eugene Jones” to “serve and succeed his legendary leadership” as pastor of Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church.
“I was in graduate studies and counseling, when I received an unexpected phone call from Reverend Dr. Arthur Eugene Jones,” stated Robinson, who at the time was pursuing a career as a professional counselor. “My conflict became, what do I do?” Long story short, the Lord was calling him to pastor, but with an emphasis on the Christian aspects of our mental wellness.
Sharon Shea Morris Webb, a long-time member of Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church said, “I have so many positive thoughts about Jones Tabernacle and Rev. Jones. He married my husband Garfield and I along with training us as his deacon and deaconess. I know Pastor Guy Robinson as a friend of the Tabernacle along with the many conventions with the Baptist Congress of Christian Education. I know that as Rev. Jones’ special personal pick, the spirit of Jones would not be lost. Keep climbing TOTLC!”
The vision of TOTLC is a family of faith that’s growing in grace through the word, worship, discipleship, fellowship, evangelism and service. Family denotes community and the community reaches out to bring those outside in. In Robinson’s rationale, he explains that the church is not defined by its geographical location of the 21223 zip code – it reaches beyond the Fayette-Boyd community in which it resides.
“The church is a community, and it’s ideally comprised of persons in a community who serve a community.” Bishop Robinson emphasizes that because sometimes when we say the church, we kind of objectify it as if it is an entity distinct from people in the community.
But the church itself is the people who comprise it and form a voluntary community led by the Spirit of God in this case, or by their faith convictions to experience life together.
In serving the local community, TOTLC holds worship services and bible study for in-person gatherings where they address the whole man, body, soul and spirit.
Located in a food desert, the church provides food giveaways. They conduct educational opportunities in partnership with Grace Medical Center, formerly Bon Secours Hospital, on North Fulton Avenue, to learn certain skills through several community-oriented activities.
“We do outdoor community festivals, with health screenings, partnering physical health and spiritual health. And, everything from cooking classes, being aware of how we can eat healthy, to addressing food desert concerns, to addressing what a healthy diet looks like, to mitigate certain conditions.”
We do a lot of meetings about assessing the needs of the community and how we might best serve them as two health institutions.
TOTLC was a vaccination site during the height of the pandemic and opened its doors as an education site to ease anxiety for students and their caretakers.
In addition to these things, Bishop Robinson is normalizing mental health theology from the pulpit.
Inscribed on Bishop Robinson’s timeline, a heartfelt sentiment from LaVern Jones, widow of Reverend Jones.
“We thank God everyday for you! We celebrate you as pastor, leader, musician, father, friend and counselor– but I’m most honored to call you, ‘son.’ So many titles for one great man. May God continue to bless and keep you!”