Mark's Notebook


	I never came upon any of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking. - Albert Einstein

Hip-hop ministry

San Jose Mercury News

Tuesday 25 October 2005, 10:36 am
Keywords: Christian Topics , News Articles

By Glenn Lovell, Mercury News

A popular fixture on the local scene since February, The Firehouse has become a safe haven for "all young people at risk," explains San Jose pastor-activist Sonny Lara. "We're an alternative to the thug life, man. When they come here, they don't need to stand with their guard up; they can relax . . . be themselves."

The free, non-denominational nightspot meets the last Friday of each month at the old Oasis disco or, if that's taken, the St. James Community Center down the street. The club has been hailed by San Jose Recreation Superintendent Angel Rios Jr. as "cutting edge" and "a positive alternative" for kids who are confused or have lost their way.

Pastor Lara rents the St. James Street club from downtown developer Barry Swenson for a token $375 or "as close to that as we can come." He calls The Firehouse "neutral ground," a place where different religions and ethnicities can mingle without fear of the kind of gun violence that erupted Saturday morning outside the Ambassador Lounge on San Pedro Street.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/12990615.htm