A Parish Story from Sebastapol, CA

In the fall of 2017, Rev. Christy Laborda Harris spent her sabbatical and maternity leave dreaming up a transformative space where neighbors from her community could gather, children could play safely, and deep connections could form. This dream, six and a half years in the making, is set to come to life this summer with a grand opening in Fall 2024.

Located on the 4 acres of St. Stephen's Church in Sebastopol, California, The Playground is set to become a hub of community engagement. The vision includes a commercial kitchen and cafe where food and drinks can be purchased, picnic tables, and a play area designed with a Waldorf-style playground with natural elements for kids.

At the core of The Playground is the belief that church is about gathering and mutual respect across differences. It challenges traditional notions of church, welcoming people of all spiritual backgrounds to journey together, nourished by food, drink, play, and deep conversation.

“After 13 years of ministry, many threads are coming together in the Playground to weave a message of welcome for our neighbors.”

-  Rev. Christy Laborda Harris

The space aims to foster diverse community connections, recognizing that unity doesn't require uniformity. St. Stephen’s Church already has made creative and generative use of their land and church building, opening an outdoor worship space in 2016 and then in 2019, creating a labyrinth that is open to the community. They also revitalized their ancestral memorial garden and created a food forest aimed at increasing the biodiversity on their land and also have a seed library partnership. The church building hosts music classes for children and their parents or caregivers.

In a town that in many ways feels post-church, the hope for the Playground is that it will be a space that invites neighbors of all spiritual traditions to journey together. Rev. Christy and the congregation at St. Stephen’s see that their neighbors deeply value a sense of spirituality and sacredness and the importance of community.

As The Playground nears completion, it stands as a beacon of hope, inviting all to join in creating a better neighborhood through connection, play, and shared journeying.