Orinda Community Church will hold a Sunday reading series on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. via Zoom. The series will feature poet, playwright, and novelist Jewelle Gomez, along with Joan Steinau Lester.
Sunday Reading Series
Orinda Community Church is the sponsoring organization for the Alta Mesa Center for the Arts, which is an interfaith art and spirituality hub that is directed by Mary Volmer and located within the church's building.
Meanwhile, according to the church's post, Orinda Community Church extended an open invitation to everyone in the community to participate in their monthly second Sunday reading series.
This time around, they will feature Jewelle Gomez, who will be joined by Joan Steinau Lester, to read and discuss Still Water Poems that Gomez has written.
The church provided the information on its website, where anyone can register and attend the Sunday reading series.
Spiritual Act, Human Right
The members of Orinda Community Church consider the creation of art to be a sacred and essential human activity.
With that, they believe, summarizes their two fundamental goals: providing a space where people from different backgrounds, traditions, artistic practices, and socioeconomic situations can join together to build community and explore the spiritual dimensions of art and spirituality.
The people of Orinda Community Church have learned from their own experiences that art has the power to dissolve both the substantive and the arbitrary barriers that separate them.
They join together not just to teach and study the arts, but also to appreciate each other's unique perspectives and encourage fruitful discussions across academic disciplines.
Members of all walks of life, from working artists and musicians to seasoned amateurs and dedicated hobbyists, are encouraged to attend Orinda Community Church, which promotes a spirit of inclusion and variety.
As they stated in the post, it doesn't matter where they are in their creative or spiritual development; the church is a safe haven for them.
About Orinda Community Church
The congregation of Orinda Community Church was said to be a thriving group of people trying to find a meaningful life. They have been around for nearly 80 years, and in that time have established themselves as a strong, devoted church.
Most importantly, they are a group of people who genuinely care for and encourage one another. The bonds they forge strengthen their belief in God and enable them to see His love in all things.
Orinda Community Church was the area's pioneering Open and Affirming congregation. Careful collaboration was used to articulate and encourage full inclusion of those who identify as LGBTQ as members and pastoral staff.
The church has done brave work in support of the vulnerable, such as sponsoring an immigrant family through the immigration process, pushing for affordable housing for seniors, and providing aid to homeless families through the Hope Solutions and Winter Nights programs.
Traditional liturgies and more contemplative practices are also integral parts of the Orinda Community Church's approach to spirituality.
They provide a session of Centering Prayer in their chapel every Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. A brief Contemplative Service consisting of readings, prayer, and a song is held every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel.
