A really wonderful church.
The people are very kind, friendly, and welcoming. The church staff, from the lead pastor, to the elders, to interns are always very present throughout all of the Sunday services and often stop people to say hello and chat. The church is made up of lots of ASU students, but as it has become more established the presence of multi-generational families is definitely becoming more obvious, particularly at the earlier services.
The worship is quite contemporary and varied, with different instruments and styles from week to week. There are often classic hymns that are spun with a completely new, upbeat sound which is a fun approach. The musicians are all obviously very talented and overall have a great sound.
The children's program is excellent and very organized. They have a system set up to where you sign your child up and then each week, you scan a keychain card to check them in. A sticker prints out with their name and number and you are given a corresponding sticker. They also use wristbands to notify their staff of any allergies or medical needs for a particular child and will sticker anything you leave with your child (a diaper bag, for instance) The staff are all very sweet, the ratio of teachers to children is perfect, and they are obviously passionate and loving with the kids.
The grounds and building are a bit older and show some wear and tear, but there is a lot of space which allows for all of the classrooms and activity space you could possibly need, plus a gym and playing fields as well. There is plenty of parking (although the parking lot could use some repairs!) Everything is quite comfortable and nice.
The church has its own online community called The City where you can stay in the loop on various meetings, activities, and volunteer opportunities. The main church website is also attractive and has lots of information, including the ability to download podcasts of the weekly sermons if you have to miss a week but want to stay caught up on the messages.
Overall, the church is a warm, lovely place and has created a framework of excellent resources that makes it so easy to enjoy attending and being a member.
We have always traveled quite a bit to attend the church, from visiting once a month when we lived in Las Vegas to know commuting in from South Gilbert every week and it is completely worth it!
I definitely recommend it as the perfect spot for any church needs, from calling it your church home to checking out the whole "Christianity-thing" to seeking a spot to find friendly faces and support. read more