Re: Seeking diverse place of worship
I can heartily recommend my church, St. Columba Catholic Church http://www.stcolumbao.com/ on the Oakland/Berkeley border on SPA. The 10:30AM Sunday service is a combination of Catholic tradition with an African American gospel flair. While the other masses: Saturday, 4pm and Sunday, 8AM tend to be more traditional and meditative. The congregation is *very* diverse in all possible ways and there is a true atmosphere of hospitality without being intrusive. Fr. Jayson Landeza (a Berkeley native) works extremely hard and is one of the most sincere, loving people I know. He takes an active, progressive role in community issues and openly challenges the ''old boy network'' of the priesthood. Even though I initially started attending as a non-catholic I felt moved by the lively, spirit filled service from the very beginning (although it took a while to catch on to the stand-up, sit down, call and response parts :) I realize that with the Catholic church's recently exposed scandals and problems it might not be a first choice for some, but the thing that has helped our faith community remain strong is the sense of family and love that exists in places like St. Columba and endures beyond the occasional flaws and humanness of its' leadership. Rue

Re: Upbeat church with good gospel music
We attend St. Columba Catholic Church on the Oakland/Berkeley border on San Pablo. I simply love our 10:30am Sunday mass specifically for it's upbeat flavor that moves me spiritually. The format at St. Columba departs from what one may usually find or expect from a Catholic service as it leans toward an African American gospel style of worship. There are lots of ''Amens!'' punctuating parts of the service and the music is loud. Another plus is the congregation is very diverse reflecting the community it serves. Pastor Jayson Landeza was born and raised here in the East Bay and goes out of his way to make absolutely everyone feel welcomed. Drop by anytime! Rue