I posted previously about the lack of transparency and sketchy financials at City Church, and on a…read morewhim, I decided to check out if things were getting better, since a friend recently told me they were launching a big fundraising push to plug a potential $1.2M hole in their budget. Email is attached. I was really surprised that they could be running so large of a deficit because the Paycheck Protection Program should have been available to them to help plug any deficit that they could have had. So I went and pulled their annual financial report on their website for Sept 2020- Aug 2021 (https://citychurchsf.org/Give) and I was surprised that nothing was mentioned in the report about taking PPP money, given the deficit that they claimed to have. But then I checked the government databases, and saw that they actually were able to get $858,200 from the PPP in two tranches, one on April 9, 2020 for $429,100 (see https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/city-church-san-francisco-a-congregation-of-the-reformed-ch-san-francisco-ca) and the other for the same amount on April 9, 2021 (see https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/city-church-san-francisco-a-congregation-of-the-reformed-chu-san-francisco-ca) Given how much they got in PPP money, I find it hard to believe they could be on pace to run a $1.2M deficit, especially since most churches in the city have seen giving stay very constant during COVID. I find it even more problematic that City Church did not even disclose that they took PPP money in their $1.2M fundraising push, instead only disclosing that GIVING is on pace to be $1.2M below budget.

I am saddened and yet not surprised to read a few negative reviews - even recent reviews - of those…read morewho reject the courage that this pastoral team demonstrated when City Church became gay-affirming. There is unfortunately, always conflict when something like this occurs and the courage that Pastor Fred and his staff demonstrated in following the path that the Holy Spirit called them to follow - beautifully so - comes at a cost. Fred did what a real pastor does - he followed the leading of God, despite angering some (extremely wealthy), very religious parishioners who ended up leaving as a result of creating a space for gay men and women to be themselves at church. It's pretty rare for a church to do something that rocks the money boat but he followed the promptings of God - the prompt to ensure that the LGBTQ community could enter into an experience of Jesus and know that they are beloved - and never wavered, despite these people who continue to call his character into question with a viciousness I wish they'd save for someone who was actually causing harm. This bitterness over not being able to control him or have a church based on their very specific terms has to be miserable - the heart of the stubborn never finds rest but we'll leave them in hopes that they find some peace. Jesus was on the receiving end of the worst rage of the Religious so I guess it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that this kind of thing continues to happen. For me, as someone struggling with my faith, new to San Francisco, the CG City Church provided was my path back to God and the sermons are incredible. I recommend this Church if you've been broken, if you have always felt you lived on the island of misfit toys and want a relationship with Jesus. You'll find it here.

I'm certain I reviewed this church previously. It is manipulative. The sermon is given to the…read morepiano playing in the background to elicit a feeling of....soap operaness is the only word I can think of. Tithe is given by walking to the front of the room in front of everyone to show that you've done it. The pastor speaks for WAY too long (at least 45 minutes). It's not my cup of tea and I find them dishonest and untrustworthy. I can only imagine that the name and address change means they got a brand new listing and all the honest reviews were wiped out.

C3 SOMA is a welcoming, energizing, fun and safe place to learn about God and experience His…read morepresence. I never knew that there was a diverse group of young professionals, students, and parents who were searching for a real community like I was. You can build friendships here that go beyond "hi" and "bye". They even offer quick info sessions after services to learn more about God and the church community. The pastors are so REAL (and funny), that I've been encouraged by their openness in sharing their everyday situations that I find myself struggling with also. Finally, a place where I can be real and experience freedom through Jesus! If you love live music, guitars, contemporary Christian music, you're gonna love hearing it at Beatbox from their world-class speaker system :D So many reasons to come and experience C3 SOMA for yourself!

So being a lifelong Presbyterian most all my life, with the side tours of evangelical and non…read moredenominational, as well as a gospel singer/ musician , when I am looking for a traditional Presbyterian church as what I was raised in as a child a few churches in the city would come to mind. This church is one of them!! There are too many Reformed/ Presbyterian churches that are facing the the plague of trying to go like the mainstream feel good" almost revivalist church in worship, but not this church!! Thank God!! When I think of true Presbyterian and Reformed, Lakeside comes to mind. Even if I live in the S of the Peninsula, it does not matter this serves and fills a deep void that we hardline old school as well as new school Presbyterians need!! I cannot say enough of the excellent small choir and excellent DIrector of Music Don Scott Carpenter. Even though at this time the attendance is low, you would never know and you would feel like your listening to music in a large Cathedral. Let's not forget the Pastor The Rev. Dr. Pamela Anderson who brings the true Reformed liturgy into this church, and her wonderful sense of humor along with timely messages are a big welcome. I would say that if you are looking for a Church home, and you thrive for the Reformed liturgy and music, you need to attend here!! I would also say if you are searching for a fellowship/ home and have drifted, find your way back here. There are no judgement calls in this place of the Lord. This is a Church for everyone, if you come from a Presbyterian ,Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Congregational ,Roman Catholic or whatever your background checkout Lakeside, give it a try and make it your new home. I am most certain the liturgy will feel very familiar and comfortable for you. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the dedication, love and the artistry of this church portrays ..first class. It is in my humble opinion that every pew of this church should be filled with people like you! May God direct your path to this haven of hope for the many.

