"If white folks can work, we should be able to work, too, on a black church," one of about two dozen protesters screamed at the worshipers and people passing by Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis City  on Sunday March 22nd. The protesters claim that although African Americans comprise 100% of the people attending Friendly Temple and have raised 100% of the funds to build the new facility that African American contractors and businesses should receive more than 37% of the work and supply contracts. Essentially, the protesters are angry because they believe that the church is not providing contracts to minority owned firms to build their new 8.5 millions dollar facility.  The group protesting the church is a new group that calls itself the African-American Business and Contractors Association.

Deacon James Joyner, a senior church official said in reply to the protesters "I've never seen any of them [before]," church deacon, James Joyner, said of the protesters. "We've built that building, several buildings around here, refurbished houses, haven't seen any of them...all of the sudden they show up on Sunday morning, blocking our entrances, screaming over loudspeakers, interfering with the services and that just don't work.” Still Yusef Haqq, a spokesperson for the protest group said, “It's somewhat disrespectful because times are hard with the economic downturn, our people, African Americans who primarily live in these communities, have a right to work these jobs and to bring money home to their families."

At present there seems to be no negotiations planned between the protest group and representatives of Friendly Temple M. B. Church. Blackchurchstlouis.org will keep the public informed as developments happen.