Mission Bay Community Church

If there was only one word that I could use to describe this church community, it would be phenomenal. Everyone associated with Mission Bay Community Church is just spectacular! When you walk in, you don’t feel like a stranger or an outcast. When you’re here, you feel at home –with God and the whole congregation as your brothers and sisters. It doesn’t matter your race, religious background, gender, or even sexual preference. We all are God’s children and are always welcome in His house. MBCC is very welcoming and passionate about spreading the word of God. And if you’re a music lover, as I am, the musicians will knock your socks off and make you want to praise and worship the Lord! This church is also very active in the community. There are many ways to volunteer and help «feed [God’s] sheep». If you want nothing more than to please God, or if you’ve found yourself wandering away from him but want to be led back to him, come here with an open heart and mind, and be forever changed.

Mission Bay Community Church lifted up our family in a time of struggle and transition in a way we have never experienced before in a church community. From the warm welcome on the first day to the way the members willingly helped us bear our burdens through support, fellowship, and prayer throughout our time here, MBCC showed us the true importance of community in the body of Christ. Shortly after we moved to San Francisco from Hawaii in June and joined MBCC, I was diagnosed with preterm labor and put on bedrest during the 26^th week of my pregnancy with our third son Joshua. Pastor Dawn and the MBCC community swiftly and joyfully provided people to watch my older boys when I went to the hospital regularly, help with housework and meals during the long days in bed, friendly faces to visit with, and prayer warriors to help us fight for Joshua’s safe development and delivery. We have been overwhelmed by God’s love and providence demonstrated to us by the community at MBCC, and we will always be grateful that He led us here during our time in San Francisco. Join this church!

Hello, I am Chris. I found MBCC while walking to the post office in my neighborhood. It looked like such a delightful little church I had to stop in and see. Yes it is very delightful indeed. Pastor Dawn is so very sweet and has always been kind and inviting to me on any occasion. She has lots of wise and inspirational things to say in her sermons, which are very easy to understand and apply to my own life as well. This church is very open and comforting. Everyone is casual and dresses very lightly as they wish. The sweet building on Ocean Street is very pretty and a classic as well being designed by Julia Morgan of Hearst Castle fame. If you like nice little cathedrals, this is it. There’s lots of room and even a little parking lot in the back that isn’t always full. Dinner after church is just the nicest treat. The things people bring to the meals are so delicious. So many home cooked dishes, it’s so fun to see what is on the menu next, hehe. All in all, a very pleasant and easy going class of people. I’ve always had a nice time there and certainly look forward to going each week.
Thanks for reading, Chris U !!!

Excellent church for it’s inclusiveness, shared meals, passion of the pastor and congregants, and small discussion and prayers groups. While ultimately I decided the church wasn’t for me (I’m looking for a body where doctrinal deep dives are a bit more central) I know I’d always feel welcomed at MBCC — and so would you.

I have been attending MBCC since November 2013. I am Gay and this is the first place in my life that I have felt safe in a house of God. I have always been active in church and even part of leadership for many years. However, I have always known that I have to keep my sexual orientation a secret or face the discrimination and ridicule of believers who are afraid of that which they do not understand. Many years ago I was able to realize that I am created by God just as I am; based on the perfect image of God. Though God and I have become closer in my journey, I have continued to feel ostracized from the church and the loving God I know. Spoken or unspoken I was excluded from the faith community because of who I am.
Here at MBCC it has been completely different for me. I have found friendship, hope, and new confidence in my faith. I love the music, dinner after worship, and for the first time in many years I can say that I actually have friends who go to the same church that I do. I love that MBCC is open to asking questions of God and understands that only through having confidence to risk the dialogue with conversations different from our own can we really discover the diversity of our creator.
I am Brian. I hope to see you at MBCC.

I came to MBCC wound up really tightly. The conflict between the strict evangelical faith of my Oklahoma youth and being gay was intense, and I had pretty much cracked under that pressure. MBCC became a place to rest, to let my hair down, to be reminded in word, deed, and in Holy Communion, that God is real and that God’s love extends to everyone, even to me. So if you’re trying to figure out how faith fits in with modern life in San Francisco, MBCC is a great and safe place to explore those issues in community.
In addition to that general background, I think there are several things that are great about MBCC more generally:
— The community is small enough that it’s just that — a real community. Mid-​week gatherings and dinner every week after church mean that you’ll get to know people really quickly. Pastor Dawn takes anyone new who is willing out to coffee to try to get them connected.
— Sermons aren’t passive lectures, but instead are active conversations. Prayers aren’t lofty, but instead include prayers for the real issues in the MBCC community, in San Francisco, and in the world.
— Theology is important, and hard issues are addressed, in the context of the Bible and human experience.
— There’s really a diversity of opinion on almost every issue, but we all love Jesus and believe in what Jesus is doing in the world. Really, come to Doubts and Stouts (beer and discussion) and there will be people on both sides of almost every issue. MBCCers (try to) suspend judgment for the sake of love and community.
— Faith without works is dead, so MBCC is involved in outreach to the poor and to the neighborhood surrounding the church, in interfaith issues, in social justice issues, and in being the very presence of Jesus in each other’s lives.
— MBCC is LGBT-​friendly. More than LGBT-​friendly, a substantial portion of the membership, including our pastoral intern, is LGBT. We have a LGBT affinity group within the church. I’ve been working out issues of faith and sexuality at MBCC – you’re welcome to do the same,
— Oh, and afternoon church services don’t interfere with a fun Saturday night out. :)
I could go on and on. Just come visit and see for yourself.

