Life and Island Times July 4 2016: Church of Brunch

Three or so years ago found Marlow and W loosely leading a caravan of bowlers off island to NAS Boca Chica’s Airlanes under a setting sun. The motorcade was populated with nine travelers emblematic of Key West’s One Human Family – gays, straights and assorted vegetarians aged from six to sixty four. They fell into close chatter almost instantly before hopping aboard their rides. Riding in Marlow’s car in addition to W were a young married couple, Sara and Zach, and their sweet, mop-topped, six year old son, Archimedes.

As the sole kegler with on base privileges it fell to Marlow to secure their entry. Previously this had involved a simple showing of identification papers to the base gate guard. When the sentry queried whether there were foreigners or minors without ID cards in the caravan, the boss and his navigator knew they weren’t in Kansas anymore.

The guard politely explained as the skies darkened that someone with a Department of Defense ID card was required, post 911, to be in each vehicle. Seeing no terrorists in either car, he granted a waiver and let them proceed on base to the alley.

Quickly securing two adjacent lanes and rental shoes, beer drinking, pizza and fries eating, pin smashing, and gutter cleaning ensued. Playful ribbing always accompanies such activities since alcohol seemingly turbocharges the quest to become the one of who sucks the least in the public contests of athletic skills.

After two games and several meatless pizzas and at least three pounds of fries consumed, the group departed as the lanes closed sharply at nine PM. So much fun was had that plans were made to do this once again in the not too distant future.

On the ride the home under the stars, Marlow asked how the young couple met. “Church of Brunch” they replied.

Church of Brunch (photo courtesy of Alex Cohen)

The earnest and joyfully loopy exposition that followed made Marlow’s and W’s night. Zach and Sara were part of the core founders of this new agey California congregation. As Sara explained the church’s foundations, Zach chimed in that he still maintained the rights to the inactive CoB website.

Simply put: No dogma, deities or religion. No preaching. No hell fire. Just real communion for an hour or so every other Sunday. Assemblies began with a song. Any song would do, as long as it was inspirational, nonreligious, and had the potential to invoke full, conscious, and active participation on the part of the assembly. Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues was mentioned in response to Marlow’s query as to what could suffice.

Sorta like Super Bowl Sunday night without helmets, referees, pre-game hype and drunkenness but with healthier food.

Since CoB gathering were nonreligious, the Torah, the Qur’an, and the Bible were proscribed. Inspirational and thought-provoking readings were in. Shakespeare, Kerouac, or Sexton worked well as long as they touched the human heart. If attendees felt called to offer some reflections on the reading, such contributions were most welcome and appreciated.

These gatherings concluded, from what Marlow could sense, with the community approaching a table of fellowship, rendering the traditional sign of peace, and then breaking bread.

Marlow mused later without judging about singing “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die,” sharing a sign of peace, and then sitting down to a vegan potluck with your brothers and sisters in Brunch.

But wait, there’s more. Sara continued.

In early 2006, Zach’s friend Jeremiah came to Hollywood to visit for the weekend. Zach and Sara had previously decided to make their living arrangement permanent. So on the chosen February Sunday morning, Jeremiah went online and got his minister’s license so he could officiate. Sharing this event with their CoB guests seemed perfect. Lovingly, they told that day’s attendees of their plans to elope and invited them to Griffith Park for an elopement party.

Sara and Zach get married (photo courtesy of Sara’s blog)

They swore their vows on a stack of pancakes. Sara sweetly hummed from the car’s back seat “we BELIEVE in pancakes.” As can be seen, Zach held her bouquet since she was nervous and did not know where to put it while she was “making her promises.”

Archimedes is one lucky young free man to have such parents in this wonderfully weird place.

Copyright © 2016 From My Isle Seat