"Feels like family" is the best way to describe our experience here. From the moment we walked in,…read morewe felt a deep sense of belonging that's rare to find. The staff made us feel genuinely loved and appreciated, creating not just a church but a community we're truly grateful to be part of. My younger kids LOVE kids church (Echo Kids) and the welcoming atmosphere, and my teenager never wants to miss youth group. Seeing each of them connect in their own way has been such a blessing for us as parents. The worship and sermons are both engaging and rooted in scripture, touching on real, everyday issues in a way that stays with us through the week. And whenever we've invited friends, the staff has been so intentional about making them feel that same warmth we experienced. If you're looking for a place that's more than just a church--a place that truly feels like family--this is it. We're so thankful to have found a home here

Great ushers, very friendly. Great music, great sermons. Would go there if it was closer to meread more

Lovely pastoral family, truly love God and show love to…read moreeveryone that visits. Super lovely people!

Parking fills up quick because this place has just doubled in size the past 2 years, so the Pastor…read moreactually parks over a BLOCK AWAY every Sunday so that visitors, elderly, and people with children can have a parking space! Can you imagine that? True humility and leadership which spills over into the congregation. When I visited here for the first time I felt immediately at home. And I decided stay ever since. I've been here these past 6 years, it hasn't mattered who has walked through the doors - visitors, people from all walks of life, etc. it doesn't matter! There's a place for anyone here. The leadership and pastor promote a culture of welcoming and nurture; truly embodying the way of Jesus. That's the beauty of it!

Welcoming, ever growing heart to serve and love others, learning to experience the reality of…read moreChrist through the power of the Holy Spirit and according to His Word, loving and forgiving congregation. Wonderfully rich,beautiful music blending old and new. Lots of musical talent/depth for a small church. Even amazing bell choir and 2 harpists and occasionally 2 dancers along with a full choir, composers, and worship band with singers ! The death and resurrection of Christ reaches to the core challenging each to lay our lives before God. The congregation holds strong through tough times. Full of bumbling people,broken lives all undergoing healing and being brought into the "Sonshine". The current pastor, Dr Kim Engelmann, is so tenderly gentle and compassionate. She has helped me experience more of the goodness,love and powerful realness of God's love in Christ. Her sermons encourage and challenge, usually in various creative ways. She helps me listen and then "hop right to it"

This church is full of kind people, yet they seem perpetually miserable. There's always something…read moreto complain about, and I constantly feel judged. Honestly, they might be the unhappiest churchgoers I've ever encountered.

At 9:45 there are 3 services. Highschool, Chinese and English - all in three different…read moreauditoriums. Two of us attended the English service with about 50 other friendly people. One of us enjoyed the service more than the other - heartfelt, compassionate, humorous and refreshing. Slides were organized, coffee, greeters and welcoking. One of us thought the microphone was too loud and the message was too long. We both liked WHAT was said but the head pastor does use, "you know" alot and a bit of stuttering which could just be because English is her second language. The lyrics of songs and sermon both were repeated many, many times which is typical of a "contemporary service" using worship songs vs. hymns. Reading the versus together aloud was awkward - american churches read slowly and use an english cadence. The leader read it SO fast that you heard the verse echoed by us three or four times and there was none of that rhythm that I am use to. Im not sure why she was rushing that part. The head pastor has an adequate singing voice (way better than mine!) but it was spoken loudly and so different (for me) to see the preacher also singing. I prefer she just preach and let the band do their thing. All of those things were distracting when I was trying to listen for the Word. The high school service I can only comment that my three teens were not happy but thats how they always are when we church shop. They claimed they were the only white people which is funny because they are 1/2 Chinese themselves. Its a hands in the air, "Amen!" type of church which I am groovy with but may be uncomfortable for quiet praisers. They have had healing services where there was laying of hands and pain disappearing. Awesome! I wish I had attended those services, its been awhile.

The English Sunday Service normally starts with a group of female members singing and some guys…read moreplaying very loud so-called "Christian Music". They let the audience stand and tolerate their terrible voices and LOUD music for a long period of time. We come to church to worship God, not to tolerate their loud noise of so called music. It appears that the same group of female singers lead the group most of the time. Their voices are terrible and also very annoying. If these ladies like to perform, please go to find some other places to do it. Please don't do it in church and make the audience suffer from their terrible voices.

