My family had been here before for Sunday morning service. I always work Sunday morning so this was…read moremy first visit . It was 9 am service on Easter. Parking was easy . We were there ten minutes before 9 am . It was a full amount of people , every seat was taken by 9 am . The music started , great musicians but it was extremely loud . I'm too sensitive to sound this early , probably bring ear plugs next time . The music went on for 30 minutes. Then Pastor Pat started his sermon . He ended at 10 am and then the service was over . Service was an hour . We then walked outside to the large outdoor area. Set up with games and a coffee donut stand . It was a different format than any church I've been too but in a good way . It was a great start to a Happy Easter !

I was raised in the church and I have had both very good experiences and really bad ones. Enough…read morewhere I am very picky about my place of worship. I have lived in San Marcos my entire life, and occasionally have attended most of the well known ones around at one point or another. A couple years ago a friend invited me here. I have gone off and on throughout the years, never being really truly faithful to one establishment. That is until recently. You see I need a place that lets anyone through their doors. Here is what I have seen that makes me feel like its an open door policy here. The homeless guy that never comes all the way in but sits in the courtyard with his cup of coffee and bible each Sunday (they have a set spot up in the fall and winter time for free coffee) The people in wheelchairs have their own place to sit, behind a table for better set up. The ushers and staff have tattoos. You can wear anything you want and no one will judge, really. Extremely diverse, taught that Jesus loves us all. No matter gender, ethnicity, background, or sexual orientation. That was said in a sermon. Has a very good children's service but doesn't give you the look if your kid wants to be in the sermon. Also has a room for nursing moms, or dads stuck with the screaming baby during the prayer. Offers free bibles if you don't have one. Sat in the cafe for a while and everyone was super happy and friendly BUT didn't make me feel like I was stuck being preached at. Just a cool place to chill between services. The place is immaculate even the bathrooms. I know, who cares? I do! Parking is a mess but the guys out there due a good job at keeping it moving. Three services so if you sleep through the first two you get a third chance at making it. Services are timed so thank you JESUS its not the sermons I was stuck in as a kid for hours, and hours. I love my God, but I love lunchtime too. The music is good, not the cheesy music you hear with the single guy and guitar. Sorry CC. You can choose to be involved but big enough church if your just wanting an hour and a half of peace. Great safety system for the kids. You will see when you visit and are walked through the process. Lots of different classes to attend to learn more. Like I said, just some of the pointers I have noticed over the years I have come here. I will keep coming back.

Awaken is a fresh, energetic church community of campuses that embodies biblical truth. Sometimes…read more(more often than not sadly) churches manipulate scripture to suit their false message, agenda, congregation etc. At Awaken you'll find sound ministries, welcoming brothers and sisters in Christ, healing and laying of hands, all fundamentally based in the one and only truth of the Gospel, as it's given. Kids church is incredible, men and women's ministries are deeply rooted in supportive relationships. So so much love fills this church. Come here with an open heart to receive Him and an amazing community of brothers and sisters in Christ to strengthen your Christian walk. Also, they bring in amazing, widely known guest speakers.

I attended this church for 12 years. They want your money and time and DO NOT TEACH the bible. Once…read moreI left all of my "friends " stopped speaking to me. They have "special' seats for people who donate and I personally was told to leave my husband because he was :demon influenced as I was told by a minister . Girls are clicky and drink a lot. Pastors aren't knowelegable about the bible. I go to Daybreak Church now and luckily aren't as traumatized as people I know that went to Awaken and don't ever go to church again. There was non stop gossip at our small groups. I am saying this with love and respect and hoping J and L read this and repent and teach the real Bible. I was so traumatized by all of this. I was told to tithe to get my miracle healing from cancer and when it didn't happen I was told to speak in tongues daily???

I love the personal sense of love and support at this church. People feel seen and they are…read moreentrusted to help live out their calling. Sunday services are super welcoming and everyone geniunely is happy to see you. The staff works hard to support church community. I have been attending for years and this church is more than it's Sunday service, it's how they foster community. One the most amazing things is how the leaders encourage people to step out and be a part of something bigger. In all my time at this church, I always felt that the leaders and this community believe in me and are cheering me on towards the very best life in Christ.

I love Summit! I have been in various churches my whole life in Canada and US and this is the most…read morecaring community I have experienced! The pastors have the biggest heart for the flock and they embody Isaiah 61:1 more than any pastors/church I have ever been a part of before. They leave time for prayer during the service and people are healed and captives are set free weekly! This is an anointed church where the Holy Spirit moves freely and powerfully! Praise God for Summit!

