The Church of Ambrosia, known as the world's largest psychedelic church and a beacon for spiritual seekers employing psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis, and DMT as sacraments, is shutting its San Francisco doors. Amidst tensions with the city's Planning Department, Pastor Dave Hodges announced that the SOMA location would cease operations by the end of the year. However, the church's Oakland counterpart will continue to welcome its 120,000-strong congregation. Hodges accuses the Planning Department of harassment that borders on religious discrimination, with demands for costly structural upgrades that were not prerequisites when the church initially opened its doors in San Francisco 20 months ago.
Despite efforts to comply with city regulations, including replacing a second-floor sliding glass door, Hodges contends that the Planning Department continues to push for expensive rectifications, like replacing boarded-up windows at ground level with costly "ingressed" shutters. In a recent interview, Hodges expressed his concern: "If we had the money to spend to make the modifications that they are currently asking for, we have no guarantee that they would just find another problem," according to CBS News. This sentiment reflects a broader issue wherein smaller San Francisco entities feel cinched by city policies that seem disproportionately stringent.
On the other side, the Planning Department refutes the church's position, citing three open code violations concerning electrical and plumbing systems as the crux of the issue. In a statement given to CBS News, Chief of Staff Dan Sider highlighted efforts made by the department to work with the church, "We've worked closely with the Church for the last six months to legalize their occupancy and no structural work is required." The Planning Department expressed surprise over the closure announcement, especially as they reviewed architectural plans submitted by the church.
The church's relationship with the city has not been without its brighter spots. Hodges details how the church has helped mitigate neighborhood safety issues by collaborating with law enforcement, sharing critical evidence from security cameras, and administering life-saving Narcan during overdose incidents. Hodges hopes for a change under the incoming administration of Mayor-Elect Daniel Lurie, who has pledged to bring reform to City Hall practices, possibly heralding a future in which the church might re-establish its San Francisco presence. Until then, according to Hodges, "the signs of the universe are saying, 'Get out of SF as soon as possible.' " This decision was first reported by Zide Door.
