While the new sanctuary of the Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale was built in the mid 1950s, it showcases the avant-garde architecture that broke the rules when the emblematic performing arts center opened in Sydney in 1973.

Its outer trappings are not the only way in which this church is progressive. Its affiliation with the politically-liberal United Church of Christ makes this church an open and welcoming space for all, including homosexual and transgender worshippers. The church also plans to start a partnership with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a partnership that the charity says is unprecedented.

And the 103 members of the church are getting a leap on celebrating their centennial anniversary, which actually takes place in December.

But 2005 will be a whole year of events to commemorate the church's century of existence.

Some events will reference the church's history, from its beginnings in the old church building on the corner of McKinley and S. Sunnyvale avenues to the tornado that passed over the new building twice in 1998, knocking out its windows. Other events will address the church's next 100 years, which the church's pastor sees as starting with its new affiliation with Habitat for Humanity—one that should last beyond 2005.

"We would like to see the church continuing to be involved in the community," said Pastor Genavieve Heywood, otherwise called "Pastor Gen." Other groups that operate out of the church's location at the corner of Bernardo and Remington avenues are Friends in Service to Humanity (also known as FISH, which provides food and clothing to those in need), Alcoholics Anonymous and a rotating men's shelter. FISH has been a part of the church since 1968. And various other religious groups in the community—both English-speaking and not—also use the facilities.

The Congregational Community Church was originally known as the First Congregational Church of Sunnyvale, incorporating on Dec. 7, 1905. The church began with a group of area Christians who held meetings on Sunday evenings in an old livery stable across the street from the train depot.

The arrival of a group of Methodists in Sunnyvale—and their subsequent fundraising for their own church building—galvanized the Congregationalists into formally organizing their own church. Original pastor Rev. Lawrence, a Baptist preacher from Mountain View, led the Congregational group until it incorporated and began meeting in the building at the corner of McKinley and S. Sunnyvale avenues.

A later leader, the Rev. Noah Gause, began the church's traditions of social activism. He was forced out of the church in 1912 after causing a split in the congregation by preaching that child labor in Sunnyvale canneries was against the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In 1955, the church began the process of moving to its current location, which was then on the outskirts of town and surrounded by orchards. The design of the church—done by architect W.E. Blessing—was revolutionary for the time, and included large triangle-shaped windows to commemorate the Holy Trinity of Christianity. "Most churches built their fellowship halls first, but worship was so significant to this church that we built the sanctuary first," Heywood said.

The Congregationalist style of churches preaches that "the wisdom of the congregation is greater than the wisdom of the individual," according to Heywood. All the church's decisions with regards to the move, the design and all affiliations are made by the congregation as a whole.

The church changed its name to the Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale in 1965, and registered with the national United Church of Christ in 1993. Later the church added a fellowship hall and other structures, including areas now used by the church's community service organizations. But by 1998, the original structure had fallen into disrepair. But help came in a most unusual way.

"A tornado came through and took off the roof and blew in the windows," Heywood said. "The night before [the tornado], in our prayer group, we had prayed for help with repairs. We are a small congregation with a big responsibility." The damage triggered insurance payments, which enabled the church to replace the roof and install new windows, including the large stained glass panels that exist today.

One stained glass window in the rear of the sanctuary depicts God and Adam as portrayed by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but the two are separated by the Christian cross in this rendition. "God is touching the cross, but Man hasn't quite gotten there yet," Heywood said. "It's where God and humanity meet—faith."

To commemorate their 100th anniversary, the church is making a few more improvements, including a memorial garden. Church member Bill Carpenter has also been searching for the bell that was part of the Congregational Church's original building in downtown Sunnyvale—the same bell that has subsequently disappeared. He hopes to locate the bell and place it in the memorial garden.

"I've been talking to people along McKinley, and I met three people on that street who remember hearing that bell ring," he said. "But we're absolutely up the creek in trying to find it." Carpenter said he believes the bell came down when the church was demolished, and despite setbacks, he is continuing to search for it.

