Oakland’s First A.M.E. Church bids farewell to its sanctuary of 70 years

“Up from the ashes” has been Pastor Rodney D. Smith’s mantra since a blaze destroyed the First African Methodist Episcopal Church building at 3701 Telegraph Avenue in February 2023.

That theme was present on Sunday afternoon as the congregation met in the sunny parking lot for a farewell service and deconsecration — a ceremony to decommission a site from spiritual to secular use. The charred, red-tagged building stood in the background as the choir, dressed in all black with orange and gold ribbons pinned to their lapels, sang “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.” The service included other choir selections, skits about the church’s past, a reading of scripture, a praise dance, and brief remarks by church and community leaders.

Parishioners, some of whom have been part of the church for deca