Seaside Baptist Church, Bombay Beach, California

When I first attended St. James Anglican Church, I asked Father John, if my dog was welcome.  “Of course he’s welcome, I’m just not sure about you,” he laughed. He had two big dogs and we made this our church for several years.  At another church I told the worship leader I was a Christian psychiatrist and he responded, “Isn’t that an oxymoron.’  

Here, outdoors, on the iconic Bombay Beach, Jack the minister simply asked my name and introduced himself. 

 I’d ridden my Vespa with Madigan , my cockapoo riding along in his box. There was some large dune buggy and off road motorcycle event with a large gathering of RV’s and campers boon docking in the sand amidst the steam punk art installations.  I’d surprisingly become stuck a foot off the hard road. Two of the guys from that camp came to my rescue. “We’ve been doing this all weekend, “ they said ,” We’re getting good at it.”   Free of the sand and back on the road a little dog ran in front of me so I swereved and was stuck again. This time a fellow from the outdoor church helped me out. 

 Jesus comes as the anonymous stranger who rescues.  Already Jesus had already helped me thrice. It could also t reflect the the devil laying traps for the Christian returning to the fold. 

Jack the minister played Christian music as we congregated.  There must have been as many dogs as humans there. I loved this.  I’m ever asking if my dog is welcome at whatever  church I attend.    

Before the actual service the dogs had packed and run all over the beach exploring and peeing.  Madigan was in his glory sniffing and peeing and running with the dogs. . I loved watching.  A young dog was disruptive but leashed and as the service began the dogs all settled at the feet of their masters. Peace.   . 

Jack spoke of Peter the Fisherman and Jesus inviting him to walk on water with him. Peter succeeded for a few steps then sank.  He was  rescued by Jesus who said “Ye of little faith”. I felt that.  Ye of little faith. I am forever playing hide and seek with Jesus, seeing his handprints everywhere only to think the next moment I’m alone.    

Jack said “I’m a spiritual being in a human body.”  I loved his reading passages from the gospel of John, the disciple Jesus loved.   the resurrected Jesus and his time with the disciples after his crucifixion.   There were sounds of motorcycles and quads and a gentle breeze blowing in from the Salton Sea.  The scripture was of disciples and Jesus gathered by the sea.  I truly felt blessed,  grateful thankful to be here listening to Jack read from the Holy Bible.  

 Around me were the most interesting  people, wisdom and experience in their presence. .  The women were beautiful.  The men a real mix, young and old, bearded clean shaven. . I imagined some must be artists.  Some dressed in shorts and t shirts and others more clothed .  Jack wore  red t shirt,  blue pants and  high  red sneakers with a  bandana about his head.  In his sermon he referenced movies . The Last Temptation. This was Southern California.  LA and Hollywood only a 150 miles west.  The greatest story ever told had had many movies made of parts of it in part or whole.  Jack said the joyful scene of resurrected Jesus being seen by the disciples by the sea and joining him.  ‘That would be a great movie scene.’  

“Hope is what we have here”, he said.  Hope and faith.  “The Holy Spirit is with us and in us and around us.”  

When the ervice was over,  we were all invited to have coffee and cookies on the beach.  The dogs began to roam, pissing and sniffing again after the interlude.  I helped him into his box in the Vespa. 

 A  beautiful girl wore a t shirt with phrase ‘skull pony’.  I drove away thinking  about death and the ride and Christ. . I didn’t get my Vespa stuck on the way out.  I rode here to the Community Cafe to sit under the Da Vinci Fish art installation swimming over head.. Cafe latte and a muffin.  A young man on drums and a girl playing violin.     God is good.