From its inception the Fellowship was deeply involved in social action, locally and internationally. The church entered a period of intense social action in 1964. The Mt. Diablo Peace Center was founded when Andy Baltzo gave up a teaching career to devote his life to working for world peace. It became the Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center, and in 2005 separated from the church to do more work in the schools. It is affiliated with the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Rev.Gilmartin marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and members participated in Voter Registration projects in the South. Harold Wilson, a black graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, was hired as cominister. Rev. George Johnson, another black clergyman, was named Associate Minister, serving as director of the East Bay Project in Oakland, begun by Gil. Almost everyone in the church worked with the Black community in Oakland. We participated in numerous peace demonstrations and protests against the Vietnam war. We sponsored a Guatemalan family housed on our property, and a Vietnamese boat refugee family of eleven.
A time of turning inward followed the intense social action and protest. Almost 200 members and friends participated in encounter groups during the next eight years. There was an active Singles group for 15 years. Extended Family groups were begun, with some still in existence.
Members planted trees and laid bricks in the Patio between the two buildings. Alice's Restaurant dinners had long waiting lists. For 28 years we produced Hungry-U’s, based on the Hungry-I in San Francisco. Community Lecture Series featured speakers such as Alan Watts, S. I. Hayakawa, Bob Kimball (later President of Starr King), and others. We presented gourmet dinners, musicals, plays, and art shows. The Coffee-house beginning in 1958, continued thru the 90’s.