Great People, great vibe. I was welcomed with open arms.

Unilocal Update — my family and I still LOVE this church. We have been involved since the very beginning in 2000 when it was a new startup. We have seen the church go through several moves, finally settling in the wonderful Excelsior area a few years ago, and recently a new pastor, Dawn Hyde (I really don’t understand church denominations who don’t ordain women — they just don’t know what they’re missing out on!)
MBCC just keeps getting better! It is a young, well-​educated group, not afraid to question, not afraid of change, and, our new official word «quirky» sums up the wonderful diversity in our mix. It is a great community with which to share the joys and challenges of our lives, serve each other, serve the neighborhood through the weekly food pantry, and gain more glimpses of God as we worship together and share meals together every week.

Still a solid five star church. Although it feels weird to apply stars to my spiritual home :).
Since my review in 2011, MBCC has shifted and changed in some ways, but still holds the open, loving, welcoming foundation that it was build on. The church has been blessed with an amazing new (ish) pastor, who has brought fresh, new life into the place without taking away the values that MBCC’ers hold dear. When you walk in, you still feel at home. People are still kind and welcoming, relaxed and interested. The sermons are still moving and thoughtful, engaging the worshippers, inviting thoughts and opinions.
Someone once told me that the first time they attended MBCC «they just felt like it was a church Jesus would attend». Couldn’t have said it better myself!

I’ve been attending Mission Bay since last fall and I am so happy to have found this community. During the previous year or so I had been feeling pretty turned off toward church in general, but MBCC was a much needed breath of fresh air. I found myself immediately drawn in by the friendly faces, the authentic sense of community, the open and affirming messages and people, the dinner, and the super cute toddlers that crawl around during the service. I also love how active they are in the community and their emphasis on social justice and loving others. For someone that wants a more intimate and authentic church experience with opportunities to build relationships and get involved in meaningful ways, this is a great place to be. They truly welcome and accept everyone. I highly recommend a visit! And stay for dinner!

I’ve been attending MBCC for 2 years now. Why do I recommend MBCC? Well I know what attracted me to it ( Unilocal reviews) and what brought me back the second week (they fed me dinner!), but after that I got so involved I stopped thinking about it. So let’s say it’s an easy place to call home. Upon reflection, here’s what I think MBCC had and has going for it:
1. I play piano and make church one of my main musical outlets. So I was looking for good music, but not professional or overly organized music where it’s a huge chore just to get involved (I’m thinking a praise band at a super church). Or where you join and immediately have to hold up the entire music program single-​handedly. So MBCC has that going for it. They’ve got very talented folks and paid staff to help organize and handle things, but they’ve got a ton of openness and flexibility to new people and ideas. A mix of different musical styles– classic hymns, popular music, praise music, original songs– and all range of musical abilities from enthusiastic congregation singer to music team background to soloist. Anyway, I’m really picky about music, and it works well for me.
2. I need interesting conversations, some thought provoking or intellectual sermons, some ability to question and challenge things, and leaders who don’t condescend or teach like it’s Sunday school. MBCC has that going for it too. Sermons are smart and a conversation.
3. MBCC is a great community. Lots of mainly liberal minded Christians, with lots of diversity. Families and single people. Gays and straights. Hippies and hipsters and young professionals. Seriously– as a person who came out of the closet during my time at the church, it was a perfect church family to feel welcome *whoever* I was. It’s the type of church that accepts you where you are while helping you become who God wants you to be.
I’ve been attending for the past 2 years. Unfortunately I’m being called to move back east in the fall for grad school. But I know I’ll keep in touch with the church and find myself back here sooner or later. Because now whenever I’m in SF, MBCC will be home.

