{"id":103685,"date":"2025-04-30T16:32:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T16:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/crcc\/?p=103685"},"modified":"2026-03-23T13:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T20:06:08","slug":"churches-come-together-for-good-friday-in-ocean-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/crcc\/churches-come-together-for-good-friday-in-ocean-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Churches Come Together for Good Friday in Ocean Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Churches Come Together for Good Friday in Ocean Beach<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n By<\/span>Megan Sweas<\/a><\/strong>\n \n April 30, 2025<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture provided seed funding for an ecumenical group of faith leaders serving San Diego\u2019s Ocean Beach neighborhood through its Compelling Preaching Initiative.<\/em><\/p>\n

It seemed odd to say it about a somber holiday that marks Jesus\u2019 death, a parishioner told her priest, but she had found Good Friday this year to be \u201cinvigorating.\u201d Along with nearly 200 members of the Ocean Beach community in San Diego, the woman had walked a mile path, visiting eight Stations of the Cross, each hosted by a different church.<\/p>\n

The community-wide Stations of the Cross was the first public event hosted by the newly formed Peninsula Faith Leaders, a group of local clergy that seeks to collaborate across denominational bounds.<\/p>\n

The Ocean Beach community is often described as \u201cfunky.\u201d Suburban homes surround a historic downtown lined with restaurants, bars and surf shops. A homeless population camps out near the beach, while further south, single family homes overlook cliffs that rise above the sea.<\/p>\n

The local historical society\u00a0notes<\/a>\u00a0that churches played a critical role in the community\u2019s development. Several congregations established sanctuaries along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, known as \u201cChurch Row\u201d since the 1920s.<\/p>\n

For the first time in decades, a new generation of pastors has come together to connect with each other and renew the collaborative ministry of congregations along and near Church Row.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to find ways to proclaim and embody the good news outside the walls of our individual church buildings and ministries,\u201d said Michael Christensen, a member of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture\u2019s Compelling Preaching cohort and one of the organizers of the collaborative effort. \u201cWhat can we do together in the OB neighborhood in a socially conscious and public way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Inspired by events in decades past and ecumenical efforts elsewhere, the Good Friday walk reflected the \u201cpilgrims of hope\u201d theme of the Catholic Church\u2019s jubilee year, as well as a shared desire among the pastors to show unity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn light of so much division and polarization in our country\/world, we are constantly looking for ways to share love, not hate,\u201d the Rev. Karla Shaw, senior pastor at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church told sdnews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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