• 9637 Channing Row, P.O. Box 46 Kenwood, CA 95452

  • 707-833-1087

    • Kenwood Community Church

    About

    Kenwood Community Church

    Our Strength Is Our Community

    OPEN & WELCOMING

    Kenwood Community Church invites you in...from its charming historic exterior and interior, to its truly warm and welcoming people. This is a faith community that is open and affirming, and embraces everyone, no matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey.

    WHERE FAITH & COMMUNITY MEET

    The church has been a part of Kenwood history since 1888. The interior remains little changed: a Carpenter Gothic sanctuary lit by colorful stained glass windows, with comfy Windsor chairs. For over 130 years we have provided not just a center of worship, but a place for the community to gather and find sanctuary. From local service organizations to the neighborhood quilters, Kenwood Community Church is home.

    We are a small, progressive Protestant Christian congregation, affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Our members come from a wide variety of denominational backgrounds and beliefs, making this truly a Community Church.

    Here you can feel God’s presence and find peace and joy. This is a good place to connect, find meaning and purpose, and to live and serve in a community of faith.

    Our Team

    Rev. Cornelia Cyss-Carter, Ph.D.

    Pastor

      On July 1st, 2022, I came out of retirement to join Kenwood Community Church as the interim pastor. It had been a short retirement, just nine months since I left Two Rock Valley and Tomales Presbyterian Churches, after serving them for more than 15 years.

      Though I am a second-career pastor, I have served congregations for close to 25 years.  My great love is Biblical Studies, especially the New Testament. Each week, I try to dig deep into the Biblical text, attempt to make it come alive for our contemporary ears, and try to articulate some truth for our own time and place. I also bring five years of experience of working specifically with older adults: I do enjoy visiting with elders, listening to life stories, and sharing about our faith. In addition, I have some training in the Christian Spiritual Traditions; that has been important for my own faith and devotional life.

       Besides serving a congregation, I love to spend time with my family. Carl and I enjoy outings up and down the North Coast, trips through vineyards, hikes through redwood groves, and meals in old diners along the way. We are always delighted when we can visit our four children and their spouses, plus our three young grandchildren.  I really enjoy gardening and am very happy when I can make jam from home-grown peaches and blackberries. I like British mystery stories, and I love taking Carl to the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University to listen to classical music.

      May our gracious God bless our shared ministry to the congregation and our mission to the community in this special place called Kenwood Community Church.



       

      Harold Julander

      Music Director

        Harold Julander comes to our church from having been organist at First United Methodist Church in Napa for 4 years. Prior to that, he was organist at Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa, CA, starting in 1980. He has studied with Lawrence Moe, UC Berkeley; Ed Hansen and Peter Hallock, Seattle; David Dahl, Tacoma; Rodney Gherke, San Francisco; and at University of Puget Sound, Washington State University, Summer Concourse in Haarlem, Holland; and Westminster Choir College. He has degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Physics. He worked for Hewlett-Packard/Agilent for 26 years. His current occupation is Manufacturing and Quality Manager at Winchester Interconnect., in Santa Rosa. He is married, has 3 children, and lives with his wife and 3 dogs in east Santa Rosa.