GGC History
Perhaps the best way to understand the history of Golden Gate Community is to recognize its distinct phases of development.
Golden Gate Community was founded by Michael Christensen in January 1982 in the living room of a home reportedly lived in by Janis Joplin in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. The home, a mission called the Oak Street house, was a home for people in the city who are recovering from drug and/or alcohol addictions.
In 1986, the second phase of development began when Barry Brown and his family began their ministry at Golden Gate Community by accepting the responsibilities of pastor of GGC. For the first time, there was separate leadership for the church and the mission. Our commitment to rent, investing in ministry not facility, has led us to 7 different worship locations where we have been hosted by a variety of generous “landlords” including Catholic, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches.
In 1995, a third phase of development began when GGC expanded its pastoral support team. For the first time, new pastors came from the pews of the community and began to serve the community (Mike Davis, Debby Bellingham, Jeff Finger, Mark Kirchgestner and Don Creasman). The first decade of GGC’s history was filled with spiritual and numeric growth. In the late 1990s, as we were confronted with this growth we decided to become “One Community with Many Parishes”. The desire for intimacy of worship and the priority of relationships over and above the desire to become one large gathering formed the foundation of the “99” Parish, which began to meet in the fall of 1999.
In 2005-2006, a fourth phase of development began as Pastors and Parishes responded to God’s leading to “go and make disciples”. Barry Brown's final year of ministry with Golden Gate as directional leader and senior pastor was celebrated with deep gratitude. He and other former GGC have each been sent into new venues of ministry. The ’99 Parish, with Don Creasman, was launched as a new church plant now named Golden Gate Community Fellowship, GGF and a new day of ministry is beginning for GGC.
In July 2007 Edwin Weaver was called and installed as the new senior Pastor of Golden Gate Community Church. Edwin has 14 years experience in urban ministry, serving seven years in Washington DC and another seven in Los Angeles, California. Pastor Edwin brings a variety of ministry and practical experience having worked as a pastor, children and youth pastor, social worker, and school counselor. His most recent place of service was a small town in Kansas. His wife Julie is a native to Northern California. She is a licensed minister and has a long history in ministry and education. The Weaver’s have three children: Jake, Grace, and Ean and a a yellow lab named Frisbee.
Golden Gate Community’s history is wonderfully unique and yet remarkably similar to the many other places where God has chosen to declare His love for His people through the simple message of “Follow Me!”