Montclair Presbyterian Church

It all started when I attended a “Guild for Psychological and Religious Studies” seminar on comparison of “The Records” (of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) with about 20 others, mostly ministers. One of the ministers took me informally under his wing, Walter Wink. He suggested I try a church in “east Oakland”: MPC, where he knew a few members.

I first attended MPC the Sunday before July 4, 1972, became a member and was baptized three years later. That Sunday to my pleasant surprise two members, both Navy Commanders in uniform were given time during the celebration to present their passionate and opposing views on whether MPC should continue to provide sanctuary for a Navy conscientious objector who refused to sail with his ship to Vietnam.

Why have I stayed? Good people helping others, open to and working unselfishly toward new ways of helping others at home and abroad. Staff and Administration have carried out this mission well. Being part of a liberal accomplishing group is stimulating and feels right for me. My wife and I are also grateful for prayers and rides to church we received from the MPC community; at times, our medical conditions would have made it otherwise impossible to attend.

Bob Stewart

When I was a child, my parents agreed that I ought to be raised in a … hmm … “thoughtful community interested in matters of the spirit”?? “Church” is easier to say, but harder to implement. Dad was an atheist, Mom was a believer, so I of course was an agnostic. MPC is a wonderful place to grow and learn, but I had friends with all-or-nothing views of religion. John Hadsell, especially, helped me through my youthful theological crises engendered by narrow-minded boyfriends.
As an adult, I’ve been away from MPC for more than 25 years, and searching everywhere for something that works as well. Liberal Episcopalian? Not bad, especially at Easter. Defensive Unitarian in an ultra-conservative town? Not quite. Bible-belt Presbyterian? Shudder.
During this time, I met many folks with restrictive views of what religion could (or could not be). My friends told tales of desperate searches for meaning, after abandoning the churches of their youth. I wished everyone could be raised in MPC. Now my son will be raised as I was, and I’m thrilled.

Cynthia Cudaback

For me, it’s the community. Of course, that’s something that grows gradually; when I first started attending MPC nine years ago, I didn’t know anyone. I was visiting all the local churches, looking for a new spiritual home, and found myself in an MPC pew. Over the next few Sundays, I was drawn in by the music, the preaching, and the welcoming feeling of the place. Over the following year, I gradually became more and more involved with the church and ended up with a what is essentially a wide circle of friends.

Within the larger MPC community, I feel the most connected to two groups: the MPC Men’s Team and the MPC Choir. In both of those places, I’ve found challenge, purpose, support, and fellowship. Now I feel like I have an entirely new extended family at MPC: people I look forward to seeing and sharing worship with every Sunday.

Steve McKiernan

MPC is my neighborhood and ‘home.’ Whatever else is going on in my life I can count on seeing people that I like and people who like me at all meetings and this is very reinforcing. Also, we are one of the best church choirs anywhere — so please join! We are also superior at choosing a new minister — right now we have a temporary who gives us sermons that we can carry into our everyday lives. And some day soon, we will have a new ‘permanent’ minister, and I know already that this will be a great fit.

Jeanne Dunn

The first time I visited MPC, the then-minister was illustrating points in her sermons with her well-trained dogs, who romped down the sanctuary aisle. I knew immediately that I’d come back. Part of what I wanted in a Sunday celebration was the sense of joy, not judgment and foreboding. MPC has joy in spades.

What keeps me coming back? The music transports me. The message almost always fills me with insight and hope for change. The community, self-described in the mission statement as “joyfully imperfect people,” includes a dazzling array of creative, committed, caring folks. I love MPC for the opportunities for the arts (written, played, drawn, sculpted, performed), laughter, political activism, connection and sharing. I also love that we embrace everyone, including the LGBT community, as well as people like myself who aren’t sure of what our religious beliefs are but search for a place to feel part of something greater than ourselves.

Jan Stites

My first attraction to MPC was two fold. I admired the dedication to learning and understanding that people showed by their participation in contract adult education groups. Imagine,committing to show up six sundays in a row. The thing that caused me to actually start coming here was the idea that my husband would have a church that he could fully be part of.

Jean Norris

I grew up in MPC with my family. My maternal grandfather was the pastor at MPC in the 40″s. My mom, Jean Smart, still attends MPC. I have lots of friends at MPC, some old, some newish….

Kathy Sawyer

The services at MPC provide quiet, meditative time to hear the lessons that give me the peace, strength, and inspiration to face the chaos of the world around me. And in the creative, intelligent, and loving members I find the sense of community that makes me want to give back.

Gretchen Garlinghouse

I come her because it is a friendly environment. People are pleasant and they include the children. I like the participation and openness.

Marina Tate

We don’t just sit around thinking “Holy” thoughts – we work to make a better world.

Sari Kulberg

I go to MPC because it’s a place where everybody knows my name.

Sloan White

Now, every time I attend a church even I find that I am talking to a person who cares as deeply as I do about things going on in the world.

Jean Norris

What draws me to the church is that I get a positive message about God and  about how I can I can be of use to God in the world. My teen age daughter greatly enjoys and benefits from the youth group and willingly comes to church.

Janet Griffith

Montclair Presbyterian Church is an extended family for me and for many others in our church family. MPC is spiritual without being too religious. Our Sunday morning services are a celebration of Jesus and God.

We worship together, have fun together (there is a lot of laughter, including on Sunday mornings), and work together for social justice and other causes.

Come for a visit! You’ll be glad you did.

Phil Reagan

My husband and I moved to Oakland on Saturday of Labor Day Weekend 1994 – from New Jersey. My X-husband’s first wife whom I had attended church with in the 70’s (in St. Louis, MO)  told me I should check out Montclair Presbyterian Church.  So on the day after we moved into our new home, I headed down the hill to MPC to attend the service.  I was warmly welcomed by an elderly woman wearing a bright red beret and informed that the service was in the courtyard – not the sanctuary.  The service, by now retired Duke Robinson, was intellectually stimulating, the people were warm and welcoming and the day was glorious.    I have been attending ever since.  Over the 17 years, through two regular pastors and two interim pastors,  it has truly become my faith community. Being a member of a congregation interested in social justice issues has gently  nudged me into becoming more active.  I am a better person today – having absorbed the lessons modeled at MPC on how to care for one another and our planet.  MPC welcomes all as evidenced by the fact that my husband, who is not a Christian,  regularly participates in activities and even c-chairs the “Art Gang” group within the church.

Pat Schwinn