Walnut Creek United Methodist Church sits just off North Main Street on Sunnyvale Avenue in Walnut Creek, California, half a block east of the I-680 Treat Boulevard exit. The congregation has spent more than thirty years building a reputation as a Reconciling Congregation that welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons into every part of church life, alongside a strong music program, a sanctuary full of faceted glass windows, and two long-running ministries to unhoused families and people moving out of homelessness.
A Reconciling Congregation for Three Decades
In 1994 the congregation voted to become a Reconciling Congregation through the Reconciling Ministries Network. The vote means that "everyone is welcome, including members of the LGBTQ+ community. No one is asked or expected to change who they are. Everyone is loved, seen, and appreciated." The church marked its thirtieth anniversary of that decision with a 2024 celebration that included a Pride presence in Concord and Clayton, and on June 11, 2019, it marked twenty-five years with a guest sermon from JJ Warren. Today the church welcomes and performs same-sex weddings in the sanctuary after the usual pre-marital counseling with the pastor, and members of the LGBTQ community serve on every council and ministry team.
The congregation's own affirmation says, in part: "We rejoice in the gifts and graces of all persons. We openly accept and welcome the full participation and membership of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex persons. No one is excluded from participating in our church because of sexual orientation, gender identification, age, color, ethnicity, culture, religious origins or challenging conditions." The motto printed on the church's own materials - "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors." - has been a part of the congregation's identity since long before it became a denominational catchphrase.
Sunday Worship at Ten
The Sunday service begins at 10:00 a.m. in the main sanctuary at 1543 Sunnyvale Avenue and is also livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, with recordings available afterward. Worship is described by the congregation as "a blend of contemporary and traditional styles" that draws on prayer, laughter, music, and the experience of the Holy. The order follows the Christian year, moving through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, with special Sundays observed throughout the year.
Visitors who want to be greeted by name can request a printed name tag through a link on the church's site. Communion is open to all - including children - and is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The elements are grape juice and bread, with a gluten-free option available. Baptism, the other United Methodist sacrament, is performed during Sunday worship, usually by pouring or sprinkling, and is open to anyone seeking to begin a lifelong journey with Jesus. People interested in baptism for themselves or a family member are encouraged to contact the pastor.
A Sanctuary of Light and Faceted Glass
The sanctuary is the heart of the building, with seating for 325 and a raised chancel reached by three steps and an electric chair lift. Its defining feature is a set of faceted glass windows along both side aisles, dedicated on November 1, 1992. The west side carries Old Testament scenes - Creation, the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark, Jacob's Ladder, Joseph's Coat, the Burning Bush, the Ten Commandments, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Elijah's Chariot of Fire, Swords into Plowshares, the Wolf Dwelling with the Lamb, the Potter and the Clay, the Valley of Dry Bones, and "Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters." The east side carries New Testament scenes - the Nativity, the Boy Jesus in the Temple, the Baptism of Jesus, the Call of the Disciples, Ministry to the Poor, Jesus and the Children, the Good Samaritan, the Coming of the Holy Spirit, the Parable of the Talents, the Prodigal Son, the Sermon on the Mount, the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, the Lord's Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. Glass is chipped before being set in mortar, so when sunlight moves across the facets the windows shimmer and throw color across the room. Above the chancel hangs a large descending dove and flame sculpture.
On the main level of the building are the front office, staff offices, the Library/Brides Room, the Chapel, the Awesome Room for Kids (ARK), the nursery, the Raine Room, and a set of restrooms, all on the same level and accessible.
Music That Spans Centuries
The Director of Music Ministries, Michelle Brown, leads a music program that draws on Handel, Mozart, Hanson, Hogan, Courtney, Copland, contemporary Christian chart-toppers, praise band sets, and gospel a cappella. The Sanctuary Choir numbers about forty voices and rehearses Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m.; there are no auditions. Brown, who holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Music from the Dana School of Music in Youngstown, joined WCUMC in 2008 with her wife Tina, became Youth Director in 2013, and was hired as Director of Music Ministries in March 2022. During a rehearsal or service, listeners may hear an "A-men!" or "Oooh! Sweet Baby Jesus."
The handbell program began in 1976 and currently includes two adult choirs that play five octaves of Malmark handbells and five and a half octaves of Malmark choirchimes. Over the years, the choirs have rung in many churches, schools, civic organizations, retirement homes, regional and national handbell conferences, with the Diablo Symphony Orchestra, in the Christmas Tours at the White House, and at the 9th International Symposium in England. They are members of the Handbell Musicians of America. Tessique Houston, the Director of Handbells, has held the role since August 2013 and also rings with Sonos Handbell Ensemble and Tapestry Ringers and Singers.
Instrumentalists - brass, woodwind, string, and percussion - are welcomed. The instruments include a Swain and Kates thirteen-rank pipe organ, a six-foot Yamaha grand piano, a Roland RX300 keyboard, a marimba, a drum set, and three timpani. The church's organist, Justin McCoy, came to the church from eleven years at Central United Methodist Church (now Resurrection Brookside) in Kansas City and also performed for seven seasons with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
Children, Youth, and the ARK Room
From 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. every Sunday, the nursery welcomes children from birth through age four with educational toys and a minimum of two background-checked attendants. After the Children's Time in worship, children ages five through fifth grade are escorted to the Awesome Room for Kids (ARK) for Bible lessons and activities; a minimum of two adults are always present.
The Youth Group is open to anyone in grades 6 through 12 - both members and non-members, and regardless of church experience, belief system, race, class, ability level, gender, or sexual orientation. It meets on the first and third Sundays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The group's signature summer trip is a week-long Sierra Service Project mission trip, during which youth do home repairs in underserved communities and worship with other youth groups from around the country. The youth ministry is led by Steve Hays-Lohrey.