OK, I admit this is not an objective evaluation. But I will try to practice my humility in what I…read morewrite about Lakeside Presbyterian Church. I became the congregation's pastor in January 2005. This is a faithful congregation attempting to live out the call of the Gospels to serve God by serving others with love, compassion a hope for what can be! Sunday morning worship features a service which combines some of the best music of each generation. But worship is only part of the essence of our ministry. Our love of Christ is experienced through the award winning pre-school developed and directed by the Church, recent mission work trips to Mississippi to assist in the Katrina rebuilding efforts, and a myriad of small groups that nurture spiritual development. If you are searching for a spiritual home, I encourage you to give Lakeside a try and to see for yourself whether our "spiritual food" is what you are looking for. I also would be quite interested in hearing your direct feedback in regards to your impressions of our ministries of worship, mission and/or Christian faith development. You can find directions, phone numbers and email addresses on our church's website at www.LakesideSF.org May God be with you on Journey of Life, Pastor Kim Nelson

It's a great church. Highly recommend it! I came here many…read moretimes for their free concerts in the past and the people here are warm, loving, and caring. Just wish their members can continue to grow. God bless Old First Presbyterian Church!

Truly the best place to volunteer and feel like you've made a difference…read more.. For Valentine's Day this year I decided to help out at the neighborhood Old First Presbyterian church feeding the homeless (http://www.oldfirst.org/)... Sometimes - when I'm so high up in my happy cloud, I like to be reminded that my life is something very small - so all that I gripe about isn't nearly as bad as I might think...helps me stay grounded. I also think that Valentine's Day shouldn't be a day were we just show our significant other that we are in love with them...it's a time to show that we care about people as a whole....that we are loving beings who have lots of love to share. One of my friend's helps cook at the church and another has volunteered before...they had told me all about how good it felt to be part of the project... Since it's only 4 blocks from me, I felt called to help. Rev. Meghan Rohrer is the Director of their Welcome Committee were they help the homeless in SF with many things...during her welcome talk to the volunteers she talked to us about all the services that they offer the homeless - finding their birth certificate, schooling, shelter, counseling and just things like trying to locate family.... We set up the large basement of the church to seat over 120 homeless and instead of just serving them, we were encouraged to bring the food directly to each table and sit with them while we ate also. I was moved by some of their stories, humbled actually... During the meal, we also gave them clean socks at a donation table...clothing, shampoo, soap and shoes and I spent some time making valentine's that they could take home with them or give to a friend/family. I feel this is something I'm going to try to continue doing...it was only three and a half hours of my Saturday afternoon/evening but I know it meant a lot to the people who came and those who work at the church. Rev. Megan gave us the photo of a man named George...she said that they encourage their patrons look at the bigger picture. Often, you see them asking for money to obtain something immediate...but a lot of what volunteering does effects something that is much bigger - something that will help them obtain something so much larger than just food... In this image, George is holding a cardboard sign that just simply says (misspellings and all) "You fed me until I got a room! It Took 10 years. Thanx for you patience. George." Maybe this will inspire you to visit this wonderful church that goes above and beyond. I'm not overly religious and have my own spiritual path so I have not come to Sunday services...However - I can say without a doubt...this is one of the most Loving and Nurturing places in the city!

Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco (MCC). When I…read morefirst attended MCC, the pastor welcomed me and brought me into the sanctuary. I asked where the "gay people were." He said, "Most of us are LGBTQ here." I was amazed. Everyone looked so normal. No horns, no hell-fire, no smoke was billowing up through the floor. In fact, I was very touched by the love shown, especially during communion. Singles, couples, and groups of people went up to receive communion together. Never, in all my years of visiting churches, have I ever seen such bonding and love emanating from the congregation. Because of that love, and because of the support, I began the long process of accepting my sexuality. I will always be grateful. MCC forever transformed my lilfe. Jack Pantaleo

