Metropolitan Baptist Temple

01/04/2026

The Magellanic penguin later named Dindim was found weak and covered in oil on a Brazilian beach. João Pereira de Souza took him in, cleaned him carefully, and fed him until he could survive again. When Dindim was strong enough, he returned to the ocean.

Months later, the penguin came back. Then he came back again the next year, and the year after that. Each time, he walked straight to the same man and stayed for months like an old companion.

Reports say Dindim swims about 5000 miles every year from his breeding grounds in Patagonia back to Brazil. He follows João around the beach, rests near his home, and responds only to him. No training, no leash, no reason except choice.

This isn't a pet and it isn't a trick. This is a wild animal remembering kindness and crossing an ocean to find it again. One small act of care became a bond strong enough to guide him home every single year.

11/10/2024

One can only dream…

05/24/2023

05/24/2023

💕👣

-CJ

05/09/2023

We only get one chance! We do not have the right to take that chance away from others!

-CJ

07/19/2018

Today, I received a message from a long time school friend named Dan Sharp. I was so excited as I read what he had to say. It's funny how we never know how much we may have affected someone's life, just as Pastor Eldridge had in helping, at least to some degree in changing Dan's life. I replied in part by telling Dan I had always felt some additional connection between him and myself. I think this might be it. Below is, a portion of Dan's message to me. Thank you so very much for sharing, Dan.

"Hi Jerry, I just noticed something on my FB page this week, of all things, about Metropolitan Baptist Temple and see that you and your family went there. I was saved when I was 20, and back then in the early days when I had lots of questions about the bible I ‘happened’ to find a local radio broadcast, I think it was on wednesday nights, that helped me out a lot, and it was actually out of that church. The preacher was a loud, fire and brimstone type who preached on sin and hell. He was different than I was used to at the time, but what he preached seemed to have the ring of truth, and so I listened every week and was blessed. I never went to a service there or knew anyone who did till now, though I knew the location because it was right across the street from my credit union on Jefferson."

08/07/2017

This is a broken piece of a brick that was once a part of Metropolitan Baptist Temple where I attended as a small boy. One day, about three years ago (2014 or 2015), I wanted to see my old church where I asked Jesus Christ into my heart as a boy of about five years old. To my sad surprise, it no longer existed. However, walking around where it once stood, I found a tiny piece of it and took it home. I now use it as a stand for my praying hands to remind me to pray.