In Counterculture San Francisco, a Church Has Become the Place to Be
Yoga, laser art and Bobby McFerrin are attracting residents who are longing for a community — but not necessarily religion.
Two years ago, the San Francisco cathedral created Grace Arts, a program designed like a museum membership that charges an annual fee in exchange for benefits that include discounts on classes and events.
It has proven so popular that Grace Arts members now outnumber regular church members. About 820 households subscribe to Grace Arts, compared with 550 churchgoing households. Annual surveys show the average age of a Grace participant has dropped from 63 to 40 in just two years, signaling the new program is drawing a younger crowd.
“This place was a lifeline for me,” she said. “It is so weird and quirky and lovely and inclusive. It was such a relief.”
Yoga, laser art and Bobby McFerrin are attracting residents who are longing for a community — but not necessarily religion.
Two years ago, the San Francisco cathedral created Grace Arts, a program designed like a museum membership that charges an annual fee in exchange for benefits that include discounts on classes and events.
It has proven so popular that Grace Arts members now outnumber regular church members. About 820 households subscribe to Grace Arts, compared with 550 churchgoing households. Annual surveys show the average age of a Grace participant has dropped from 63 to 40 in just two years, signaling the new program is drawing a younger crowd.
“This place was a lifeline for me,” she said. “It is so weird and quirky and lovely and inclusive. It was such a relief.”
In Counterculture San Francisco, a Church Has Become the Place to Be
ACROSS THE COUNTRY In Counterculture San Francisco, a Church Has Become the Place to Be Yoga, laser art and Bobby
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