Winter Nights and the Extended Family
Walnut Creek UMC has been a host congregation for the Winter Nights Rotating Family Shelter for more than twenty years. Winter Nights moves families in need between local faith communities every two weeks, providing tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, linens, and towels. WCUMC provides meals, on-call volunteer support, and shower facilities during its hosting weeks. The church has also furnished household goods - beds, couches, kitchenware, linens - for approximately thirty to thirty-five Winter Nights family units over the years.
The Extended Family program is a partnership with Lafayette Christian Church that furnishes homes for previously homeless families moving into housing arranged by SHELTER, Inc., the Veterans Administration, and Winter Nights. Now in its thirty-second year, the program has helped outfit more than 500 moves, including its 200th move celebrated in 2014. The program accepts donations of furniture, kitchenware, linens, cleaning supplies, small appliances, and bicycles in good and clean condition.
A Church That Welcomes Recovery
The church hosts a variety of twelve-step meetings throughout the week, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous. "There is no elevator, you have to take the steps," the church says about recovery, and the doors are open to anyone affected by alcohol or substance abuse. The Recovery Ministry offers confidential conversation with the pastor for those seeking a safe place to talk.
Stephen Ministers are congregation members who receive special training to provide one-to-one Christian care to people facing grief, loneliness, divorce, hospitalization, disability, job loss, and other difficulties. The Shawl Ministry gathers on the second Sunday of each month to knit shawls, blankets, and other gifts while praying for the recipients - births, recoveries, surgeries. A Prayer Chain prays in confidence for anyone who submits a request through the church office.
Adult Study Through the Week
Adult formation at Walnut Creek UMC happens mostly on Zoom. Sunday Adult Spiritual Formation meets at 1:00 p.m. for a discussion of a book of spiritual significance, open to anyone whether or not they have read the book. The United Women in Faith book study meets on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m., drawing from the UWF Reading List and open to all. The Bible Speaks meets Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. for a verse-by-verse Bible study, currently working through the Book of Romans. A Bead and a Prayer, a covenant group using Protestant prayer beads, meets Fridays from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m. for prayer, book discussion, and blessing. On the fourth Sunday of each month, the Christian Mysticism group gathers in the Raine Room from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for spiritual formation and group spiritual direction. The church also offers a Spiritual Gifts Inventory to help newcomers discover where they might plug in.
Wedding Day on Sunnyvale Avenue
Couples getting married at Walnut Creek UMC meet first with the church's Wedding Coordinators for a personal tour, then with the pastor to plan the ceremony and schedule pre-marital counseling. The Sanctuary seats 325 and offers a Swain and Kates thirteen-rank pipe organ, a six-foot Yamaha grand piano, lapel microphones, a sound technician who can play recorded selections from the console, discreetly mounted monitors for video, and the ability to record the ceremony on Blu-Ray, DVD, or CD. The Chapel seats 60 and includes a high-gloss black Baldwin 5'8" grand piano. A $100 non-refundable deposit holds the date, with the balance due one month before the rehearsal. Soloists are arranged separately and paid directly by the couple. The same sanctuary and chapel host memorial services and funerals, with receptions in the Social Hall.
The Building, the Parking, the Playground
Beyond the sanctuary and chapel, the building includes the Social Hall beneath the sanctuary (214 banquet-style or 300 theater-style) with natural light on three sides, two restrooms, a stage with ceiling-mounted projector, screen, and sound equipment, and a refrigerator and microwave; the recently remodeled Raine Room with a conference table, 65-inch TV with DVD and computer hook-ups, white board, coffee bar, sink, and small fridge; and an Education Building behind the main building, with a playground between them used by Sunday School. The church has 111 parking spaces in two lots - 65 in the upper lot behind the Education Building and 46 in the lower lot beside the sanctuary and Social Hall - including five fully ADA-compatible spaces and four saved for Special Needs, plus a ten-space gravel overflow lot. The sanctuary main floor is wheelchair accessible, with an electric chair lift to the chancel. While the Social Hall is not up to ADA standards, two ramps of varying steepness lead to its outer doors, and there is an indoor stair from the narthex.
Stewardship, Giving, and Connectional Life
As a United Methodist congregation, Walnut Creek UMC is part of the California/Nevada Annual Conference and the global United Methodist Church, an eleven-million-member denomination that the congregation describes as committed to "practical divinity." Members are invited to support the church through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness - the traditional United Methodist vows. Giving is accepted online through a secure portal, by text message to 877-769-1961, and through transfers of stocks and mutual funds, which the church actively encourages as a way to give appreciated securities while minimizing capital-gains tax. Each fall, members are asked to make a one-year stewardship pledge for the following calendar year. About one hundred local households pledge annually. The church also tithes to the Annual Conference, supporting summer camps, youth programs, and ministries that reach beyond the local congregation.
The Pastor and the People
Reverend Pablo Róvere became the church's pastor on July 1, 2025. He previously led Hanford UMC in the Central Valley District from July 2018 and served in several capacities in the Cal-Pac Conference and in Arizona before that. Born, raised, and educated in Argentina, with theological training completed in the United States, he describes himself as a lifelong Methodist. He and his wife, the Reverend Michelle Magee, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastor, have three children. The staff also includes Michelle Brown (Director of Music Ministries), Justin McCoy (Organist), Tessique Houston (Director of Handbells), and Cathy Stussi (Office Manager, with office hours 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday). New members are welcomed through a roughly four-session membership class that introduces Methodism and the life of the congregation, pairs newcomers with mentor members of the church, and culminates in a New Member ceremony during Sunday worship. Membership is never a prerequisite for attending or participating - the church's first question, set out on its own materials, is always "where are you on your faith journey?"