"Not recommended, especially for those in our generation, --the Millennials"…read more My experience at this church ( Connect Community Church) was bewildering. My cousin and I attended the "new member class". During this meeting, we were told by the Pastor --that many of the young adults connect, with him and others, through Social Media (he encouraged us all, to do the same). The following day, we were surprised to find out (by a fellow, new member) that the Pastor decided to exclude us. The reason being that we were quiet and I guess people see us differently? We are slow to warm up, --as we are naturally, very demure and sort of soft-spoken. The situation was off putting but we took it in stride. We loved our new church home, so we just "shrugged" it off, I guess. To our horror and utter embarrassment, -- the Pastor, put in his sermon the following Sunday, that he didn't have to "include or add certain types to the church's/his social Media" and that it's a "privilege for those who choose to open up." Oh, my! We cried that day and never returned. I cannot recommend this place to anyone, especially if you're a Millennial. It just doesn't translate well to our generation. Thank you for reading this and God bless on this Sunday afternoon. - Daisy

Fantastic multi-site church! We've been attending for over 16 years and have thoroughly enjoyed…read moreall the church community has offered us. Caring staff, upbeat fresh messages, and wonderful music/worship experience. We've also really enjoyed the various small groups that we've been part of over the years from ballroom dance lessons and golf to bible studies. Also, there have been many areas to serve and make a difference!

We were able to direct friends of ours who fell on hard times to go to the pantry. They were very…read morehelpful and accommodating.

I stopped going to church when I was a teenager because I didn't feel welcome. I was afraid of…read moregetting to know any of the other church-goers because I feared they would reject me once they "figured me out". Every church service I went to would lead me to question wether or not I should really be participating in communion. I was taught that I should not take communion if I hadn't recently confessed my sins. I was taught that I was a sinner because I am gay. I don't know if anyone actually said that to me, or if it was something I just assumed to be the case. What I DO know for sure was that no one ever told me that I was wrong and that I really was welcome at church just as I am. Although I was away from church for a while, I have always felt God's presence in my life. I have come to understand and to believe that God loves me as I am. He shows me His love through the many blessings that I have received to date. I am surrounded by love. I am happy. At Edwards Church, I've known I was welcome before I ever walked through the doors. I was told I was welcome on my first visit there, repeatedly. I've been shown that I'm welcome by the pastor and by the other members of the church. In fact, everyone is welcome at this UCC church. Everyone is friendly and for the first time since I was a child, I find myself very much looking forward to going to church. I am still getting to know the community at Edwards but really feel that there is a great church family here. I am looking forward to becoming part of it. Church service is at 10am every Sunday and you can count on hearing a passionately delivered sermon by the pastor. Coffee hour follows and that is an opportunity for everyone to chat for a little while. Communion is the first Sunday of the month and there is no doubt that everyone is allowed to participate. There seems to be many opportunities to get involved in doing some good work with the church, IF you want to. My experience here has been great and I would strongly encourage other yelpers to visit sometime.

A warm and friendly community -- when I come home from college and come to church, I always get a…read morepersonal welcome, and so do new faces and so do continuing members. (New faces get a mini loaf of welcome-to-the-church banana bread too.) Edwards has lots of focus on faith in action, doing God's work in the world -- as well as being personally in touch with your faith. While there's currently a couple fewer kids in the church than there were when I was a kid, the folks who run the religious education/youth programs are fantastic. Edwards Church is Open and Affirming, meaning we welcome LGBT people into our community. The church is always willing to explore new ways of worship -- occasional outdoor services, including a sunrise service in spring; when I was growing up, us youth got to lead a service; a month or two back there was a fantastic jazz service. A big variety of community members participate in the services in various ways -- the atmosphere encourages you to get involved. The 180-year-old church itself is historic and pretty -- at its most gorgeous at the candlelit christmas eve mass, with poinsettias in front and the lights down low and voices coming together in carols -- but really nice all year round, with the high ceiling and the sprawling organ. Next door, the education/community building built a few years ago is modern and very sharp. ... Also, how weird does it feel to be leaving a review for a church? (Answer: very weird.)

Ted Crass, the new pastor, is a kind and gentle person. The community is warm and friendly. The…read moreorganist/pianist is quite talented. The message preached and lived within the community is a moderate-progressive message of caring for others and making the world a better place. I am too progressive for this church, because I do not like the use of only male God-language or the fact that it is not part of the "reconciling movement" to explicitly state that LGBT's are welcome. However, the church itself does not promote any sexism or any condemnation of LGBT's or same-sex marriage. It is just not particularly focused on those issues or committed to social progressiveness. It is more inwardly-focused, and its activism takes the shape of general charity for anyone in need. It is rather small. However, Ted has the reputation of growing his churches, so it would not surprise me if this church grows within the next few years. He has many ideas, and much energetic enthusiasm, and his vision is very inviting. I would recommend this church to anyone moderate-progressive.

Temple Israel is a liberal egalitarian conservative synagogue…read more As compared to other conservative synagogues, they tend to support Israel strongly, have Avot v'Emahot, and have a normal (not triennial) Torah reading. The clergy is very warm, and the members are very active. There is a very strong connection among the congregation and when we visited originally we found them to be very welcoming of strangers, as opposed to other synagogues I've been to where the people have been a bit more cliquey. There's a strong youth presence, which is fantastic. All in all, would recommend a visit if you're in the area and need someplace to go to shul.

A terrific, warm community, with something for everyone. Great adult learning, engaging family…read moreprogramming, religious and social events, and social action. Hope to see you there!

Although i don't go to church anymore, ive always thought that this was a wonderful place to go…read more I've been going there since i was a baby and im in my twenties now. They treat you like your family which is wonderful.

I was not here to attend church today but I was walking past and decided to tour through the…read moreattached graveyard. Of course, you can't miss this church in the center of Wellesley with the massive steeple that towers over everything else in town. Originally the Congregational Church of West Needham, it was organized in 1798. The current sanctuary was completed in 1923. The cemetery itself is obviously as old as the city. There are a number of very old gravestones, some of which have faded to a point that they can no longer be read. Others date to Civil War times. Many of the dates show a decidedly young population passing. It's an interesting and sober display of mortality and reality. Worth it. [Review 10135 overall, 1721 of 2018.]