Oct. 4 is the last Sunday church services that will be held at The Center in Hillcrest as the Metropolitan Community Church is moving to its new home in Mission Bay. The first service there at 2633 Denver Street will be on Sunday, Oct. 11.

District 3 Councilmember Todd Gloria and The Center’s executive director, Dr. Delores Jacobs, will attend the final service on Oct. 4, said Senior Pastor Dan Koeshall. MCC-San Diego has held services at The Center since 2002.

“A wonderful new home. I’ve always wanted a place by the ocean,”

said staff pastor Houston Burnside to the congregation on Sept. 27. “We have been given a real jewel by the sea. A place to stretch and to grow.”

Burnside challenged the congregation to “build new and lasting relationships” with people in the new area, while acknowledging the move from Hillcrest will take members “out of our comfort zone.”

“I would be a part of this church wherever it is,” said Steve Ebner, a retired United Methodist minister who is now a member of MCC.

“What I look forward to is expanded hours for ministry and worship.”

Ebner said MCC could not have special services for Good Friday, Ash Wednesday, or Sunday night services because it was located at The Center and other events were going on there. “This (move) gives us more options as to when we can worship,” said Ebner.

Members of MCC, which is also called The Met Church, are enthusiastic over the move which is their first church home since they sold their 30th Street building in North Park in 2002. They had outgrown their 30th Street church and the new church was purchased with $1.7 million in funds left over from that sale plus a bank loan and other donations.

“I think this is an exciting time for this community, and they’re excited about the opportunity to reach new people,” said Alisan Rowland, who began attending MCC in 1997. She is now on staff and finished a one year pastoral internship at MCC.

“The people here have given so much of themselves, their heart and soul to the community,” said Rowland.

October 11 is also National Coming Out Day. The formal dedication of the church is set for Nov. 22 with many special guests and participants.

“I’m excited, having a church property that is our own. The church property is perfect for us, as it has the right number of seats,”

said member Michael Lizzar. “It’s inspiring.”

At The Center, volunteer members had to set up chairs in the auditorium to get ready for the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. Paul Cooley and Mark Sanbower were given the September Stewardship of Service awards for arriving early every Sunday at The Center to help set up chairs and get the site ready for worship. Other volunteers also assisted in this task every Sunday.

The church rented separate office space on Vandever Avenue and separate storage space in the amount of $4,000 monthly, according to Al Smithson, a founding member of the church and longest serving board member in the denomination’s history. There is room at the new church, so those costs are saved.

“It will give us a nexus from which to outreach in the new community, while maintaining our commitment to the Hillcrest neighborhood,” said member Jennifer Meriwether.

On Sept. 12, dozens of members packed up all the boxes, cabinets, and desks and moved them to the new church site. Members have also cleaned the church in recent weeks.

The new church is wheelchair accessible at the entrance, but an elevator will have to be installed to reach the second and third floors.

Smithson estimated the cost of that elevator to be $120,000.

New costs that MCC has been spared for the last six years will come in the form of a security system, janitorial service, property maintenance, utilities, and trash dumpster and pickup. The church has air conditioning. The church was built in 1972 and another section

constructed in 1980. It was sold to MCC by The Life Church.

The church will have the same phone number, which is (619) 521-2222.

The church is located south of Clairemont Drive, and is one block east of Interstate 5. The site is in the 6th Council district, which is represented by Donna Frye.

If one is traveling by bus from Hillcrest, North Park, or City Heights, take the #10 to the Old Town Trolley Center, and take the bus

#105 and get off at Milton and Denver Streets, just after the bus passes a Chevrolet dealership. The #105 bus runs only once an hour on Sundays, and church staff said they are considering offering some type of carpooling or shuttle service for those without transportation.