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    Humanist Hall

    4.1 (23 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Venue rental

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    dilapidated outdoor fireplace and garbage

    Not very impressed with this place. Very ran down and over priced. A very close friend had an event here. It was expensive and they jacked the fee up $1000 from when the initial reservation and deposit was made, last minute inconvenient permit required for music and very ran down appearance. Pulled up and there was garbage all along the curb in front, there was a dirty sock, empty Newports box and other debris on the stairs leading to the entrance. This is the first impression. Then, first thing when you walk in...hit right in the face with a strong smell of dirty restrooms. Even with food cooking you could still smell the stench of urine. The back yard looks fabulous in pictures but it no longer looks like that. There was garbage all over, a big pile of debris and pieces of what looked like padding from couch cushions on the ground. Apparently at one point there was a fire pit, now there is broken rocks/bricks of what I assume was one an outdoor fireplace. It is not accessible to people with limited mobility. There is one toilet for men and one for women (again, the bathrooms smelled like urinals, strong pungent stench or uncleaned bathrooms all in your face), no AC and the fan didn't work. The area is very sketchy as well. I wouldn't recommend this venue.

    Carol C.

    Date: 1/23/2016 Time: 2:00 PM 58° Partly sunny Humanist Hall is not in a fancy-schmancy building and its interior is simple in design. On one side of the building is the kitchen and an area for food prep set up. The elevated stage is at the opposite end. The reception area is large enough for celebrating special occasions - be it birthdays, weddings, baby and/or wedding showers, celebration of life. The courtyard is in a garden-like setting. Basically, one calls the gentleman, Dave, re: renting and reserving the hall. Setting up and cleaning up is the responsibility of the host and family. Purpose of visit: Husband and I are here for a dearly departed friend's celebration of life. Her family set up the tables, chairs and the lovely floral centerpieces. They also are working the slide show of their mom, aunt, grandmother or great aunt with some old school music - a soulful celebration. (A few times they ask Dave to assist with the sound system.) Friends are preparing and serving the late afternoon supper. Overall, it was a nice send off of a friend whom everyone loved, and for some of us, she became our friend three weeks prior to her departure onto a higher plane. She was a special angel among us. For me and on a personal level, I never knew that Valerie's sister, Wendy, and I were high school classmates over 48 years ago until I was introduced to her at the time...small world. (Oh, the memories she and I shared.) Being there was indeed a special occasion to enjoy, celebrate and renew a friendship.

    7/2/17 DJ Rockalot wedding reception setup, stage view
    Rory H.

    7/2/17 I performed for a wedding here and found it to be a great venue for both indoor & outdoor activities. With all the trees It stayed cool outside and the acoustics inside were great! -DJ Rockalot

    Flying at the ACROnym Festival,  March 2016 @ Humanist Hall - Photo by Good Lux Photography

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    4 years ago

    Decent event space, not accessible. The backyard is beautiful!

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    First Congregational Church of Oakland - Collins Chapel

    First Congregational Church of Oakland

    (14 reviews)

    The Free Key Choir has had many concerts at First Congregational Church of Oakland and we keep…read morecoming back because we love it so much. The staff (Ronnie, Brian, Philip, and Neal) are all so accommodating, the space is beautiful and such a terrific venue for music, and it's nestled right in the heart of Oakland. Highly recommend hosting your event here, or renting the space for whatever other purpose!

    I have been renting space for teaching classes at FCCO for fifteen years! FIFTEEN YEARS of…read moreexcellent service and rapport. * FCCO always has our room clean, organized and ready for us. I never have to worry if the room is going to be setup when I get there. This is so valuable in itself because it means NO STRESS for me. Something I cannot say for some of our other rentals. THANKS FCCO! * Ronnie, who is in charge of bookings, is a pleasure to work with and a breath of fresh air. You can tell that he enjoys working with people and he truly cares about your experience at FCCO. He is professional, organized & friendly. * Brian is also pretty darn awesome! He is in charge of setting up our class for us and is ALWAYS there if we ever need anything or help of any kind. We feel like we are in good hands with Brian every single night. * Yes, the building is old and needs some repairs ... but honestly, this does not affect our experience at all. It is immaculately clean and the excellent service and welcoming attitude cancels that out! THANK YOU FCCO.