Carpenter joined the Congregational Community Church several years ago because of its music program—the sanctuary boasts a Moeller Pipe Organ, and the church's music director, Henry Mollicone, is also an accomplished composer. He currently works with the Winchester Orchestra of San Jose. "The acoustics in the church are gorgeous," Heywood said. "We'd record music in there if planes going into Moffett didn't fly right overhead."

Though Carpenter came for the music, he was surprised something else he encountered.

"I was coming from another congregation, but the members [of this church] were so accepting of me. This church is loving and open," Carpenter said.

Heywood says this is a hallmark of their church. Their affiliation with the United Church of Christ includes a designation as an "open and affirming" church, which means that anyone can belong despite characteristics that may make them unwelcome at other Christian churches. That includes members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"We have holy unions here. We're of the mind that all committed relationships show a kind of maturity as an adult that improves their relationship with society," Heywood said. She added that the "open and affirming" designation attracts church members who aren't necessarily members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transexual community themselves, but have children or other relatives who are, and want to worship at a church that would accept their loved ones.

Heywood attributed that acceptance to a more liberal interpretation of religion. "It's okay to doubt, okay to question here," she said. "We're different from most because of that."

The United Church of Christ recently encountered the controversy surrounding the gay marriage debate by attempting to run advertisements on the major television networks that showcased their "open and affirming" status. NBC and CBS chose not to run the first ad in the campaign in late November. Heywood said some of her parishioners were following the actions of the larger church and writing letters of protest.

This is not the first time the United Church of Christ has encountered such issues head-on. The organization was the first to ordain openly gay, African American and female pastors.

Heywood herself came to the Sunnyvale church in 1993 from Maine, where she had helped a previous church of hers celebrate its 200th anniversary. Her husband is a retired minister, and the couple has two children.

She has helped plan a full slate of activities throughout the year to commemorate the church's centennial, including a series of concerts. On Feb. 27, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Cupertino will join the Congregational Community Church for a Concert of Church Choirs, and on May 15, a number of choirs including the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Choir will perform.

A number of church luminaries will also speak at worship services throughout the year, including Edith A. Guffey, the Associate General Minister of the UCC, on Jan. 16, and the Rev. Mary Susan Gast on Dec. 4, the day of the church's anniversary service.

Speaking at the church's 99th anniversary service was Ted Becker, resource development director for the Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity. This chapter has built two homes a year since 1992, but they hope to build 25 more in the next two and half years. It's a lofty goal, but Becker hopes that his group's recently formed collaboration with the Congregational Community Church will help make that goal a reality.

"We're going to need a huge amount of volunteers," he said.

Heywood contacted Becker while looking for a charity for her church to partner with during the 100th year. "We're not starting our next house until March, so we're planning on six concerts and we'll share in the proceeds. And then, the building days will offer opportunities for volunteering," Becker said. "The faith community provides about 15 percent of our revenue, but we're hoping that this becomes a model. We've taken the initiative to make contacts within the Sunnyvale religious community."

In return, Habitat for Humanity will help the church with some of its remaining projects. The church hopes that a planned labyrinth will be completed with the help of Habitat volunteers in time for the actual 100th anniversary on Dec. 7, 2005.

The Community Congregational Church is a small one, with about a third of its 103 members having belonged to the church for several decades. Bonnie Harvey has been a member since 1970—when she was a young Sunnyvale mother.

"I married a Baptist, and I was raised Methodist, and this church combined parts of each. It felt very comfortable," she said.

Harvey has since moved to Mountain View, but continues her involvement with the church as chairwoman of the finance and personnel board. She keeps attending the Sunnyvale church because she says it's a special one.

"I really like the way they present the Christian message. Their attitude is very welcoming, and they're very concerned about all justices," Harvey said. She recalls Heywood's arrival in 1993, and that the congregation unanimously voted her in as their first permanent female pastor. That's something that she said her congregation might not have been ready to do when she joined 35 years ago.

Change will likely continue—Heywood said that she sees many children under the age of 10, and that 13 different languages are represented in her congregation. That dynamic energy should keep the Congregational Community Church going for the next 100 years.