El Cerrito United Methodist Church

Re: Catholic looking for something different
Ah, welcome to the journey. While my background wasn't Catholic, I too spent time searching within the Christian denominations, Buddhism and Judaism for my spiritual home. I still read and study within all three religions as I find meaning and value in all three. However, your question was about communities and congregations that might be more in line with what you're looking for. You might try the Methodist or Lutheran communities associated with the campus, or swing over to Albany or El Cerrito United Methodist. Both denominations ordain females, and ECUMC has a dynamic female pastor taking the church through a transitional period. The music program is great, incorporating most of the congregation during the advent season and into their Great Day of Music service in spring. Loving a homey church.

Re: Inclusive & Friendly Church
The El Cerrito United Methodist Church is a family-oriented, inclusive (racial, sexual orientation, age) small church at the corner of Stockton and Richmond. My blended, racially and sexual-orientation mixed family has been attending there for about 12 years. The music program is phenomenal for such a small church. Childcare during worship is provided in a multi- age program.

Currently, we are offering a Lenten Prayer study on Tuesday nights (simple soup supper followed by a ''sampler'' study: tonight we studied prayer through music, next week will be prayer through scripture [Lectio Divina, Colloquy], the following will be prayer through the body [when words fail us], and more!). Worship is at 10:00 a.m. Sundays.

An Emmaus community (spiritual discernment and deepening) is growing in this church, with a wider Bay Area connectional community just beginning to gel.

You can see more about ECUMC at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/elcerrito/

You (or anyone else) are welcome to contact me, too!

If our church doesn't fit your needs, we make every effort to put you in touch with a church that might be a better match. Amy