I happened on the Yelp page, and saw a couple of questions that I might be able to contribute…read moreuseful answers to. So, for Jamie J.: 1) Yep. Not only is the edge of the cup wiped after each use, but the alcohol in the wine helps with the germs. During periods of health concerns, the cup is reserved; as was the case with H1N1 a while back. 2) I don't think so. Can't see why it would be. 3) Nope, not 2 Buck Chuck. Altar wine is made by specific makers. 4) I usually prefer the full version, with brackets. It helps set the context. 5) ... for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His Church. Or if you like, "Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis, ad laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram, totiusque Ecclesiae suae sanctae" 6) It is blessed by a priest (presbyter or bishop)

What a lovely little church! Great job with an outdoor tented courtyard area. Floor is marked with…read morean X with tape every 6 feet. It's a nice community. I am not that into hearing about judgements of other people - what they wear, how we are "supposed" to act - hence 4 stars instead of 5. My advice, check out all the different mass times and find the priest that resonates with you!

This church is an open-minded, welcoming place. They preach and practice inclusion of…read moredifferently-minded "others" into the worship setting. Friends of other religions or spiritualities are welcome. I feel at home here more than I have in a church in quite a long time. A little from their website: Open hearts, open minds, and open doors: This church welcomes any person who wants to share Christian worship, regardless of age, race, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, economic circumstances, or abilities. (Constitution and Bylaws, Article V, Section 3) Mission Statement This church community, as followers of Jesus Christ, promises with God's help to: Worship God in spirit, word and deed, and invite others to share our journey; Provide a spiritual home that is open and diverse, that welcomes all as they are into the unity of God's love; Be a family that trusts, supports and cares for each other in times of joy, sorrow and crisis; Provide a safe, nurturing environment for children and youth, and encourage their participation in the ministry of our church; Be faithful stewards of people's gifts--time, talent, and treasure--and of the church staff and facility; Work in our community and wider world for justice and peace, creating healing and hope; Provide opportunities for fellowship, learning, growth and service for all stages of life. May The Spirit guide us as we strive to fulfill these promises. (Accepted by vote of the Congregation November 12, 1995)

This is the church to come to if you are looking for an all-inclusive church experience, as I was…read morefour years ago. To see if this might become my home church, I crept in one Sunday morning, hoping not to be noticed but was immediately greeted by Marylin, and after the service, the minister and many other congregants. No pressure to "sign up now." I am greatly impressed by the statement here: "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." It's true! And I found I could be as quiet and retiring or as social as I cared to be. This congregation exemplifies God's love, in Pastor Ron's Sunday morning lesson and in the church's community outreach activities.

The head pastor was the best I have ever heard preach! Unfortunately for us he moved on and it has…read moreleft a hole but the members and other pastors are so wonderful that people have stayed at SVPC while we search for a new pastor. The church is large enough so there is something for everyone. Amazing youth program on Wednesdays from 6:00 - 7:00 kids and parents have dinner. 7:00 - 8:30ish Jr high and Sr High School youth group. Women's retreat is truly a treat. The church is also small enough to have a labor day weekend retreat where you meet the cream of the crop during small groups, meals, games, worship and talent show.

I went to this church few times and don't fully stand on some of they biblical principles and why…read morethe need to keep reinforcing doctrines not mentioned in it. Also the LGBTQ+ flag on their site which it's very misguided for Christian not seeking worldly sermons.

