I think I might have visited this place eons ago when they had a Living Christmas Tree show but…read morehaven't been back for decades because I'm rarely in this part of the Bay Area. My best friend was looking for a new church and since this place is six minutes away, I said let's try this place. The music is fire. The worship team is definitely about Israel Houghton and it was fun and singable for everyone in the auditorium (which I've found worship teams forget to consider these days). They have a large cafe and it was good to have a place to sit while we waited for service, but wow, that coffee line is way too long, so we didn't get to try it. My bestie is considering this place but wants to know more about their doctrine. If it's sound, then she most likely will be making it her church home so I'm full of hope.

One of the best service I ever attended and I really feel peace and holly spirit with joy in my…read moreheart that's why I try to attend it ever Sunday mornings

Came here for a Matt Maher & Jon Reddick Concert…read more Quality/Quantity - Matt and Jon did a good job with their concert. They even came back out after the show to do one more song, too bad 5% of the people had run out, LOL. I like the new original songs as much as their top hits. Atmosphere - Plenty of parking. Good size church. All seats had a good view. We got here early and got good center seats. Approximately 500-600 people attended this event, not enough to open up the balconies. Service - The volunteers did a GREAT job. From the team in the parking lot, to the greeters, ushers, etc. Price - We bought our tickets so long ago I can not remember how much we paid. I am guessing approximately $30 a person + a $15 processing fee each...? Either way, I am pretty sure it was very affordable. Owner Suggestion - Congrats on your success for 65+ years. Look forward to attending more future events.

A few points of relevant disclosure:…read more - I am personally secular and not conventionally religious or consider myself a "person of faith," but do have a deep and ongoing interest in exploring spirituality/understanding of the unseen world around me. If you are looking for the perspective of someone who is an active and devout Christian, other reviews of Redwood Chapel may offer a more relevant perspective. - A High School friend is married to the Executive Pastor, Eric Junginger, who I've gotten to known socially over the past few years. All that disclaimer said, I have great admiration for the way Redwood Chapel is run. For the uncertain/ seekers/ unchurched prospective visitors concerned about "preachy" or high-pressure environments, Redwood comes across as a friendly, relaxed environment. I am particularly impressed by Pastor Junginger (who is too humble to brag about this on the church Bio section, but did in fact have a career as well-respected attorney; he walked away from a high-profile legal profession at a Partner level to serve as a Minister). He has a thoughtful, logical way of sorting out information and a fantastic person to discuss matters of faith, belief systems and social issues. If you are a "attend church once a year" type, or a secular/areligious person reflexively cautious about being lectured/preached at, you will find Redwood to be a very friendly place to explore these questions in a relaxed and thoughtful manner.

We began visiting this church after being deeply impressed by the online sermons, where Pastor…read moreMichael delivered thoughtful, articulate, and thought-provoking messages each week. As a smaller church, it's easy to feel seen, heard, and genuinely welcomed into a warm and encouraging community of believers. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of opportunities to connect -- from community and youth groups to men's and women's fellowships, church outings, and discipleship gatherings. There's a remarkable sense of inclusiveness and activity for a church of this size. The church is also very transparent with their beliefs, finances, and mission. It's a very wonderful church to experience genuine growth.

We were looking for a church to go to after visiting some of the larger churches nearby and found…read morethat the church goers were much more friendlier and inviting than the larger churches. Pastor Michael would talk to us and introduce us to other church folks and we never felt alone. It was a very refreshing experience.

I stumbled upon IGC on Redeemer NY's (Tim Keller) directory of sister churches within the PCA…read morenetwork. I have to say that I have been continually renewed with gratitude that I have found this church! The preaching is super gospel-centered, that is, every sermon will leave you with a reminder of the gospel and who Jesus is. The community is full with energetic children, parents, young adults. I felt SO welcomed the first few times I visited, and that is something I cherish greatly! Check out community group if you're thinking about visiting/have visited!

I don't know how the service is going to look like, I don't know how it'll be meeting at a school,…read moreI don't know what the kinds of obstacles there are for church plants. But, I do know this: I know Pastor Michael Chung is discerning in his doctrine, he is an articulate communicator, a loving sheperd of his flock and is most importantly humble. And the people who is joining in the effort to start the church has the same focus and heart for the gospel and the people around them - to also keep digging into God's Word knowning that theology will lead to doxology (praise and worship of God) For those who are looking for solid -gospel centered preaching where man is humbled and God is exalted, and the doctrines of grace is preached and embraced, this will be the church for you and I.

