Our Vision
“A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse; a branch will sprout from his roots. The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of planning and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. He will delight in fearing the Lord. He won’t judge by appearances, nor decide by hearsay. He will judge the needy with righteousness, and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land. He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth; by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked. Righteousness will be the belt around his hips, and faithfulness the belt around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze. Their young will lie down together, and a lion will eat straw like an ox. A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole; toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den. They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain. The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, just as the water covers the sea.” Isaiah 11:1-10
The wolf & the lamb resting in a garden together. This is our hope. Some say it’s an impossible dream. But, we cling to the audacious belief that this is exactly how God transforms people, communities, and systems.
Core Values
Belonging
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
from Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
Authenticity
“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” - Dr. Brené Brown
“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
Beauty
“Beauty is God’s presence being sensed and until that is the case, God is only ever an abstraction devoid of any power to transform my life". - Dr. Curt Thompson
Wholeness
“..but God, who is whole and holy, longs from a place of abundance and joy.” - Lacy Finn Borgo
Hospitality
“Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” - Henri Nouwen
We desire to make room for everyone to encounter the steadfast love of Christ.
Meet our Pastors
Darren Fred
Darren is co-pastor at Commonplace Church. He is married to Melody and they share one adult daughter and one adult son-in-law. He loves cats, jokes, cheeseburgers, basketball, cold water, deep breaths, and long stretches of uninterrupted silence. Darren wholeheartedly believes everything and everyone is revealing something to us about the Divine.
Katrina Tomlin
Katrina is a mom to three kids, spouse to TJ, co-pastor, friend, spiritual director, former Kindergarten teacher, and an avid thrifter. Things she loves: singing, poetry, the beach. The idea that God is mysterious used to dismay her, but now she revels in the glorious expansiveness of it. Mostly, she just wants you to know you are loved.
