Welcome to the Vine!

Spiritual? Yes. Religious? Not so much.

When Abraham Lincoln was asked why, with his obvious interest in religious matters and his familiarity with the Bible, he did not join a church, he replied:

“When any church will inscribe over its altars as its sole qualification for membership, the Savior’s condensed statement for the substance of both law and gospel, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself,’ that church will I join with all my heart and soul.” – from Carl Sandburg’s Introduction to Lincoln’s Devotional

Many in Sonoma County think of themselves as “spiritual,” but not not necessarily “religious” and certainly not church-type people. That may be why on any given Sunday, no more than 8% of Petaluma residents are in a church. It’s not that the 92% don’t have a hunger for the transcendent. Most do not see the institutional church as the answer to their question. Many have spent years going to church, but find they are still hungry. Some have been wounded by the very institutions that advertised healing.

Why the Vine?

The Vine is the dream of people hungry to experience God’s love and  follow the teachings of Jesus. We are more interested in spiritual health and community service than the usual paraphernalia of institutional churches. Relationship over Religion. Non-judgmental. You might say we hope to be a church that Abraham Lincoln would join.

The Vine offers a safe place to explore ultimate questions, connect with God, form new friendships and experience spiritual healing. Services are designed especially for those who are hurting and seeking answers to life’s difficult questions – people facing trials, tension or transition.

Spiritual Growth

We are constantly pressed by bad news of unemployment, political conflict and threats of war. Many of us have been hit personally with financial setbacks, health crises and relational stress. These events awaken the need for spiritual connections with others. We need the assurance that there is a guiding force working for our good. We want to connect with God but avoid the distractions that often seep into churches such as denominational politics, maintaining buildings and programs, filling committee positions and raising funds. We want to bring people together who are hungry to connect with God, focusing only on those things that facilitate being loved by God, loving God and loving others. We are spiritual beings. We need God in our lives. And we need each other.

So, we are meeting with this simple purpose in mind – leading people into the arms of the God who loves them, gathering to experience transcendent worship and transformed lives, showing our love for God in meaningful acts of praise and service and being involved to improve our community. We are connectional, but non-denominational. We’re keeping it simple: church is a “gathering” (Greek: ekklesia), not a building.

We welcome you to read more, visit, ask questions and, if you’re ready for the adventure of your life, join us.

It’s all about connecting to “the Vine.”