Church can happen anywhere. In the small rural community of Guerneville, California, it happens at the Park and Ride every Sunday at 1:00. It’s the second worship service of the day for the Rev. Pam Tinnin and a few others from the Guerneville Community Church – UCC.We arrived early enough to see the empty parking lot begin to fill up with people in cars, on bikes, and on foot. It was clear that just about everyone knew each other, a benefit of small town life. A canopy was set up and chairs were brought from a nearby restaurant. Their rock musician, Michael Adams, was not present on Sunday, so the group sang some of his original compositions with only a tambourine to help keep the rhythm.
The scripture reading was one of the feeding of the multitude stories. The comparisons to what happens at every street church service were readily drawn – always enough for everyone, always. Christ’s model of ministry acted out with simplicity. Hear the Word then break bread together. There is no need to send anyone away. Just be where two or three others gather and share.
The lesson from Guerneville is that Street Church is not an urban ministry model. The town has 2,200 people. But some of those people do not feel that they can attend traditional church services. So they come to an open space where others gather to worship, because they share the desire to worship and be in fellowship with other people of faith. They are hungry in body and spirit and know that they will be fed, just like those thousands were fed by Jesus.
One of Michael’s songs expresses the need to worship and give thanks:
I want to take this time to thank you God, for giving me my life.
I want to take this time to thank you God, for giving me my life.Thank you God, Thank you God, for giving me my life.
I want to take this time to ask you God, to teach me how to love……
I want to take this time to show you God, a willingness to grow……
a good place to end your travels.
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