In San Francisco, the biggest psychedelic church in the world is about to close.
The move is being attributed by the Church of Ambrosia to religious prejudice and harassment by the city’s planning department.
The Church of Ambrosia is a non-traditional place of worship housed in a gray structure on Howard Street in SOMA.
“We are an entheogenic church,” stated Pastor Dave Hodges of the Ambrosia Church. “We provide cannabis, mushrooms and dmt as sacrament to our members.”
There are over 120,000 adherents of the church.
To purchase their sacrament, they travel to either the Oakland site or the San Francisco location. According to Pastor Dave Hodges, his congregants are genuinely enlightened by the sacrament.
“The point of what we do is to provide access to your soul,” he said. “Our faith is that these tools allow you to access what you truly are and that’s where you can get all the answers that you need in life.”
However, because to conflicts with the city’s planning department, Pastor Hodges stated that he must immediately close the San Francisco location. He argues that two structural modifications were required by the planning department.
One was to replace the second-floor sliding glass door, which they accomplished. The other was to replace the boards that were installed on the ground level windows for security reasons. He claimed that the project will cost several thousand dollars.
“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,” he stated.
The pastor’s assertions are disputed by the Planning Department. According to the report, there are three open code violations on the property, including plumbing and electrical ones. According to a departmental complaint, the building was altered with the department’s consent but without a permit.
Dan Sider, Chief of Staff in the Planning Department, wrote a statement to KPIX.
“San Francisco has made great progress in lowering costs and procedures for small businesses of all types, and the Church of Ambrosia is no exception. No structural work is necessary because we have been working closely with the Church over the past six months to legalize their tenancy. “Today’s closure announcement was unexpected because our staff is currently reviewing architectural plans that they submitted last week.”
Although the church now states that December 28 is the last day it will be open for business, it hopes to eventually return to the city. Oakland will continue to operate.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.