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