    New Life Community Church - #NewLifeOakland

    New Life Community Church

    (11 reviews)

    Grand Lake, Lower Hills

    I have been a member of this church for the last 7 years (I think it's been 7 years). I must say…read morethat before I attended New Life Community church I was not much of a church goer you would maybe catch me in church on Easter Sunday (if that). I was invited by a co-worker of mine when the church was still in its first year. Ever since I attended my first service I was hooked. There is something there that just spoke to me and said that I belong here that this is the place I needed to be. Over the years I became very involved in the small group and leadership roles that the church has. I've enjoyed creating connections in serving the community and growing in god and the spirt and most of all gaining a whole new church family that comes from all walks of life. If you are looking for a church home that really feels like home come check out New Life Community church. PS due to Covid restrictions we are not able to meet in person but New Life does whole service on Facebook and YouTube live every Sunday

    I want to thank you for welcoming me into your church when I returned home from Sheridan Prison…read moreCamp in Sheridan Oregon. I was sent to a half way house in Oakland California where I knew no one. They had a flyer on the wall at the half way house of local churches in the area that were available to attend. I selected your church and began attending on my allowed time for church on Sundays. I was welcomed with open arms and enjoyed the enlightening messages7 from the pastor. I want you all to know how much it has meant to me. This past year I have thought of you all often. I live in Sacramento and will probably not be back to your church but I will never forget your kindness. Good Bless you all .... Ken

    Our Lady of Lourdes Church

    Our Lady of Lourdes Church

    (19 reviews)

    East Oakland

    I was walking around this Grand and Lakeshore area with a guide that grew up right here in this…read morearea. He's over 65 now, so he has some stories to tell of the "old days". I saw this big church just across from Lake Merritt and asked what that? He told me that was Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. He grew up right on the street behind it. His paper route (something kids had back then), delivered to the nuns that lived in the rear of the complex. This church was also a elementary school. I don't know if it today or not. The children all wore uniforms to school. He remembers seeing them walking past his house and thinking that was strange having to wear uniforms, but that's a 7 year old thinking, that went to public schools. The big bell tower that still rings ... actually doesn't have real bells in it, they have big speakers that sound the bells. Something he told me the nuns told him once. The front of the main church is quite majestic and the inside is cavernous. I'm not a real church goer but if you were looking for a Catholic Church, this might be a good one if you live nearby.

    **Posting this here as helpful information in case anyone is trying to communicate with the Church…read moreOffice as the website/answering machine is not up to date** The office is being supported by unpaid VOLUNTEERS. It is NOT OPEN 9am-3pm as the answering machine states. Your best bet is to leave a voicemail and MAYBE someone will call you back if you leave enough information about what you're asking for. You CANNOT drop by the office and expect someone to be there. It doesn't seem you can make appointments ahead of time either based on the volunteer nature of the office staff. If you require any documents, request that they be mailed to you to save everyone time/effort. I had contacted the parish in regards to Baptism. To save the next family some time, here is what I learned: - Baptisms are performed on the first Sunday of the month at the 10am Mass - you must attend a Baptism class (1st Saturday of the month) prior to the Baptism. - There is a Baptism donation fee plus a fee per godparent for the Baptism class - you must have a conversation with the Priest - you must be registered with the Church - At least one godparent needs to be baptized, first communion and confirmed. - The Baptism certificate can only hold 4 names so if you have more godparents, keep in mind that not all names will be printed on the certificate. Those were the main points but you'll learn more specifics in the Baptism class about the ceremony itself, what to bring and what to expect. I now understand that the office is severely understaffed but the process for arranging the baptism could have been improved and I felt a sense of irritation by volunteers that I had too many questions. I hope this helps someone out there, have a nice day.

    Humanist Hall - venues - Updated July 2026

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