Grace North Church

I was simply delighted by this church– what a sweet group of people growing together! I was looking for a contemplative church environment that is open to people of all spiritual and (and sexual and ideological) persuasions. And I found it!
What I love:
It’s a small group– but doesn’t feel lacking.
The music was earthy and genuine.
The sermon was moving and beautifully delivered.
There were beautiful bible passages AND passages from a Hindu text.
The building is stunning.
All kinds of people show up!
Your dog is welcome to join you in church (if they are chill). Your cat may come if they are in a carrier.
There is a certain simplicity and authenticity to the place.
I plan to return next Sunday. I also hope to get involved with their Christian mystics reading group that meets during the week.

I am only reviewing their fourth Friday Interfaith labyrinth evenings, I have not been to any of their other services because I live so far away.
My spiritual director suggested I try this out after I lamented about the local «Taize» prayer services that used Taize music but got various key components wrong, most notably they would sing each song for a very short period of time ruining the entire point of Taize – meditation through a small repeated melody. I can’t meditate if you cut the meditation short for the sake of variety. At Taize, songs would last 4 to 5 minutes each whereas in the Bay people attempt to have a Taize service with 2 minute songs.
This is not a traditional Taize service but it holds to the core tenants of Taize – namely meditation through music. They choose songs that are very easy to understand and sing without having to look at the words and then they repeat them long enough for me to actually sink into a meditation. I also really like their song choices – very easy to interpret however you want. Sometimes people will call something interfaith and then not actually deliver something open to other faiths, I feel this one does a good job of using lyrics that don’t lean in one direction or the other. The songs are clearly and prayerfully sung. The musicians are all excellent at what they do. I do not feel as though I am the only one singing along or that it’s a concert but rather, they enhance and pave the way for prayer.
I love it. It’s perfect. There’s someone in the outer room who keeps an eye on your stuff, you can go in with or without shoes on. Everyone is encouraged to pray in ways that work for them.
I can’t say enough good things about their labyrinth evenings.