This is probably the best church around if you are really serious about joining in a authentic…read morechurch community. They offer Cantonese, Mandarin, and English worship. There's usually a meal afterwards so definitely recommend sticking around for it. on the Coffee! Highly recommend!!!

The place for us to tune in to GOD, as a new immigrant, it's really like a family here, I can feel…read moreFaith, Hope and Love. And before being a Christian, it's so surprised for me that people will leave their high pay job to do mission trip in other undeveloped countries, in here, I can talk with those great people and enrich my life with God.

Great Church. Great Pastor and Staff. People there are friendly and welcoming and caring.read more

We have been at CVFirst for just about a year. It is an amazing group of people who love their…read morecommunity and the Lord. The people are friendly and giving, and are dedicated to Biblical Christianity and faithful teaching and preaching of the Word. Their worship is a good mix of contemporary with some traditional mixed in. I would encourage anyone to join them for a Sunday.

I became "allergic" to traditional churches for a few years, feeling less and less connected to…read morepeople when I went to big churches. I was looking for something more intimate, authentic, relational where I felt like I could be completely myself (which could range from having doubts about God, being excited and encouraging and hearing others' stories or crying because I was going through something difficult). The pastor, Craig, and his wife, Judy, are incredibly down to earth, and vulnerable about their own "stuff" which creates an atmosphere for others to let their guards down as well. It's at their house, so it feels a lot more homey and welcoming, and we eat dinner together most weeks. I imagine this is what church was supposed to look like!

Great people, and inspiring (check out the podcasts on the website!) Authentic and…read morevulnerable...check it out!

In the spring of 2021, a few days before my 23rd birthday, I first visited Risen Church. I had…read morerecently graduated from college and returned back to the Bay Area in 2020. Amidst the lockdowns and social distancing, it was difficult finding a local church community when I was accustomed to that kind of support within a collegiate fellowship. After reaching out to a middle school teacher, he recommended Risen, a church plant that was about a year and a half old. The first time I visited, the church was meeting outside at the staff parking lot area, with everyone spaced six feet apart. After I was handed a radio with some earphones, I sat on a folded chair while seeking shade from the school bus. The sermon that morning was on hospitality and the transformative way that Jesus frees us from our selfish passions, changing us to be more gracious and compassionate towards others. I can attest that I've experienced this firsthand as I look back on the last four years here. I was not the most approachable person and was quite guarded and reserved. I even had some disagreements with people while bearing much bitterness towards them. Instead of being open and honest, there were a few times that I considered leaving this church in order to run away from those problems. However, people still went out of their way to invite me to late-night dinners and hikes, allowing me to share life with them. Despite the hesitations I had, I ended up staying time and time again, being able to fully experience that transformative power of community. God gave me the courage to eventually meet and talk with people about some of my issues. What catastrophic expectations I had before these talks dissipated as I really started to see in my fellow church members the Imago Dei, the image of God. Once I began to notice this bitterness dissolve after a couple years of attending Risen, I pursued membership and later started serving with the Connections Ministry (welcome team). Rather than being a consumer who was only taking what was being given, I was able to start giving more of myself and pour into others. Although it is not a perfect church, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ really embody that sense of hospitality that was preached about during my first visit. As our mission statement is to "Know Christ and Make Disciples," I have seen how God has really changed their lives as they seek to glorify God and use both grace and truth to truly love others. It has truly been a blessing to witness the growth and milestones our church has experienced over the past few years. We've gathered in many places--from the pastor's house to the staff parking lot, the Student Union downstairs, and later to the multi-purpose room upstairs. What began as a church plant has now become a particular church, marked by the ordination of elders last year. Looking back, I'm grateful I stayed through the discomfort and the hurt, because it is through those very moments that I experienced some of the deepest healing and growth.

