Church Groups
Outside of service, Our groups provide opportunities to connect, serve, and create community.
Alta Mesa Center for the Arts
Alta Mesa Center for the Arts sponsors monthly readings by poets, novelists, and non-fiction writers. Past readings can be viewed on the Alta Mesa YouTube channel. All are invited to attend the monthly Zoom readings.
Care & Fellowship
Care & Fellowship is a ministry of the Orinda Community Church, charged with creating deeper community within the membership. This may take place by providing food at a Memorial Service, or helping with a night of games and food. If interested in serving in this way, contact Rev.Elizabeth Robinson at elizabeth.orindachurch@gmail.com
Centering Prayer
Every Monday morning at 9:30 a.m., we join for centering prayer in our peaceful chapel. The time begins with a reading and is followed by 20 minutes of silent prayer and a time for shared prayer.
chancel Choir
Under the leadership of David Milnes, the choir practices every Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m.
Join us!
Contemplative Service - In-Person
In addition to the email version of the contemplative service, we have an in-person service each Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in the chapel. The service includes readings, singing, silence, and shared prayer.
Green Team
The Green Team educates about the many environmental concerns our planet is facing. They meet bi-monthly. Contact the Nancy Thursby nlthursby@comcast.net
Grief Support Group
Every Thursday at 12:15, a professionally facilitated grief support group meets in the church’s Fireside Room. If you are in need of support after a loss, you are welcome to join this group.
Handbell Choir
The choir performs several times a year during worship. Check out some videos. Rehearsals are usually on Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:00 pm. All are welcome to join this fun group! Please let Nancy Thursby know at nlthursby@comcast.net if you are interested.
Life-Long Learning and Spiritual Formation
The church has a Life-Long Learning and Spiritual Formation committee which arranges for education, fellowship, and spiritual formation activities during “Second Hour” after the Sunday service. We have discussed and studied many topics, including combatting Christian Nationalism, the situation in Palestine, processing life Post-Covid, how to preserve the Sacramento Delta, and a variety of other topics. We have also been refreshed and inspired by listening to community members share their spiritual journeys.
This programming is responsive to the emergent interests and requests of the church community.
Reading Group
A group of avid readers has been reading through the novels of Marilynne Robinson, mining her beautiful work for its theological insights. We don’t know what reading we will take on next! The church has also had an anti-discrimination group in its recent past. The group meets every other Thursday at 4 p.m. and links are available in our email newsletters.
Sewing Circle
Over the past 20 years the Orinda Community Church Sewing Circle has made and donated more than 5,000 baby quilts to the East Bay Children's Quilt Project. The tiny quilts, each one unique and beautifully constructed, are distributed through hospitals, disaster relief organizations, and children's support agencies to comfort infants at risk. The Circle meets Monday mornings in their own spacious workroom at the church.
Theology & Scripture Group
Theology & Scripture meets every Thursday at 2 p.m. via Zoom. This lively group reads. books relevant to our faith journey. Recent books have been on the Apostle Paul, the gnostic gospels, Celtic Christianity, a series of interviews between Robert Coles and Father Daniel Berrigan.
Women of Spirit
A monthly gathering of inclusive, curious women seeking connection, shared learning and
growth with other women of diverse faith traditions - with a light lunch. All are welcome!
Contact Leslie O'Brien for more information (lesliedarwino@gmail.com.)
WRITERS’ GROUP
We meet monthly to share our writings/thoughts on selected prompts, poems, and/or quotes. Everyone is welcome to join us! The Writer’;s Group meets every other week at 10:00 AM on Tuesdays, on Zoom. For Zoom links, please see the OCC email newsletters.