A Parish Story from Ocean Beach | San Diego
Inhabiting your Place means showing up to gather in the places where the people already are. In 2015, Dr. John McAteer, a neighborhood philosopher, decided to start a gathering that he called Craft Theology. Craft Theology was presented as an alternative to one-size-fits-all theology where all the answers are pre-determined. John describes it as small-batch, handcrafted discussion; hyper-local theology, brewed from the unique ingredients brought by each person who shows up.
Ocean Beach has over a dozen tasting rooms for local breweries, so Craft Theology started meeting once a month at various locations across the neighborhood. People of all ages attended, from young adults in their 20's to retirees. People from all faith backgrounds and none at all, but mostly non-church folk. Discussions were vibrant because there wasn't a common starting place and agreement was not sought. All that was required was respectful listening and engagement.
Stasi and John McAteer
“If you are willing to put in the work, you just might discover the sacredness of conversation where you and I will become a ‘we.’ At the end of the night, I expect that we will still disagree, but I also hope we depart as friends.”
Fast forward a few years, and Craft Theology had waned. In 2019, Rev. Jessica Strysko of Water's Edge Faith Community in OB asked if she could revive it under the church's auspices, as a way to engage young adults in the neighborhood. Stasi McAteer joined the staff of Water’s Edge as the Ministry Coordinator for Families, Youth and Young Adults, so she and John now run Craft Theology again, this time, through the church.
The new iteration of Craft Theology appeals to the young adults attending Water’s Edge (although attendees of all ages are still welcome). This demographic doesn’t always attend the Sunday morning service, but they will show up on a Saturday afternoon at a local brewery to attend an open discussion. As the group gathers each month, they practice exercising their minds and souls in a sort of “yoga for the mind”–allowing strength of thought while maintaining flexibility of willingness to change our minds as they listen to the perspectives of others.
If you want to learn more about Craft Theology, find them on Facebook.
What are the natural gathering spaces, particularly for young adults, in your Parish? Our Grounded Faith Initiative has just begun and we’d love to hear your perspective on engaging young adults and the church in the neighborhood. Send us an email any time and we’ll respond.
