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Blessings Beyond International Church History

July 31, 2009 - Present

Rev. Eden was appointed to First Street UMC in 2005. His ministry there was bible based, upliing, and eﬀecve. He guided the church to accomplish many great things. Aer serving as pastor of First Street PW UMC for four years, Bishop W. W. Hutchinson and his cabinet made a very devastang decision. The decision was that Rev. Eden had been disconnued in the United Methodist Church

On the evening of June 11, 2009; when this decision was announced at the Louisiana Annual Conference, more than 25 members of First Street PW walked out of the conference in a show of support for Rev. Eden and their displeasure with the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church Knowing that God had called him to preach the Word and that he would be a preacher in God’s house; Rev Eden prayed and waited on the Lord

During that same meframe, a group of Chrisan leaders and members of First Street PW conceded that the bishop had totally ignored their recommendaons relang to the appointment of the pastor. They individually and collecvely concluded that they could no longer remain loyal to the United Methodist Church Because God tells us to walk by faith and not by sight, this group of Chrisan leaders and members of First Street PW met with Rev. Eden, and Blessings Beyond Internaonal Church, beer known as BBIC, was founded and organized on July 28, 2009, and was incorporated on July 31, 2009 BBIC is a name that stands for a uniﬁed people with a Godly spirit who are accepted uncondionally

Rev Eden found a temporary worship site at First Zion Bapst Church located 2200 Jackson Avenue Rev Donald R Berryhill, Sr. and his members recognized our need for a place to worship and graciously opened their doors to us on August 9, 2009. For that act of kindness we remain grateful. A 9:00 am worship service was scheduled. The church was overﬂowing with worshippers and the original choir from First Street PW UMC came to share in this awesome worship experience The First Street PW ushers were also in full aendance. It was during this service that the majority of both the Senior Ushers and the Adult Council Ushers split to form the new BBIC Usher Board.

Rev. Eden preached from the text of Philippians 1:12, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel ” The sermon theme tle was, “It’s Alright ” That Sunday a powerful movement of the spirit took place and 57 persons joined BBIC. In those following weeks, many other persons joined the new church, including the majority of First Street PW Choir. The Rev. Alonzo Campbell guided Rev. Eden in many earlier church decisions During our church startup period, members were gracious enough to allow the Board of Directors, other leaders in ministries and the choir, to ulize their homes and places of business to conduct church business, and choir rehearsals when the temporary church locaon was unavailable.

BBIC connued to grow in membership and in winning souls for Christ. The membership had reached 230 members. Our outreach ministries connue to work to feed the Master’s sheep literally and spiritually In 2019 handbags with toiletries and goodies for homeless women were issued in the Central City area of the City. BBIC members served lunch to inerant men and women, distributed clothing to those in need, contributed to the city’s food bank and the New Orleans Mission, provided Prom dresses as well as funds given to Covenant House. We planned a school supply giveaway for both the Spring and Fall semesters to be held in August and December of each year

So that the servants of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work, Rev Eden taught Bible study lessons that focused on the biblical foundaons of our church organizaons during Spring Bible Study sessions. We conducted Vacaon Bible School during July of 2019 that focused on Faith and the fruits of God’s Garden We held revival services on three Tuesdays during the month of August

As we care for the fruits of God’s garden, our blessings connually grow. Our 501C3 was approved in 2019. This means that the Internal Revenue Service has approved our church as a tax-exempt, charitable organizaon. Having this acve 501C3 status allows donors to receive a tax deducon, provides grant funding eligibility for the nonproﬁt, lowers postage rates, and increases credibility within the community.

On February 5, 2012 we held our first Bapsm at First Zion Bapst Church. However, because of an overflow of the bapstery pool, we were unable to ulize First Zion for the bapsm. Thus, a member of our finance commiee, La Tanya Bruno, who knew the pastor of Pilgrim Missionary Bapst Church, asked on behalf of Pastor Eden, if BBIC could use their church for our bapsm. This was the beginning of the move to our next temporary locaon. The new locaon was down the street at the Pilgrim Missionary Bapst Church located 2241 South Liberty Street. Pastor Brian K. Richburg and his members opened their doors and hearts to us to worship in their church We worshiped at Pilgrim from February 2012 unl the Covid-19 Pandemic struck in March 2020. Our board has approved the final architectural plans for our church and the loan applicaon has been submied to the bankers.

