“Today, the Church is flourishing. We are able to run programs out of here because of Grace (Yoo).”

LOS ANGELES (2/14/24) – Today, Grace Yoo for Los Angeles City Council released a video
featuring Reverend Marcus Murchinson with the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church and the
instrumental role Yoo played in protecting the Church and its many community-based programs
from closure.

In 2021, the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church had applied for a traditional bank loan to
pay the Church’s mortgage and operating expenses and was told that the Church had the credit
and the income to qualify. Despite assurances from the bank, at the last minute, the Church’s
loan was denied. Rev. Murchinson felt that his Church was redlined by the bank, and without a
loan the Church and its many services including food banks, job trainings and outreach to the
community would come to an end.

While Reverend Murchinson had only met Grace once, he reached out, calling in the hopes
Grace might be willing and able to assist. As a result, Yoo was able to connect the Church with a
small community focused bank which issued the necessary loan.

In the video, Rev. Murchinson states:
“I’m Pastor Marcus Murchinson. The Pastor of Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church.
“This church that I’m in right now is only here today because of Grace. Grace the
compassionate, the one that heard we were about to be foreclosed, put out of our church.
“She heard our cry and came to our aid and fought for us.
“Today, the Church is flourishing. We are able to run programs out of here because of Grace.
“Grace is for you.”