Looking for a church and committing to a church isn't easy. So when I was prayerfully looking for a…read morechurch to commit to and live life with, I was looking for a church that: 1) preached the Gospel and 2) lived out the Gospel in their community. I've been at Risen for 7 months now and I am thankful that God has called this church into existence. First, Risen teaches and preaches the gospel. It's all about the gospel. The sermons usually go through a book in the bible or a topic that is centered around one of their Core Principles. Risen's 8 Core Principles are: Scripture, Sabbath, Prayer, Community, Gratitude + Generosity, Compassion + Justice, Calling, Mission. Second, Risen is a community of believers who live out the Gospel. The people at Risen are passionate about Sharing Christ and Making Disciples. That's our church's mission (I can say "ours" now). So there are all kinds of ministries that make it easy to Share Christ and Make Disciples - from our Community Groups that are extremely welcoming and unintimidating to our relational building fellowship events. So you can invite your friends to multiple different avenues depending on where they may be in life. If they're ready for a Community Group, there's quite a few to choose from where they'll be extremely welcomed, cared for, taught and encouraged with the Scriptures, and prayed for. Risen is a community that has your back, prays for you, and is there for you. If they're looking for something a little less official, there are several fellowship events that they can check out. For example, there is a Run Club at 8pm so parents who want to come out, after putting their kids down, can come. Our pickleball and park hangouts are family friendly, not only limited to pickleball players or "young(er) adults". We have hikes for those who want 'more of a challenge' in terms of exercise and incline, and also family friendly walks to encourage families with babies and toddlers to come out. At the end of the day, Risen is thoughtful about having biblical fellowship that considers people of all life stages. As an adult with no kids, I feel like I belong when I hang out with families with young toddlers and babies. I also feel the same when I spend time with other adults who don't have kids or are not married. But all of this is extremely intentional. It's all intentional to Share Christ and Make Disciples. Also, as a newcomer to the church, I appreciated the effort made by members to serve the church. Most people here really care and love this church. This was very encouraging and refreshing to see, which stirred up my heart to serve. A couple cherries on top: Risen has a good form of communication at all levels. The leadership cascades down really clearly why they do everything that they do-in their newsletters, Sunday announcements, to their ministries, and informal conversations. There's trust because there's clarity, and everyone is on the same page. Risen incorporates a good mix of hymns, christian contemporary music, and newer christian songs (thank you, David)! Risen does a real good job of blending the historic Christian faith with the modern world. If you're reading this far, I'm not sure what you look for in a church. Come check us out and worship God with us. By God's grace, I felt like this was a safe place for me to be myself, open up and be vulnerable with others. God calls all His children to worship Him together as a church - so come through!

First and foremost, the church / volunteers / and for those that gave food donations for the…read morehomeless for thanksgiving, God bless you. However, I will never volunteer here again, the so-called "manager" is rude and yelled at the volunteer staff, no direction around the kitchen prep and when staff finally came out to the kitchen, she was pointing us to clean lol you gotta be kidding me right, no thank you. I honestly felt bad, I wanted to say something but it was not the right time. So the over weight "manager" please go learn some empathy and treat your volunteers with respect, they are not getting paid. Don't be a "B*

The church is housing, aiding and abetting all homeless people in the neighborhood of Castro…read moreValley. Once they reach maximum capacity of 30 for the evenings the homeless that don't get to stay inside are then free to roam our neighborhoods to steal and defile our neighborhoods. I'm trying to raise a family here and this is totally out of hand. I don't know why the staff doesn't take these homeless people home with them when there's no more room at the church. They don't do it because they don't want to have to deal with them in their personal neighborhoods either. They couldn't care less about us that live in Castro Valley. I've had the homeless sleeping on our lawn several different times. Had my sons bike stolen from our porch. My kids and the neighbor kids all under 10 years of age at the time witness homeless people putting needles in their arms. Leaving needles on our property. Once there was a homeless women chasing the kids and yelling at our kids in the neighborhood. Thank God the CV Sheriffs took care of the situation asap. The homeless have left clothes and other assorted junk on our property. Now they're going through our garbage cans again which is on our driveway. We enjoy cleaning up the empty alcohol bottles on our property as well. This church is allowing this to go on day after day and night after night. Enough is enough.

The Thursday Food Pantry is wonderful IMO. One of the most abundant I've seen. Been coming for…read moreseveral years. The volunteers & pastors are kind and welcoming. I like the fact that their pastors are on a rotating schedule, with some variety in their approach (style ranging from laid-back to Evangelical). Pantry: Church not mandatory, but encouraged. (I attend usually---as a thank-you to the staff for it's dedication.)

This church doesn't look like much from the outside, but once you walk in.. the people are friendly…read moreand the word is good! Do not judge a book by its cover or you will end up passing this gem by. The pastor is one of the only down to earth pastors I've met.... at times you forget he's the pastor! This church invites anyone in, if it's a homeless person walking by or a suit and tie across the street. Come visit.