House of Faith Ministries Pa. is a Beautiful , Spirit filled & Spirit led multicultural church…read morewhere the Word of God is preached as it is written& Prophecy goes forth, &Salvation of Souls is encouraged wholeheartedly in various aspects through Bible Study, Prayer, Praise& Worship & Ministering to the lost, sick, & homeless. It welcomes both young& old& is a Pleasant House of Worship& Preparation for the Coming of Jesus.

I was looking for something else on-line and came across Redemption Lutheran Church, my growing-up…read moreyears parish. We lived on Ripley and Large Streets, one long block away from the church, and which was the center of our lives back then. My parents (Ruth & Bill Merz) started attending in 1941 (in the annex before the current sanctuary was built in 1951), and I (Ruth D. Merz) started attending in 1945. From Sunday School classes in 1947 to leaving for a Lutheran college (Wittenberg University) in 1963, the foundation of our faith and religious lives were taught and secured by the Pastor (The Rev. Albert Shumaker), our parents and family, and all the elders and members of the Parish. My two younger sisters Barbara (in PA) and Linda (in AL) were also influenced the same way I was. Our lives outside of school (Rhawnhurst/Wilson/N.E.) revolved primarily around the church and we were there for weekly Sunday services (sitting in "our" pew of course), weekly Sunday School, two full years of Confirmation Class, Girl Scouts (Troop 330), Jr. Choir, Luther League, Nursery helper, sports teams, special events and trips, parish dinners, etc. Our Moms served on the Altar Guild and our Dads on the Church Council and both were heavily involved over the years. I remember walking in the silent snow to Christmas eve services in the dark and always getting a new Easter outfit each year, even if we had to wear a coat over it to keep warm. The only negative was that back in those days, girls were not allowed to serve as Acolytes, a coveted position we would die for, and which only the boys were allowed to do. Looking at the photos today of the buildings on-line showed the still same absolutely beautiful and simple sanctuary where many were baptized, confirmed, married, and brought to the Lord, and so little has changed at all. While I am now 77 years old and have lived in Hawaii for the past 43 years, Redemption will always hold a special spot in my heart. Carrying on with those early teachings, I have attend St. Peter's Episcopal Church here in Honolulu since 1980 immersing myself in all the activities of that church. But now, I also get to wonder what happened to all those folks we grew up with and loved so long ago. Thanks be to God for His many blessings. Me ke aloha pumehana, Ruth D. Merz, Honolulu, Hawaii

Friendly, loving members. Individual healing prayers…read moreoffered on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Special music on the first Sunday of the month. Fellowship with snacks provided after service.

Saint Raphaela Center is a wonderful SPIRITUAL RETREAT CENTER in a gorgeous parklike setting just…read moreoutside of city center Philadelphia. It's an interfaith "resort" for the soul and spirit, run by progressive Roman Catholic nuns who are are kind, welcoming, and very encouraging of people of all faiths converging on their peaceful, beautiful RESIDENTIAL facility in order to meditate, or pray, for the purpose of refreshing one's spirit and calming one's mind. In May 2013 I attended a 2-night silent "Insight/Vipassana" meditation retreat idirected by Matthew Daniell (of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Society) who had in turn been invited to Haverford, PA by the Phildelphia Meditation Center. Note that non-Catholic retreats are not likely to be listed directly on St. Raphaela's retreat calendar - I suggest you google "meditation retreat + Saint Raphaela" to find a Buddhist-/meditation-oriented retreat scheduled at St. Raphaela . Depending on the retreat program you choose to attend you may be able to get a single room or a shared room. Accomodations are clean, bright and simple - NO frills, but cheerful, quiet and very comfortable. The nuns who run the retreat center are good cooks but don't expect the Four Seasons (the retreat I attended was lacto-ovo vegetarian). Desserts were REALLY yummy. ; )) The grounds are lovely and provide ample personal space for "retreatants" and lots of room for walking meditation. In short, you can experience a truly serene and "life-resetting" retreat experience here that is far less expensive that what you would pay at high price-tag "trendy" places like OMEGA or KRIPALU. Easy to get to from 'center city" Philadelphia by a quick commuter train ride plus a short taxi jaunt, or you can take a cab from the Philly city center all the way for about $45.

Masjid was clean and it's a bit more of an open concept where the ladies pray. However, this mosque…read moretakes it seriously that they don't want kids being kids during prayer times which was really discouraging.

I have been here several times for Jummah (Friday Prayer), there are a lot of people so come early!…read more The Masjid is clean, comfortable, and well taken care of.

