This is an excerpt from an article published July 2, 2024 in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church and Ramona United Methodist Church have plans to start sharing the Methodist Church sanctuary beginning Sunday, Aug. 4.

“Both congregations want to make a difference through service in our community of Ramona,” Hand said. “Our music programs will be collaborating with one another through joint music leadership and joint chorale collaborations. There will be times when we’ll do pulpit exchanges, with Ramona United Methodist Church Pastor Kristie Grimaud preaching at our worship services and I will preach at their worship services.”

Grimaud said she is excited about the idea of sharing resources and coordinating Bible studies, youth ministries and community service activities. Ramona United Methodist Church will rent its space to Spirit of Joy, she said.

“When we had the tour and a fellowship time together last Sunday with the two churches coming together, many people were surprised to see their friends and neighbors in the community that they already knew,” Grimaud said.  “They discovered they weren’t strangers.”

In the past, before COVID-19, Grimaud said Ramona United Methodist Church coordinated activities with Julian Methodist Church. She expects those interactions will continue — a member of the Ramona congregation, Dawn Christiansen, was appointed pastor of Julian Methodist Church as of July 1.

“We’re not merging with the Ramona United Methodist Church but we are sharing the campus and resources and sharing ministries with one another in a closer, and we believe, in a more productive way,” he said. “We can be more together than we can through being by ourselves. We can do more together than we can do alone.”