Huntington Hippies Hop to Drive-in Church
By James McNabb, Jr., Daily Pilot Staff, The Daily Pilot, California
December 2, 1968, North America
Huntington Beach’s church-hopping “Teens for Christ” struck again this Sunday—hopping in and out of the drive-in Garden Grove Community Church.
The 50 Bible-carrying young people who wear hippie-like garb were ejected after their surprise appearance, apparently because they violated church dress and seating regulations.
One of the band, bearded 21-year-old Miguel Ward, at first ignored the exit order, leaped to the altar steps and shouted at the 1,000 worshipers that their church is “a temple of hypocrisy.”
Ushers ordered the bead-draped band outside after the so-called “Christian revolutionaries” marched up a side aisle and sat on the floor at the front of the steel and glass sanctuary minutes before the 11:15 a.m. processional hymn started.
Ward and a companion, Joseph Langford, almost immediately were corralled by a quartet of the beflowered officials and with their arms pinned to their sides hustled out a side door.
The remaining number left peaceably when the sect’s “spiritual advisor” Dave Berg, 49, nodded approval for retreat.
Garden Grove police speeding to the scene remained outside. No arrests were reported.
The group reassembled on the grass adjacent to the million-dollar structure at 12141 Lewis St.
Founding Pastor Robert H. Schuller, speaking from the open-air pulpit, warned the young crusaders of both sexes he would tolerate no interruption as the persons inside “pay my salary.” There were no further incidents.
The church-visiting hippies headquartered in the “Light Club” at 116 Main St. Huntington Beach have encountered increasingly stronger resistance from church officials.
Reaction to Sunday’s expulsion from the Garden Grove church varied.
Elder Stuart Ehrlich said he had been informed “of their disruptive influence” The lay leader added sitting on the floor violated church rules.