Love it there !! Serving since MARCH10-25 !! Love my brothers and sisters an the community an the…read moremen's group !!!

After reading all the reviews, it's clear that most of the people writing negative reviews have no…read moreidea what they're talking about. One said ask about revelations and "Observe how they take their tithes". You've clearly only talked to like one person at the church and most likely only attended once. It's ridiculous to make assumptions when you don't take the time to get to know the people and see what the church values. I've attended many churches in and around San Diego. The Rock has made a bigger impact in my life than any other Church.

Last night's first Thursday event for "Gateway Girlfriends" was another fun time with the ladies at…read moreVintana. I look forward to the casual bonding, the laughs, and the night out with sincere Christian women without constraints or any pressure. The monthly outing keeps me sane, and hubby likes how happy it makes me. (Happy wife, happy life.). I would be lost without these ladies!

What can I say about The Lake Church?…read more I have been coming here for several months and over that time, I have already seen the church grow. I think it's going to outgrow it's current location at the Lake Pavilion because people are starting to find out about it and they are joining and inviting their friends. (The office address is not where they meet). The pastor, Jim Brown, has a way of explaining the bible (it's a bible based Christian church) that makes you not only understand the bible better, but it also makes you want to be a better person. His wife acts as the church hostess and makes sure that all feel welcome and handles announcements, and logistic issues for the congregation. It's a community church, so there are many different denominations that attend, and probably some non-believers as well. When I started coming here I figured the average age was about 85. The average age is lowering now, (I'm seeing some people in their 30s) and as families start hearing about the pastor and the general welcoming feel of this church I think this will continue. Right now there is no youth program so if you have children you need to be aware of that, but I do think that this will change over time. There is one 10 year old who attends. They do create CDs after every program, so you can also listen to a sermon if you want to hear more before you attend. I give it five stars.

I attended a memorial service here for a beloved school employee and local community member. Being…read moreof the Jewish faith, I had no idea what to expect from a memorial service at a church. Mission Hills Church has a very welcoming environment. The Pastor delivered a very touching sermon and included all the children in attendance. My children were encouraged to speak as much as they wanted to. This is a large church with a huge parking lot. There is also a building for hosting a small reception.

I LOVE this church. Last Sunday was the first time I had ever gone and I think I found the perfect…read morechurch for me. They have a wonderful place for children to stay while you're at the chapel. Pastor Jamin did a wonderful job at Sunday's service. If you're looking for a new church to go to I highly recommend this one. Everyone is so welcoming and when you enter the chapel you are filled with a calm and comfortable feeling.

My friend Alisha invited me along with my best guy friend Ron to attend service altogether at Grace…read moreChurch last Sun, March 30th. It's great that they offer visitor parking that's conveniently located at the front section of the parking lot. This church is very welcoming, I was greeted with such a warm greeting as I walked towards the entrance of Grace Church. Service was wonderful, I enjoyed the pastor's message. After our 9:30 am Sunday's service, we went to the food bank to select some food to take home. Thank you Grace Church!

Food distribution degradation…read more.. While this program has been a lifeline for many and its mission is appreciated, it has gradually degraded over time. Because the program relies on store donations, the food isn't always fresh. People understand that--when you're hungry, you adapt, even if items are close to expiring or need to be used immediately. What isn't acceptable is how the operation is run and how people are treated. Recent distributions have felt like a chaotic free-for-all. Food is set out on outside tables, but if someone touches an item before an arbitrary signal is given, volunteers talk down to them like they've done something wrong. Instead of letting people use their own bags, everyone is forced to carry around heavy, leftover store boxes that are weighed and tracked, even though one box isn't enough to feed a family. To make matters worse, volunteers treat guests with constant suspicion--falsely accusing people of trying to "double dip" Meanwhile, volunteers routinely hoard the best items for themselves, play favorites, and allow line-cutting--often with clear priority given to "pale" visitors while others who have waited for hours are pushed back. Being in need of food assistance shouldn't mean forfeiting your dignity, being falsely accused, or watching volunteers stack the deck for their favorites. Leadership urgently needs to step in, oversee their volunteers, and address this bias so this center can treat everyone fairly.

