At the Table

Pastor Semmeal Thomas is the pastor of the City Covenant Church in Detroit Michigan. He has created a program that reaches out to his community and helps foster independence through commerce and business.

Pastor Semmeal was often approached by those in the community wanting to work by carrying out specific jobs for the church (landscaping, carpentry, painting, etc).  Frequently these individuals wanted to be paid “under the table”, but Pastor Semmeal felt that God wanted them “At the Table” because “what’s under the table is for dogs”.  He then started to do some asset mapping – approaching those in the community and identifying their skill sets.  Once specific individuals were identified and showed commitment in the program he would then help them set up LLCs, acquire tax id numbers and register with the state of Michigan.  He has also helped, as part of the program, set up micro-loans for those that go through the training. Since the inception of the program (2017/2018) City Covenant has helped around 15 individuals start businesses.

Partnering with Faith Covenant Church of Farmington Hills has been a supportive addition to the program.  Pastor Mike Rice has assisted in fostering mentorships from within his church family and the church has also offered some financial assistance.  Both pastors feel this is a great opportunity for the church to become more involved in the community.

The training and mentorships along with the help of acquiring micro loans has been vital in helping those entering the world of business and entrepreneurship and becoming more financially independent.  This program has made a significant impact on the lives of individuals and their families in this community. Please contact The Great Lakes Conference if you feel you could be a useful mentor to someone who is taking on a new venture in the world of business.