I was recently married at de Sales and it is one of the most beautiful parishes in the City. It is…read morelarge and has a huge dome like the old fashion churches do. It also has an organ and the sound is magnificent in the building. Father Eric was great every step of the way. I can't recommend this place enough for anyone looking to get married in a church in Philly.

My wife and I married each other at SFdS in 2019. What can I say, the space is beautiful, the organ…read moresublime, and the liturgy reverent. The parish made me feel really at home for the wedding liturgy giving me the help I needed to plan a wedding Mass. Saying my vows with the mosaic of Christ, offering our bouquet to before the statue of Mary, and exciting to the stirring sound of the organ. This is *the* place for a Catholic wedding in Philadelphia!

Despite having a wide variety of ethnic friends, and being exposed to many different cultures, I…read morecant help buying in to stereotypes. I was 16, and my church youth group was scheduled to attend a service at a Black Baptist Church, in West Philly. I had much anxiety, about the excursion. My travels into the city were limited and lets face it, West Philly had/has a reputation. Id seen enough buddy comedies to know what happens when a group of white people walk into a room full of black people. Sudden silence, eyes focused, distrust, scorn. Would this happen to my group and I, as we entered the church? Conversely, other pop culture sources told me the experience would be a hoot. Impassioned sermons, uplifting gospel choir, can I get an Amen? Needless to say, I went into the experience with a healthy mixture of caution and curiosity. Upon entering their church, the negative perceptions I had, instantly melted away. Never have I felt so welcome, in being out of my comfort zone. We were greeted warmly , from the youngest of children, to the seniors, whose faces were wrinkled with smile and laugh lines. I dont know why I let the negative perception guide me, this was a church after all...people of God. Hadnt my own church, reacted the same way to obvious strangers? And in this case, the friendliness was definitely genuine. Its often easy to tell the difference. We sat in the pew, dead center of the sanctuary, the first stage of anxiety washed away. I was now looking forward to the pomp and circumstance, of the Black Baptist service. My first observation disappointed me. I was looking forward to a Gospel Choir but all I saw was a teen at a drum set (already cooler than the boring Lutheran Organ) and a few other teens. Oh well, another stereotype busted. The service started slowly, a few announcements followed by singing a hymn. I was still lingering in my disappointment about the choir, when the back doors burst open and a long line of clapping and singing Choir members came through. I cant describe the goosebumps, I recieved, when the Choir took its place. This was exactly what I hoped for. One thing we were warned about was that the services here can last up to 3 hrs. I was used to the Lutheran liturgy. Stand up-sing-sit down-pray- stand-sing-listen-commune-sing-done. All done in a boring 45 minutes. While the Lutheran 45mins often seems like 3hrs, the 3hr service at a black baptist church seemed like 45min. Some highlights... We were surprised when members came up to speak, give testimonials and then give little plugs for their respective businesses. Back then, after the service, we suburban teens debated whether or not the little "commercials" belonged in a church service. As an adult, I look back and see how important community is, in the inner city, and how those little ads, were necessary to the survival of that community. Pretty much everyone who spoke, did so in an impassioned, inspirational manner, which transfixed my maliable mind. None more than the Pastor, who unleashed a sermon so passionate and heartfelt that, ( I kid you not) an honest to goodness nurse, came out to put a cape around him and sat him down until he calmed down. Anyone who has seen footage of a James Brown concert would know what Im talking about. This really happened. This is another stereotype, but it also happened. The crowd was part of the experience. From different points in the audience, you would hear constant audible affirmations such as, " Yes Jesus!" " Testify!" " Lord have mercy!". These were not attention seeking members. I felt their genuine joy, and while I was too reserved to copy, I knew what they were shouting about. To say the least, this experience was about as uplifting spiritually as you can get. I returned a few more times, I brought my girlfriend/fiance, and later took my kids here. The Lutheran ( or insert christian offshoot) liturgy has its place, but it never moved me. The people at the Baptist service experience real joy, and its catching. For those few small hours, there was no thought of skin color or cultural differences. Can I get an Amen?

I've been connected to this community for 3 years now and have no regrets from investing. I love…read morethese people! I'm involved in a couple of their Compassion Teams, Circle of Peacemakers and Watershed Discipleship, and am in a cell (leading one actually). Great church to be apart of.

This is a new church. It's like a big family, but also very welcoming. Julie, the pastor, is sooooo…read morenice. Warm feelings all around.

25+ years as a membe. Right from high school I knew that I needed to be here after listening to the…read morepreached word, singing, worship experience and family connection. Makes you want to come back. Church has new Pastor and sanctuary has had a full renovation come check us out