Where gay men go on Sunday morning to repent for Saturday night.read more

Visited this church over a few months following a good recommendation (from someone who later…read morestopped going here too for the same reasons I am about to share). There is much to like about the community on first impression, but it quickly fades away. They have all kinds of banners outside their place of worship welcoming all kinds of people, people who you would not find as part of a significant chunk of their actual congregation because the attitude of the community beyond their lipservice turns the same people they claim to welcome away. People here are touchy, spiteful, unhealthily woke, and very vindictive. They are more concerned with foisting any minority person that wanders into their midst to the forefront of their pageantry with barely any care to meaningfully know, let alone accept, those people as distinct individuals beyond the stereotypical narratives they prefer the person represents for them. Once you've served your purpose in picture appearances, their PR choreography, or become unuseful to their optics, they drop you like a worn mascot and find the next minority person to hoist. It's all about appearances and symbolism in this community. The whole spiritual thing is a charade over a close-mindedness the community doesn't even try to hide. Their pastor for spiritual care will lead you straight out of your spirituality and faith. He is the epitome of the congregation: sweet initially, ignorant of both scriptures and emotional intelligence over people, projects his immaturity onto you, then turns arrogantly rude and temperamental, passes extremely presumptuous and juvenile judgments about you, then acts repentant, soft, and back to sweet again. That is the definition of an unhealthy, psycho-dysfunctional relationship. Put simply, if you are looking for ways to nurture and grow in either faith or spirituality, this is probably not the place to do it. ** Just a thought: churches that truly possess the values on those banners in their ministerial and operational DNA do not merely state them on endless banners or need banners to do the talking for them. No, the inherent composition of their congregation speaks for itself and word spreads out. ** ____ Update: Fix the problem; stop suppressing reviews. My Yelp account has been repeatedly targeted unfairly for closure since I first published this review in April 2024. Have had to repost it multiple times since then and will continue to do so until enough new reviews report that my experience at your church no longer happens. You don't resolve honest feedback by heavy-handedly quashing reviewers. Stop the systemic censorship and silencing of real people's voices that detail their experiences if what they say is not to your liking. You are making the very point I describe in my review. Raises questions about the integrity of your present high rating and how much of that is merely from censorship and curation, which in turn misleads those researching where to worship - the opposite of what a truthful church should be. Stop the tyrannical choreography. Do the right thing instead, FIX THE PROBLEM NOT THE REVIEW. ____ Reply to Response: Thanks for the kind response after multiple unsuccessful attempts over the past year to take down the review and my account. I'm always touched by double-face. Now may you find the courage to build a more wholesome community. Godspeed.

Went here for years when Laird was here and the other Pastors. Not sure what I think now…read more This seems very odd. No processional for the most part, The new minister is ok and then the other associates are ok. Dont really appreciate this, take a deep breath in" stuff. If I wanted to be at some kind of guru or some kind of New Age event" I would be there. I am at Church. Even the Benediction is odd. There is no Kyrie sung anymore and I don't know, it just seems sort of changed and not the same. I would rather go to a church that is not so full of politics and more of being centered on the message of Jesus Christ. The other political mumbo jumbo does not really belong in church if you ask me. People want hope and love etc. I guess I am wanting the service to be more as it had been years ago, it is not and for that reason I am sad and it does not feel like home. :(

I love the fellowship from beginning to end, there's peace & calm no pressure to do anything but,…read morerelax, know where you've been, now where you're headed! I recently discovered this is the place I am called to be. I look forward to a most rewarding friendship, fellowship & family'ship most positively purpose in service. Amen.

Amazing congregation and members. ...and the music,…read moreclasses...THE FOOD, can't be beaten.

For the record: I live near this church and, although I'm not a practicing Catholic, I still…read moreattended a couple of their services during the holidays. It's a nice structure with a warm and welcoming feeling, so it was perfect to sit in a sacred space and just be in the moment of spirituality. That said, I will NEVER even THINK of coming here again, after what happened today in the courtyard with their temporary office staff, Janice. I was walking my 5 month old puppy and we walked up to the grassy section of this church's courtyard. My puppy started sniffing and I knew this meant that he was about to poop, so I got a bag ready to clean up his mess. As I picked up the poop and started walking away, Janice opened the administration office door and started scolding me (not yelling, but one of those loud tones with attitude) --"What are you doing? This is private property! You think I wanna watch your dog do that outside my window?" I was shocked by her reaction, especially since it was clear that my puppy had not pooped anywhere but the grassy area... not the walkway, the flower beds... it was on grass! Moreover, she clearly saw me pick it up with my dog bag, so I was really taken back by the way she was coming at me for something so harmless. I then showed her that the poop was picked up and in the bag, while asked why she was scolding me over something that was cleaned up. She said, "I'm not scolding you!". Haha. Uhhh.. okay! I asked why she was talking to me so disrespectfully when there was nothing remaining of what my puppy pooped on the grass. She just repeated herself with rants and closed the door with a "Come on!" I replied that she was being a terrible Christian and walked away. To Janice: You really need to think about what just happened. As a life-long Christian, I can understand that the church is a sacred place, but you didn't have to talk to me like that. My puppy is a creation of GOD and all he did was poop on the grass, which I cleaned up. That said, this had NOTHING to do with my pup pooping on the courtyard's grass; this is about YOU, your short temper and your bad attitude. And just FYI: Per CA (SF) ordinance, Dogs are allowed to poop on public and/or private property, as long as it's cleaned up by the owner. You saw me pick up his poop... I ALWAYS pick up his poop, no matter where he does it... it was poop on the freaking grass! Get a grip and fix that attitude--GOD is watching! P.S.-- St. John of God church's administration should be more mindful of who represents their place of worship because Janice needs to be replaced with a permanent office administrator.

I had my sons baptism at ST. John of God and it was the perfect church to have a beautiful intimate…read moreservice with just close friends and family. We will definitely recommend to our friends and family. Thank you!