Bridgeport pastor pushes for Storefront Church Awareness Month as new worship site opens
Cecilia Garrett, of One Accord Ministry Outreach, says storefront churches were born out of necessity when people of color were barred from worshiping in other locations.
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A new place of worship opening in Bridgeport is drawing attention to the longstanding tradition of storefront churches in Black communities.
Cecilia Garrett, of One Accord Ministry Outreach, says storefront churches were born out of necessity when people of color were barred from worshiping in other locations.
Garrett says those small churches have long served as anchors within neighborhoods and demonstrate that faith can flourish without a large cathedral.
"Everybody's giving. When you come into a community, a storefront, and you start small, you know that everybody's going to give a little bit," Garrett said.
She said storefront churches begin by focusing on helping the people closest to them.
"We started small because we had to start within the community. We have to reach our next-door neighbor first before we can go global, so that's why we started One Accord Ministry Outreach," Garrett said.
Garrett is now pushing for the establishment of a Storefront Church Awareness Month in September.
She says the tradition has often been overlooked despite its important role in Black church culture and community development.
