Dinner Church first step in building new Cambria congregation
People of faith in Cambria and Morro Bay who value being open minded, non judgmental and who believe in the power of love are creating a new fellowship and invite participation.
Cambria Dinner Church, open to all, meets at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday evenings in the Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 2700 Eton Road, Cambria.
Begun in the Christmas season, Dinner Church brings people together around dinner tables where they explore faith by dialogue, prayer, reflection and in the joy of fellowship.
Dinner Church is the first step in building a new congregation in Cambria.
The origin of Dinner Church derives from the divide of the Community Presbyterian Church of Cambria (CPCC) when it dropped out of the Presbyterian Church USA to join the Evangelical Covenant Order.
The Dinner Church fellowship has received broad-based ecumenical support. St Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Rev. Brian Palmer offered use of their campus and encouragement to remain loyal to Presbyterian beliefs of acceptance when the members loyal to the national Presbyterian church were not permitted to use their former Community Presbyterian campus.
The Rev. Paula Hulet of Estero Bay United Methodist Church in Morro Bay and the Rev. Dennis Falasco of First Presbyterian Church San Luis Obispo are providing pastoral care and support for the new fellowship.
The group is under the guidance of the Presbyterian Church Development Committee and is exploring a potential union with the United Methodist Church. Falasco was the advocate for the Presbyterian USA loyalists during the breakup and departure of CPCC to the Evangelical Covenant. The Rev. Hulet offered counseling and a study group to the displaced Cambrian Presbyterians. In the ensuing months, a partnership developed, and many Cambrian Presbyterians have worshiped at Estero Bay United Methodist.
Dinner Church is committed to the polity and theology of the Presbyterian Church USA that welcomes all people and, as a national body, permits congregations to ordain LGBT Christians if they choose to do so. The reconciling and tolerant standards adopted by the majority of the thousands of Presbyterian Churches in the United States were a catalyst in the local group’s departure to the Evangelical Covenant Order.
Dinner Church is a place in Cambria where people of all birthrights are welcomed and accepted by the Presbyterian USA standards of love and acceptance. Dinner Church encourages an intellectual inquiry of faith and offers hospitality to people from all denominations and faith backgrounds.
Dinner Church strives to offer Christian hospitality without judgment or discrimination, and in a spirit of love and justice.
Those who participate find Dinner Church is a place to make friends, enjoy stimulating conversation, dine, relax and engage in meaningful reflection in a refreshing, uplifting and joyful manner.
Dinner church is a “modern” idea as old as the faith itself.
If you are interested in participating or have questions, please direct them to members of the Steering Committee, Dan Balfe, Julia Rice, Donavan Ropp or me.
Tom Cochrun has been an elder in the Presbyterian church since 1985 and has lectured and taught across denominations.
This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Dinner Church first step in building new Cambria congregation."