In the early 70s the Hobsons lived in Santa Ynez, California – a quaint valley just north of Santa Barbara. They raised three boys, started a small business, and through some friends became involved with the Santa Ynez Valley Fellowship (SYVF). The group, like many evangelical Christian groups at the time, wasn’t so much a church, but a gathering of people who shared similar beliefs. Small groups of ten to fifteen families, referred to as a flock, would fall under the oversight of a pastor. The entire fellowship would come together on Sundays for church, but separate flocks would meet more often during the week. This created a close bond between families. In 1979 the members of the Hobson’s flock packed up and moved across the country to Mobile, Alabama, where a great religious movement was happening.
That year many families moved to Mobile in order to create the Gulf Coast Covenant Church (GCCC), which fully embraced the flock/shepherding concept. This created an authoritative format that established a strong family structure. Political unrest and infighting, however, led to the ultimate disintegration of the church and the fallout was felt throughout as flocks broke apart, families moved away, and, in a disproportionate number, families split up and divorced (the Hobsons included).
Our film will focus on the children of the movement and how their experiences shaped their views and influenced who they are today.