San Carlos interdenominational service at Burton Park seeks to create fellowship

For the San Carlos churches, there is an even greater demand to reconnect with the community, especially in this moment when a growing chasm between differing political, religious and ethical worldviews disconnects people.

“We have a variety of folks with different cultural and political worldviews gathered together regularly seeking mutual understanding and mutual respect,” said the Rev. David Jahnke, who leads Trinity Presbyterian Church. “We’re just broadening that out as much as we possibly can in and through this service.”

Apart from inviting county residents to find their way back to religion, the ecumenical worship has also been a way for new church leaders like Jahnke to find their footing in San Carlos and receive support from fellow ministers.

What started as a collaboration between local Christian denominations three years ago has evolved into an annual tradition. Over the last three years, the United Church of Christ-San Carlos Community Church, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany coordinated this gathering, allowing members of their congregations to spend Sunday morning mingling with one another.

The Trinity Presbyterian Church joined the ecumenical event for the first time this year.

“We’ve really grown to like each other over the years, so this is an opportunity for us to do something together,” the Rev. Richard Hyde, a pastor serving San Carlos Community Church, said. “Since my congregation is small, the synergy I get from having colleagues and more people in the congregation is just really sweet for me.”

Jahnke and Hyde said their congregations have been supportive of spending Sunday morning with new faces at Burton Park.

For some families in attendance, the event was seen as a practical way for children to engage with other children and for adults to understand diversity and enrich their interpersonal relationships.

Tupo Tu’upo and his family from Belmont attend the Trinity Presbyterian Church. His wife told him about the joint event among local churches and thought spending the morning at Burton Park would be a good way to unwind from his health care job and spend quality time with his family.

“There is a common thread between all these denominations,” Tu’upo said. “For these different denominations to agree to fellowship together, it’s such a great idea because there’s just too much schism in our current atmosphere.”

The service ended with a potluck, and attendees enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, pastries and homemade refreshments.

The four churches are members of the MidPeninsula Interfaith Support Group, a coalition between the mid- and south Peninsula that works together through interfaith dialogue. They stated that they have more collaborations planned for the rest of the year.

With the turnout for this event, the organizers hope people who witnessed Sunday’s ecumenical gathering will be inspired to join their congregations.

“My hope is that as people pass by and see some signs, that they will be stirred to think about their spiritual lives,” Jahnke said.