After a bit of church hopping, I finally found Mission Bay in January 2013 and couldn’t be happier. I am a biology graduate student who has lived less than a year in the bay area and I feel right at home at MBCC. The congregation is passionate, fun, and real (a rare combination in my experience). Dawn is a fantastic pastor — gives great sermons, is funny, and personable. The atmosphere is always welcoming (to EVERYONE) and it didn’t take long at all to feel part of the community. Love this church!

since i last wrote my review, mbcc got a new pastor and has undergone some minor changes.. .
however, i’m happy to report that pastor dawn is fantastic and so is mbcc (still)!
mbcc is a family, and an amazing home at that for so many different kinds of people looking for faith and community. i feel so blessed to have joined this community four years ago, and feel completely revived after every interaction with mbcc and its members.
come by and join us sunday at 5:30pm and see for yourself. stay for dinner!

Giving Back to the Community One Day at a Time…
I’m NOT religious. I haven’t set foot in a church since 8^th grade (weddings don’t count) though I probably should be there every Sunday morning repenting all my weekend sins but that’s a whole different story.
My review is purely for the community service Mission Bay Church embarks on. Every Saturday morning, Mission Bay Church hosts a Food Distribution to Excelsior Families in Need.
This past Saturday marks the third time (my Unilocal check-​ins show otherwise) that I’ve volunteered with Mission Bay Church through One Brick, a non-​profit organization that makes volunteering easy with no long-​term commitment (
).
All the food is donated by the San Francisco Food Bank (
). The average recipient is an elderly Asian woman so Cantonese speakers are encouraged to volunteer. It’s a good thing I know my numbers which is the only thing I’ve retained from five years of Chinese school. :X
Compared to all the volunteering events I’ve been to, this has been THE most rewarding and least labor intensive. With other organizations, I helped prep supplies and pack food behind the scenes. With the Food Distribution at Mission Bay Church, I get the instant gratification from seeing all the happy smiles and all the warm thank you’s which is heartwarming and very humbling.
The Food Distribution is as EASY as Pie:
1. Arrive at 10 AM (ends at 1 PM) with a smile on your face and a helping hand.
2. Prep food to be distributed by unboxing items.
3. Actual food distribution starts at 11 AM; you can work the line, the sign-​in table, or distribute food.
4. Each recipient is allotted a specific amount of canned goods, fruit, and veggies. (If you or someone you know is in need, you’re allowed to gather some food to take home beforehand).
5. BE FIRM. A lot of the recipients will try to ask for more. Two MEANS two; but I can’t fault them for trying.
6. Bask in all the rewarding glory of smiling faces of the elderly and young children.
What did I take away from the experience?
Like a pair of retro Jordan’s, fresh fruits are a HOT commodity. Canned turnip greens are NOT. I couldn’t help but to giggle at all the disgusted faces the po-​pos and gong-​gongs made when they saw canned veggies. OHHHH, the horror.
Oh and did you know you that you don’t need scissors or a box opener to break down a box? It took an engineer in our group to show us the way. Press against both sides of the box to create a gap between the tape and the box and peel the tape off. VIOLA. What a noob I must have looked like trying to pierce a hole into the tape with my fingernails.

At the end of the event, you can opt to go to lunch with the other volunteers at a restaurant nearby. It’s a great place for meeting people who share the same values as you do. Two volunteers actually found love at one of these events and are now married. True story. =)
Mission Bay Community Church would never be able to do what they do without volunteers. There’s NO long-​term commitment so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So what are you waiting for?
Bank GOOD karma points! I think we’re all in need of them because God knows I am…

I’ve been a regular attender/​member at MBCC for a few years now (which, at MBCC, is practically a lifetime) and they’ve been reminding me in pretty much every bulletin that Unilocal reviews are awesome, why don’t you write one for us…
and I haven’t written one. I have started this review many times but never been able to finish it. Why? I love this place, but I don’t know how to convey that in words that I feel really express the how and the why of it all. So, maybe I will just make a list of things I love about MBCC.
MBCC is awesome because:
— I get free babysitting for 1 hour
— it’s okay to eat and drink hot cocoa in service.
— you can take pictures next to a life size cutout of Jesus at the Prom
— they serve Hawaiian bread for communion instead of dry crackers
— the music is excellent
— they give out free groceries on Saturdays at the food pantry
— there is dinner after service
— it doesn’t take itself too seriously
— the building was designed by Julia Morgan
— Bruce is a great pastor
— you can start something, call it a tradition, and it will be become one
— the people there are awesome
Hm. A lot of the reasons MBCC is awesome are related to food. I guess you can tell where my priorities are. ;)

