Yvette Flunder is the senior pastor at the City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, CA. Her singing career began when she joined the Walter Hawkins Love Center Choir and she would later be ordained by Hawkins. She earned a M.A. and a certificate in Ministry Studies from the Pacific School of Religion and Doctor of Ministry degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.
She is nationally recognized for her work as an advocate for HIV/AIDS and for her work in demanding churches recognize Christ's love and inclusion of the LGBT community. In 2014 she was the keynote speaker at the White House for World AIDS Day where she discussed the effects of stigma and homophobia on those affected by HIV/AIDS.
As a kid that grew up in the church, I love the work Flunder is doing. Institutionalized homophobia is a huge issue for the Black church and it must be addressed and Yvette is not quiet. She is a loud and powerful voice and I would argue has influenced some pastors to change their stance on homosexuality.
As much as I love her for her advocacy, I love her even more for her singing. It was her voice that initially put her on my radar. Her singing "Thank You Lord" with the Walter Hawkins made me a fan of hers for life. On Amazon she has recordings with the Fellowship Mass Choir and some CDs available where is singing old school spirituals and traditional gospel. However, it is still "Thank You Lord" that I love by her the most.
Get into her performing my favorite below:
Get into her performing my favorite below:
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