A Parish Story from Azalea Park | San Diego, CA
In the Azalea Park neighborhood of San Diego, Caleb and Abby are working to weave a fabric of connection and belonging. Their desire to deeply immerse into a neighborhood first led them to the Castle neighborhood of City Heights, in 2021.
Their initial days were marked by adversity—burglary, altercations, and a dramatic encounter with a drunk driver. Instead of deterring them, these challenges became a catalyst for deeper connections. Brokenness and beauty intertwined as these vulnerable moments offered experiences of solidarity with their neighbors. They painted over graffiti together, mowed each other's lawns, and turned a potential adversary into a close friend.
When offered a leadership position at their church, a chance encounter with a neighbor redirected their path. They felt a renewed conviction to remain proximate and say yes to creating space for their original desire: to deeply belong and offer belonging in their neighborhood.
As they leaned into this, remarkable circumstances made a way for them to acquire a fixer-upper in nearby Azalea Park, with its beautiful canyons and diverse community history. Welcomed with open arms by neighbors who cleaned their home and celebrated the arrival of their son Wilson only weeks after moving in, Caleb and Abby felt the incredible warmth of acceptance in their new place.
As new parents, Abby and Caleb are navigating the limitations of this season by embracing a framework of going deep instead of wide, becoming smaller instead of bigger. Focusing on proximity, they allow space for neighborly interactions and interruptions. This has led to many shared meals, community tree planting, weekly walks, and occasional awkward potlucks.
In the midst of their burgeoning faith community and daily acts of neighborly care, Caleb and Abby find themselves experiencing a unique expression of church and extended family. Their dream is for this small community to continue flourishing as they live with open hearts in the liberating story of God in, with, and for their place.
