By JORDAN CONN
There were no politics in Aaron Kumlin’s pulpit Sunday. Not even after a week in which many American evangelical Christians fell into a fit of Sarah Palin mania.
The Mission District’s evangelical churches reflect the larger community’s diversity, said Kumlin, the Ministries Pastor at Bethel Christian Church — and when it comes to politics, no party has a monopoly on churchgoers.
“I would say our church is split almost right down the middle between liberal and conservative,” Kumlin said. “I’m sure it’s not 50-50, but it’s probably about 55-45, and I’m not even sure which side has more.”
So while much of the rest of America’s devoutly religious evangelicals have been galvanized by Republican Presidential nominee John McCain’s selection of the Alaska Governor as his running mate, the Mission’s church community remains decidedly neutral.
There are at least five evangelical churches with substantial congregations in the Mission, and while it is unclear how many evangelicals live in the district — many of the churches draw congregants from elsewhere in the city — their presence is significant, church representatives said. But so far, they’re keeping church and politics separate.
“People at this church come from dramatically different backgrounds,” said Kumlin, whose church was affiliated with Palin’s denomination, the Assemblies of God, until the mid-20th century. “A third of our congregation is made up of first-generation Americans. Then another third is made up of second-generation Americans. You can’t just say we have one perspective and that covers it.”
A similar diversity — and political neutrality — marked Sunday’s service at Cornerstone Church on 17th St. Elderly white men in suits sat next to young Asian women in jeans, all listening to Pastor Terry Brisbane preach a sermon without a single mention of last week’s Republican National Convention.
The only talk of the economy was in reference to an upcoming seminar, “Managing Finances God’s Way.” Marriage was discussed without allusion to Proposition 8, in which California voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. And torture was only brought up to describe Jesus’ crucifixion.
“We try to be apolitical because we are in the business of trying to bring justice and care to the community,” Kumlin said. “Sometimes if you’re with one party, you lose your way of speaking effectively to the other side.”
“Politcs are very personal,” said Malene Hunt, a staff member at Dolores Park Church. “We never want to alienate another child of God who sees things differently.”
But Hunt couldn’t deny her affinity for evangelical America’s newest political star.
“Sarah is a very impressive woman who is very pro-life and has a very strong family,” said Hunt, who has been a member of her church since 1952, when she was 13. “She’s sincere. She talks to normal people and catches your ear. I just believe her.”
Regarding the news that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant, Hunt was supportive of the family and critical of the media.
“I think everyone just needs to leave her alone,” Hunt said. “It’s a personal issue. And they’re doing the right thing. They’re getting married. I think they need to be able to keep that private.”
Hunt said that Palin ‘s addition to the ticket made her more likely to vote for McCain, and that for many of her friends, the choice had “cinched” their vote. But such partisanship was rare.
“I have never even met the base of the Republican Party,” Kumlin said. “It’s certainly not here. I don’t even know what it would look like.”
As for taking off the pastor’s hat and assuming the role of a voter, Kumlin was hesitant to share his preference.
“We have a saying that the pastors here don’t even tell our wives who we’re going to vote for,” he said, “so telling you would probably be letting the cat out of the bag.”
For her part, Hunt said, “I just want whichever one the Lord wants.”