Michael L. pretty much says it all. GrX has been my home since moving back to the South Bay. Like…read moreShannon L. said, it may be hard to get plugged in at first, but as soon as you find a small group, service opportunities proliferate. The partners just approved the move to go ahead with purchasing a building on Patrick Henry Drive in Santa Clara, so hopefully we'll have a permanent building soon! --------- edit: 1/29/2009 GrX is still a great church, but more and more it seems to be geared toward a niche group of people. If community is your first priority in choosing a church, I would recommend giving GrX a try (at least 6 weeks in a row, according to P. Dave). The pastoral staff puts a heavy emphasis on "self-feeding," but doesn't provide the tools/teach the methods needed to self feed to a fuller extent. GrX is currently undergoing a lot of transitions in staff, ministry foci, and consequently attendees/members/partners. 1. Sermons: Every pastor has his own style. Overall, I'd like to see more of the sermons have more scriptural references rather than anecdotal. At the end of last year, there was a 3-week series on relationships that I found a little pointless (the first 2 weeks were characterized by a lack of biblically-based advice). 2. Community: One common conception about Great Exchange is that it's really the "Great Exchange of Phone Numbers", but it varies from small group to small group and person to person. The great thing about GrX is that it has many small groups to choose from. Here's a quick list of some: - Inside Out: Huge fellowship group that breaks into several smaller discussion groups after dinner and worship. Many members do not attend GrX. - MSG: A large and extremely energetic group. If you're looking to get plugged in quickly, MSG's the group for you, but if you're more of a low-key person, you might want to skip it. - Real Lives: Geared toward seekers. RL is an extremely social group and has something going on outside of actual small group pretty often. - Hungry: A small group made up of a hodge podge of quirky and different people, but somehow it works. It has a distinct "family" feel. 3. Children's Ministry: GrX's children's ministry is called KidZone, and if I were rating KZ alone, I would definately give it 5 stars. I've served in children's ministries for about a decade, and KidZone has been the best one so far. All the kids are truly loved, and the KZ staff provides the volunteers with a lot of resources, including class curriculum, coaches, seminars on specific topics, and orientation. KZ does background checks on all of its volunteers, and is diligent in ensuring a safe environment for the kids. 4. Missions: GrX has an abundance of missions trips that you can apply to. Most go out in the summer. This year, however, things are off to a late start and most of the trips will have to be initiated by lay people in order to get off the ground. Last Note: The staff would probably tell you not to approach attending church with a "consumer mentality" (pretty ironic when it comes to yelping about it), but when it comes down to it, you still need to use your judgement.

Hmm. In a quest to find a new church to visit while on Sundays back up in my native San Francisco…read moreBay Area, I heard a lot about Great Exchange. I've had a friend who actually found her husband at this church. I'll have to say that it's difficult to find good churches in the Bay Area, as I've always been a part of the Korean American church. I already miss my home church in L.A., where there are thousands that you can just happily find a church home. Since there's such a dearth here, I thought I'd check GrX out. As this church is an offplant from Newsong based in Irvine, I was looking to see what this northerly cousin up north would be like (although they are unrelated). Some observations from my visit today that may be helpful for you to know before you visit... 1. Demographics is mainly Asian American: most of the pastoral staff are Korean American like Pastor David Chae and Min Tak of Fremont GrX, but the majority of the congregation is 95% or so Chinese American, less than 1% Caucasian and the remaining 4% Korean American, Filipino or other Asian American. This makeup is similar to the other Covenant churches like Newsong and GrXs around here, so it wasn't much a surprise. I think I fit in. 2. Pastor David Chae a Yelp Star!: the message was pertinent and relevant, although it tended to be dry at various points. He does have a passion for reaching the external community, although there was various ambiguities in his points today. There was some disconnects in today's message between the implications of alienation, and our duty to reach out to others. It left me scratching my head to figure out what the connect there. 3. Welcoming? ehh..not really: my friend and I walked around King's Academy for a while when we got there, and we weren't sure where the service was going to be held. Although there was a Small Group fair going on in the courtyard outside the school's auditorium where the 11 a.m. service (they also have another at 9:15 a.m.) is held, no one pointed us in the right direction. I'm sure regular goers had some idea that we were lost, but no one referred us to the right direction until I had to ask. Also, no one really said hi or hello, even though I thought that they would the whole time we were there. It seemed kind of cliquey to me. 4. Overall tone of the message and sincerity of church culture a Yelp Star: this is a church that is part of the Covenant denomination, and emphasizes inclusiveness and outreach and the Gospel's relevance in the Silicon Valley. The prayers and people do have a heart, so this is a good start. You can tell that this is an extremely new church. 5. Improvements for Frontline needs to be made: there was a Frontline staffer who was ushering and chewing gum during offertory. Why are you chewing gum during service? lol Inappropriate. GrX would be a great church if they worked on being welcoming to newcomers, especially if they took steps on appropriate signage. It could've been a problem stemming from the fact that they don't have their own facilities. The $2M building hasn't been bought yet and still hasn't been approved by the local authorities, so we'll see how that works out. I was expecting much more from GrX, since their website is pretty glossy, but I was rather underwhelmed today. I probably won't be back, but GrX is a good start for some--but not necessarily for me.