Kathy’s family has called Sebastopol home for four generations. For her parents, the Community Church was the center of their lives. “My dad built tables that slid under the stage for potlucks, and my mom taught Sunday school,” she remembered. “They were on every committee in the whole wide world. My parents were a huge part of the apple pie tradition, and now that’s kind of my legacy too.”

She grew up in this church, and now her own children have, too. Some of her most meaningful memories come from church youth camps. “Camp Caz was pivotal in faith formation,” she said. “It was life-changing for so many kids. For my own children, it shaped who they are and gave them a place where everybody was accepted, and God’s love was very present.”

But as a young person herself, she sometimes longed for something different from church. “I can remember thinking, do we have to sing these old hymns and read other people’s words for liturgy? I wish it were a little more contemporary, less formal. It just felt too churchy and not spiritual enough,” she admitted.
 
She visited other congregations over the years, looking for a place that matched what she was seeking.

What kept drawing her back was the Community Church’s emphasis on justice and living out faith in the world. “For me, faith in action is where my awakening came. The humanity in all people is the most important thing Jesus brought to us,” she said. “I don’t sit around and meditate or read a lot, but I need to practice it—to walk the walk.” The church’s commitment to social justice made her proud to belong here.

Today, she is deeply grateful that Community Church feels like home. “I’m not embarrassed to say I’m a Christian. I can say I go to this church,” she shared. “I see the diversity of opinions and talents, the intergenerational bonds, and I just think—it’s a healthy church. It’s not boring. It’s a place where I belong.”

Her giving is both gratitude and legacy. “My mom and dad gave so much of themselves to this place, and I want to carry that forward,” she reflected. Over the years, she has led youth groups, spent countless summers at Camp Caz, and continues to serve through the apple pie project, stewardship work, and the many behind-the-scenes roles that keep the church strong. “Every gift supports the justice, inclusion, and community that make me proud to call this church family.
 
Written by: Linda Basso

Leslie’s early experiences with faith were in conservative churches where there was little room for doubt or honest questioning. “I always had these ideas about God, but I couldn’t say them out loud,” she recalls. Over time, she internalized the belief that if I followed the rules, I would be in God’s will—and that would protect me from bad decisions and heartbreak. But when life didn’t unfold that way, she was left feeling hurt, disillusioned, and abandoned by God.

In the wilds of California and through the writings of theologians like C.S. Lewis, Leslie began to long for something different. She longed for a church that “focused on the mystery of Christ, the community of faith, and the power of God’s love.” She reflected, “When I visited Community Church, I could be my full self,” Leslie shared. “I didn’t hear anything that sounded like BS.” She found a place that felt honest and open—one that matched who she was and how she wanted to be in relationship with God. “You don’t have to be a different person at this church. You can be who you are, and everyone’s good with that.”

Over time, her connections deepened—through Godly Play with her daughter Ruby, the OWL program, kinship groups, nine-to-dine, and moments like caroling at Christmas. “You do all these little things, and suddenly you’ve met all these people. In my Bible study group, we all just bring our questions. We leave the week with them. It’s freeing. It’s real. It meets you where you are.”

Today, Leslie describes her faith as alive and centered in relationship. “I used to think of God like a vending machine—you put in your card, and God gives you what you want. But now, it’s about paying attention, about knowing God is walking with you.”

She no longer feels the need to hide her questions and curiosity about God. Instead, she finds peace in nature, the mystery of faith, and the shared experience of being human. “Most of all, I am grateful to be part of an open, caring community where people can be themselves and walk through life—and their questions—together. In a way, it reminds me of what my grandparents showed me—what love and being a Christian look like when they’re truly lived out.”

Because of your generosity, programs like Godly Play, OWL, Bible study, and kinship groups continue to create space for connection, growth, and honest exploration. Thank you for making our church a place where people can show up fully, ask bold questions, and grow up in faith together.

Written by Robert Curtis, April 2025