My words cannot correctly depict how special this church community is!
My husband and I had to recently relocate to Austin, TX and in the craziness of packing, moving, saying our goodbyes… the ONLY TIME we had a tear in our eye was saying goodbye to everyone at mbcc.
This is a community that respects, loves and cherishes its members. You will not feel like a number… more like such a name (believe me, if you raise your hand to answer the preacher’s question.99% of the time your name WILL be used!)
It’s unlike any other church community I’ve ever found and if you open your heart to its members you WILL FIND friends for life!
Most members are around the age of 30 and some have children, some are married and there are also quite a few singles as well. But at MBCC, age doesn’t matter…
We miss it greatly and KNOW we’ll never find a church community in Austin just like it but we’re hoping to find one similar (coffee during the sermon, at least) … if you’re wondering if you should visit DO IT! if you’re wondering if it’s ‘right for you’ GIVE IT SOME TIME!
cherish mbcc… it’s such a precious diamond in the rough :-)

My husband and I found this church while on our quest to find some Sunday solace that suited us both — myself a lapsed Catholic, and my husband a Pentecostal. We love it. It is THE go to place for normal people with an avg age range from 30 – 50, go for great spiritual food (and the coffee isn’t bad either!)
Our only regret is that we aren’t able to attend Sunday services currently as he has to work every Sunday. We will make it back there Pastor Bruce, and we have not cheated on you! Can’t wait to see the new digs!

My mom used to be a Presbyterian minister, so every Sunday — no matter what antics we’d been up to the night before — we had to be up early, dressed and ready to sit our butts down on hard wooden pews.
My mom (though now retired and jet-​setting around the world with the love of her life) was always an excellent speaker, (I think her Welsh drawl helped a lot). But when you’re young, the last thing you want to do is watch your mom talk for over an hour and a half — while you have to sit still and «pretend» you’re interested. Sometimes she’d catch me chewing gum and/​or playing Sega Genesis (I was the bomb at Sonic the Hedgehog) during her sermons, and I can still remember her eyes widening and her brow furrowing from the pulpit. My senior year, I can remember my younger brother still slightly hung-​over from the night before (the drinking age varied overseas) shake his head in pain, while trying to command his gag reflexes, ‘forcing’ himself to take a sip of wine for communion, my mom looking on (just as pained) the whole time.
Despite early mandatory church attendance as a kid (as we got older it was up to us, if we wanted to go) my mom was and has always been open and progressive when it comes to religious stuff, which strangely enough is part of the reason I haven’t really been going to church in years. I just haven’t found a place that clicks for me and didn’t want to force it.
But a little over a month ago, I decided that I’d try Mission Bay Community Church.
Hurriedly flagging down a cab to make the trek over to Mission Bay, my bf and I stumbled into the church a little disoriented. The atmosphere was immediately inviting. Housed in a big strange silver painted open area, you’ll find little coffee tables, orange couches, chairs, and pews. People smile at you as you enter, and we were relieved to see that they even had snacks and coffee for you to drink during the service.
It was great to see so many diverse and young people early (11:00am is pretty early for me) on a Sunday. There was nothing stiff and too organized about the place. One of my favorite things about Mission Bay is the quality live music that accompanies all of the hymns. I love hearing guitars, cello, and even drums, while I sing. People are also genuinely happy and excited to be there. Pastor Bruce — goes out of his way to make sure people feel comfortable. He does an impressive job of making the time fly by, by engaging people and turning sermons into a discussion, rather than a lecture. He’ll even show movie clips when applicable. In fact the first time we were there — they showed a clip from Life of Brian.
I’m going to try to make it out to Mission Bay as much as possible. It may not happen as much as I’d like, but I really appreciate that I have a fun friendly place to go on Sundays. Also every third Sunday (I think) they have an amazing potluck after their service, which is great for meeting people, if it’s your first time.

Let me just start this review by saying that i have done my share of church shopping in and around the San Francisco area.
I find it so difficult to come to a new city, and find a new church, where you don’t immediately feel like your the odd man out. Its hard to find a place to be comfortable enough to admit you might not be as strong in your spiritual journey without feeling completely uncomfortable and intimidated. Even more, its hard to enter a new church community that isn’t super cliquey and set in its ways.
MBCC is the answer for all of that. Not only are the people here all incredibly friendly and non intimidating, but they are all so very unique and all bring something different to the table. I love to see a place where i can come as i am, and not feel like the place is bound and limited by religious traditions that limit my own personal ideas and beliefs. This church, has just the right combination of holding traditional values and mixing it with a contemporary young feel.
From the second you walk into this place, you immediately feel comfortable and right at home. Although this place does have pews to sit on, the majority of the furniture is couches and tables. Plus, there is a welcome table in the back that has coffee and snacks for everyone, and, yes, its free! :-)
If your looking for a place to go to worship that allows you to come as you are without being intimidating or overbearing, then this is the place for you!

Silvery!!!
MBCC has been a place I proudly called as My Church for about three years now. It used to be «have to go» to the church, but MBCC makes me want to, really really want to.
Love the sermon, the music, the people, the dialogue, the coffee, everything… including those white plastic chairs =)