This church met in a gym for many years with hours of setting up and tearing down sunday after…read moresunday. They found a permanent building and moved in a year and a half ago. Like all calary chapels the Bible is taught chapter by chapter verse by verse and then they start all over again, this process can take many years. Its a great way to go through the Bible, there is so much to learn. They have weekly bible studys and prayer meetings for men and woman and monthly mens breakfast and BBQs. They go out as a whole church group and have lunch together once a month. The worship is fantastic. They are small in size so its easy to get to know everybody they are very friendly. Check them out.

Very interesting turn of events has happened. As you can see there has been a post on here posted…read more4years ago that has my current name but that was not me, it was my ex. I do have to agree that it is a church that almost seemingly results in a religious cult. You ask your self what is a religious cult? A religious cult can be described as religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled by a single individual or by an organization. This type of cult is usually manipulative demanding total commitment and loyalty from its followers. Another good example of a cult is they claim to be Christian, and even consider the bible to be authoritative. But they manipulate the scripture to fit their own beliefs. Although they claim to serve Jesus Christ. That brings me to the topic of why I am writing this on the help page. Most of you know me and I just want to say thank you for having me at your church, but their comes a time where people fall out and we move on. If you choose to continue going to this church congratulation I hope you find what you are looking for. This church yes did help me but the emails I got today were very disrespectful and controlling that is the reason this review is being posted. I notified this person not to harass me and she insisted that I remove a post that was not made by me. That is when I saw here true colors. Most people in a church help one another. But when things are slammed at you and trying to degrade you it really disturbing. I was given a list of all the things that supposedly this person did for me. I just have to say thank you, but if you did all those things and now I'm being bashed for it is not very Christian behavior. I didn't need rides to church there was time where I walked. If you didn't want to do any of these things for me you should have said so. Then you claim that people at the church believe I'm a jerk because I received help. Well I'm sorry... I have grown up allot and can see society more clear and who your true people are. You loose contact with people who you thought were your friends but in reality were not which is ok. So now I have been told that they are going to contact help support and report me for an account that I don't even use or even have access too. Trying to get me for slandering the church, defamation of character and liable against a business public service institution because they helped me get to church on Sundays. To the people that picked me up to go church on Sunday I'm sorry that it was a burden. When I was told that you didn't mind. I'm sorry you had to spend money on gas and mileage on your car. Then I guess there are still people at the church that still speak negative of me from a post from 4years ago. If you are a new brother or sister of Christ going to Calvary chapel or any church congratulation. But I guess most new brothers and sisters attending are being told that the post was made by a SICK YOUNG MAN who they helped for years and made a review on yelp with no reason, no proof, just a hate message for the world to see. Then I was told from a member of the church that I will be rewarded they same way from other people. And I guess I reap what I sow. God knows all. This is a long post but those of you that are reading this I just want you to 4years later I'm being harrased for something that was out of my control. But for someone to try and make someone feel bad or bring my son into the conversation I Will guard my son and nobody will talk about him in a negative way. He is loved by a family. He has a mother and father. So I Will agree with the post from 4years ago that this church may try and help you but in return they want something out of you. What I was advised on stated below. The federal government has begun taking more steps to protect consumer speech through two important pieces of legislation. THE RIGHT TO YELP BILL also known as the Consumer Review Fairness Act. And the SPEAK FREE ACT protects consumers from lawsuits intended to silence their freedom of speech. Both are important and will work together to protect your FIRST AMENDMENT right to express your opinions online. If you are still reading this review you can ask me certain question through my email. nicholasmedina2016@gmail.com because it seems like certain people at this church are trying to silence me and to delete a post that I have no control over and received threats from someone in the congregation and to delete a post because it make it look negative. Thank you for reading this post there is no hatred in the love of Jesus Christ we are told to love one another. I just hope that if you are trying to find a church on my own experience I would stay away from this church. So thank you have a good day and God Bless

I was staying in town and found St Mark's. I would love to frequent here if I ever stayed in San…read moreMarcos. They had so many options for mass times, including those in Spanish. Especially weekdays. I was highly engaged with the Priest's sermon. One of the few masses that offer wine. The cushioned benches and pews were very comfortable and a cute grotto located on the side. Great parking throughout.

The parish is very inviting and there is a lot of activity if you want to get involved. They always…read morehave something going on celebrating the sacraments, I've never seen so many people receive confirmation in one parish the pastor father Bruce's excellent and so are the priests. Father Abel, father Emilio, and father Jesse are good communicators at the pulpit. I do miss father Brad and father Miguel,I've been a member for five years and highly recommend the parish. Father Brad was recently seen on TV after the Muslims were gun down at their mosque. He represents the Catholic Church very well and speaks and communicates well to the press.