Madison Garner

In the past, local religious leaders attempted to deal with church segregation.
“For a season, it was a fad where folks became excited,” said Rodney McAuley, director of community and church engagement for Spokane Youth for Christ. “We did events and projects where we began the process of tearing down those walls, but when it got tough or when we bumped up against the real life difficulties and challenges around our differences, we, in my estimation, did not maintain the intentionality to see the breakthrough.”

Statistically, church segregation is common as 93 percent of churches are uniracial, meaning their membership is at least 80 percent of one racial group. Going beyond numbers, Rodney McAuley, director of community and church engagement for Spokane Youth for Christ, and Russ Davis, pastor of leadership development, teaching, and administration at New Community Church, offer seven reasons why people should want to do something about church segregation.

The time that Christians are coming together to praise God — 11 a.m. on Sundays — is also the most segregated hour of America, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once pointed out. Two local religious leaders say decades later King’s words still ring true. They offered their insights on church segregation today, explaining what it looks like, why they believe people should care, and what can be done about it.

Combine a barstool philosopher, an activist shouting ‘stop plate tectonics’, and a ‘letter’ from President Bush and the end result is the going away service for the Rev. Clare Austen.

After 12 years, Austen is ending her position as pastor of Unity Spiritual Center of Spokane.

Though the church service held many similar elements to others — prayers, worship songs and communion — two differences stood out. The service was a Celtic Eucharist and is an original creation of the Rev. Elaine Breckenridge.

New Community Church, a 21 year old non-denominational church, sits in the university district. The backyard bumps up against the river, providing a beautiful view for outdoor weddings. In the same building rests the No Li Brewery and Dry Fly Distillery. A great location for a church, according to Pastor Russ Davis.

The location may seem unconventional, but several Spokane churches are finding that non-traditional spaces are the way to go.

From the beaches of Athens to the dense vegetation of the jungle, adventures await in Vacation Bible Schools across Spokane. Activities include crafts, music, games, religious lessons, and, at one church with an animal cracker theme, a blessing of people’s pets.