Victoria is a seeker. After she moved to Sebastopol in 1990 and married her husband, Stu, now deceased, she knew two things: she wanted to be a mother, and she wanted to find a supportive, progressive Christian community that lived out God’s call to social justice.

When having a child proved difficult, a wonderful but challenging 3-year-old bi-racial boy named Colby joined their family. With the adoptive placement coming via the county, Colby required patience and specialized support to heal from emotional wounds. “When I began looking for a church, I knew I would have to find an inclusive community with an open message that would welcome and affirm my African American son, a child who was bright and active but also sometimes challenging,” said Victoria.

“I needed to find a place where my son would know he was loved unconditionally, not just by his parents, but by God and by his faith community.” Searching local congregations led Victoria to the Community Church of Sebastopol, where she found a supportive faith community for her son, shared social justice values, and much-needed connection and support from other women.

Volunteers and staff at Community Church were patient and included Colby in youth activities. “It was important that Colby had a place to go that I was comfortable with, where he was learning a healthy theology and finding friends to connect with whose parents shared similar faith values to us.” But along with support for her son, Victoria wanted to belong to a congregation she felt a deep spiritual connection to, one that centered Jesus’ teachings and was committed to social justice and building community.

“I knew I had found my own home at Community Church when, after arriving late to the Friday morning Women’s Spirituality Group after dropping my son off, I was in such a frazzled state that I declared that I just ‘can’t ever get here on time!’ The response from the women in the group was to start laughing and say in unison, ‘Of course you can’t!’” Victoria immediately felt seen, heard, and supported, and those relationships have provided deep spiritual nourishment and connection for her over the years.

Today, Victoria is inspired by all the ways God is present at Community Church: through the depth of spirituality in our weekly meditation group; to our growing, more diverse membership; to our congregation taking stronger, more public stances on social justice and human rights issues. “This inspiration led me to answer the call to take on the Moderator leadership role at Community Church. I strongly believe together, as a community of faith, we can be a beacon of justice, hope, and refuge in these uncertain times.”

Because of your generosity, our youth and adult programs create opportunities to find support, develop friendships, deepen relationships, and grow in our spirituality. Thank you for making our church a place where those seeking a supportive, affirming, inclusive, and justice-oriented faith community can find their spiritual home.

Written by: Jenny Douglas