Since the me of BBIC’s incepon, it has seen a number of highs and lows, but through it all God has seen us through We have lost members and at this me we remember those who were a part of our ministry during our ﬁrst ten years as an organized church. On February 9, 2020, we held our ceremonial Groundbreaking on the future home of our

church located on First Street. God was in this so that our First Lady could be a part of that momentous occasion. First Lady Lanell Eden Died on March 15, 2020 and her funeral was held that Saturday at Dillard University’s Lawless Chapel The chapel was packed with family, friends, classmates, and church family Rev Eden did the eulogy for his beloved wife

In March the Corona -Virus, (Covid-19) Pandemic hit the enre world causing many people to become sick and die. But, no member of BBIC died from the Covid-19 Virus. Because we were quaranned in our homes due to the Corona-virus, all churches, businesses and schools were closed for months There were no Easter or Psalm Sunday worship services indoors during 2020. Churches were also closed for Mother’s Day, Memorial Sunday, Father’s Day, 4th of July and Laborer Day as well.

On July 20-24 members Victoria Roberts and Barbara Oliver along with Pastor Eden held our ﬁrst ever virtual Summer Vacaon Bible School Teachers included Barbara Oliver, Marsha Weston, Chad Alfred, and Rev Eden Cerﬁcates were sent out via email to persons who parcipated in the vacaon Bible School Program. BBIC had been worshiping outside under tents on church property on First Street. Members who aren’t able to worship outside in tents, remain in their cars or view the service live on Facebook or on Zoom While we worshiped outside 4 persons joined our church, all during the month of July and August Mrs Barbara Oliver became the new president of the Communion Stewards as Mrs Doris Brown stepped down due to ill health in August 2020. Masks, social distancing and hand sanizer are now the norm for aending churches in the year of Covid-19.

We began looking for another locaon to worship indoors Several places were found, but the Board selected Philips Memorial UMC located 3236 Burdee St where the Rev. William Jones is the pastor. We inially worshiped there only on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month starng the 1st Sunday in December 2020.

The Women of Witness (WOW), Organizaon of BBIC sponsored a” Pack the Plates” Give-Away within the community where the future home of BBIC is located on First Street and South Derbigny Street Various toiletries were also given away on December 12, 2020. The Church Board of Directors and Rev. Eden met to ﬁnalize plans for the building of the new church on the church property in November and December of 2020.

In 2021 Covid -19 sll raged throughout the world We connued to wear masks and social distance to church on the Sundays’ members aended. Music Minister Charles McCall presented a unique Black History Worship Program via Zoom. It was a wonderful event and held worshippers spell bound. In March of 2021 the Women of Witness, (WOW), organized by Sister Nakesha Daniels, held a give-away of snacks and toiletries to both homeless individuals and residents living around the church property on First Street Three young women, Victoria Roberts, Jacqueline ”Jackie” Woodard, and Nakesha Daniels of our church were very acve in our church worship ministry, media ministry, and president of WOW, respecvely, all relocated to other states for job opportunies. It le a great void in these ministries of our church.

In July our ﬁrst Vacaon Bible School was planned and implemented by the Communion Steward President, Barbara Oliver It was on Zoom for the enre month VBS was well aended virtually BBIC 12th Year Church Anniversary was held on Sunday, August 15th at our temporary locaon at Philip Memorial United Methodist Church on 3236 Burdee Street. The Rev. Herbert Brisbon, III Chaplain of Dillard University was the guest preacher for the worship service. We also lost one of our founding members, a mother of BBIC, Mrs Bessie Sims Landry Preston on August 2, 2021 Although we were able to resume some sense of normalcy within our congregaon in 2022, our hearts were extremely saddened by the death of our Associate Pastor, Rev. Jermaine Allen Zanders in April 2022.

We connued to have worship services at the church property during the summer and early fall months of 2022. We resumed Vacaon Bible Study with both adults and children on Zoom coordinated by Sister Barbara Oliver and Sister LaToya Washington-Kendricks. BBIC provided back to school supplies, meals, and clothing to persons in need on our church property on First Street in Central City. We bapzed seven (7) individuals including youths during this year at our church property as well in 2022

In 2023 we were in full worship each Sunday at the temporary locaon of Phillips Memorial UMC at 9am and carried a strong social media virtual church following. Covid 19 caused permanent repercussions to the tradional worship ways. However, congregants started to come back to in-person worship and joined the choir, ushers, and communion stewards helping those ministries to thrive Through our In-Person worship experiences in 2024 we as a congregaon experienced and witnessed many miracles of healing and deliverances. Our worship numbers connue to increase Sunday aer Sunday. Our Pastor connued outreaching to all people and has comforted many in bereavement oﬃciang funeral services of many in the New Orleans Community. As we celebrate 15 years of ministry our theme is “Our Witness is Our Worship” witnessing to the goodness of the Lord being a small church with a big impact

We thank God for our anointed pastor who in 2025 will celebrate 20 years of pastoring, our Minister of Music, Min. Charles McCall and our dedicated musicians, our Board of Directors and each other, the faithful members of BBIC. With God on our side, along with faith, paence, prayer and love, we connue to move forward in the Lord Connue to pray for us as we dare to be that church that no other church has ever been “Eyes have not seen what the Lord has in store for us ”