In 1944, Baptist minister
Howard Thurman left his tenured position at
Howard University to help the
Fellowship of Reconciliation establish the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco. It was the first racially integrated, intercultural church in the United States. He served as co-pastor with a white minister, Dr.
Alfred Fisk. Many of their congregation were African Americans who had migrated to San Francisco from Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas for jobs in the defense industry. The church helped create a new community for many in San Francisco. The current presiding minister is the Rev. Dorsey Blake, the co-minister is Kathryn Benton. In the recent past, there were other popular associate ministers. The congregation presently consists of a small number of active supporters, many of whom are longtime members. The off-white stucco façade is embellished by three street-level arched inset doors, and crowned with a leaning
belltower. Below the sanctuary at street level is Thurman Hall, named after Dr. Thurman, where meetings, plays, lectures, and music are performed. A Muslim imam may lead a service and sermons may involve Hinduism or Judaism. Neighbors are familiar with the church's use as a polling place, and the leaning bell tower. Neighbors have held meetings at the church, as have other groups. In the 1980s, Fellowship Theater Guild revitalized the church's longtime involvement with the arts. Productions have included "''I'm Not Rappaport
", "LUV
", "Member of the Wedding
", and "An Evening with Martin and Langston''" with
Danny Glover appearing as
Langston Hughes and Felix Justice as
Martin Luther King Jr. In 2005, Justice returned in ''Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train
, and in 2006 local jazz singer Kim Nalley starred as the legendary Billie Holiday in the West Coast premiere of Lady Day in Love''." In the summer of 2007, the Church began hosting the Howard Thurman Forum Series of free lectures in its building. == Howard Thurman Award ==