First Baptist Church Gilroy has been around since 1944. It belongs to the California Southern Baptist Convention and the Central Coast Baptist Association. Sunday services include 9:30am English Bible study and Spanish worship service, and an 11am English worship service and Spanish Bible study. Youth under 18 can attend Sunday school at 9:30am and a Wednesday night Bible study at 6:30 p.m., and there is a playground for the children's ministry. The church has a show on Channel 20 five times a week.
First Presbyterian Church has a growing congregation in downtown Livermore. The church offers service every Sunday and serves the Tri-Valley and beyond. Steve Wilde is the pastor.
In the church's monthly newsletter, Father Tom Verber muses on the generous deeds of his church and school staff, noting that the new principal of Our Lady of Grace School, Ryan Brusco, helped "repaint the walls around the lunch area." Students of the school, writes Father Tom, spent time preparing background scenery for a summer school stage play.
It's this level of community involvement that defines Our Lady of Grace Church, making it the ideal place to come for answers about tying the knot, starting a Christ-centered family, baptisms and many other spiritual needs.
Lynnewood United Methodist Church is a Pleasanton congregation located on Black Avenue. The church hosts regular worship services as well as adult education, Sunday school, community service, Bible study and choir programs. Visit the Lynnewood United Methodist Church Web site to view a worship or event schedule
Valley Church is an independent Bible church. This diverse Silicon Valley church community is unified by its love for Jesus Christ as the savior. The community also is characterized by its respect for the Bible as the word of God. Mutual respect and engagement with the community and the world via missions are the hallmarks of this church. Traditional-style worship services are offered early Sunday mornings and a later worship service is in a more contemporary style. Sunday School classes are organized by age and interest.
St. Mary's School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School that delivers inquiry-based academic excellence and develop well-rounded, confident children. The school creates a creative environment founded on Christian values for students to succeed.
St. Mary's is the only primary school in Orange County to offer the IB program and enhances critical thinking. It focuses on developing skills to meet the challenges of a global, technological economy. The school incorporates strong athletic programs, enrichment classes, extended care and summer programs for students in preschool through grade eight. Students are given a chance to develop the life-long practice of learning, leading and serving.
St Mark's is a Lutheran church and school serving Citrus Heights, California. The mission of the school is to glorify God, grow in His word, and go with the gospel. The goal of the school is to mold children into children of God by focusing on spirit, intellect, the body and social skills, all godly principles. The school has a Lion's Club, Cub Club, Summer Youth Programs, FACES program, youth groups, a basketball team, volleyball team, and track and field team. The church holds Bible study sessions for adults and children, as well as worship services.
Standing on the perimeter of Lake Merritt, Cathedral of Christ the Light serves as the home of the Diocese of Oakland as well as members of the St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, which was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Since its dedication in 2008, the visually stunning cathedral offers weekday and weekend masses, as well as concerts and guided and self-guided tours.
Parking and Public Transportation at Cathedral of Christ the Light
$5 parking for tour participants; free for Mass attendees. The 19th Street BART is about six blocks from the cathedral. AC Transit lines 11 and 12 stop at the corner of Grand and Harrison.
Best time to go to Cathedral of Christ the Light
On the second and fourth Tuesday Cathedral organist Dr. Rudy de Vos gives a demonstration of the Conroy Memorial Organ as part of the docent-led tour. If inspired, attend Sunday Mass to hear music and a message.
Admission to Cathedral of Christ the Light
Free. The Cathedral offers guided tours daily at 1 p.m. There are no walk-in guided tours on Saturdays or Sundays. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure.
Must see/do at Cathedral of Christ the Light
Attend one of the evening concerts, held several times a month. Recent guests include the Pacific Boychoir Academy and organists Ryan Enright and Bryan Dunnewald,
Other places to visit near Cathedral of Christ the Light
Take a stroll around Lake Merritt, or explore some of the many shops and restaurants around bustling Uptown Oakland.
Insider tip for visitors to Cathedral of Christ the Light
During the week, stop by for a quick bite or an espresso from Verve coffee at City Lights Café, located outside the cathedral. Its outdoor seating offers sunny views of Lake Merritt.
Author's bio: Heather Johnson is a freelance writer based in Oakland, California.
Located in historic Filipinotown, Our Lady of Loretto is a part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It serves the very large Philipino area residents and are very involved in the community. It offers many programs for not only the congregation, but the community as well. The doors are always open to help the poor and suffering.
Christ Presbyterian Church is a religious organization located on Centella Street in Carlsbad. The institution offers worship services throughout the week, including a contemporary and traditional prayer service on Sundays. The church offers a wide range of programs for children, youth and adults, including spiritual growth classes, missionary groups, religious education and more. The church also has a preschool, which accepts children ages two and a half to five years in age.
University Lutheran Church is located across from UCSD. It is a small church with a traditional structure. The courtyard and entryway are heavily shaded with oak trees. For further information about the congregation, visit University Lutheran's website.
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church in Clayton has numerous community and youth activities, such as prayer classes, book studies, even music concerts. Its motto is "Open hearts, open minds, open doors." An events calendar is on the website.
Living Word Lutheran Church is part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and meets Sundays at 9am and 10:15am for worship services. Its led by Pastor Jeffrey Smith.
In 1961, nine people gathered in Oceanside to create the non-denominational Lighthouse Christian Church. Fifty years later, this congregation has reached almost 1000 weekly members. Though currently in renovation, the entire campus plans to include classrooms, a gym, children's play yard, plaza and outdoor seating area, as well as 500 parking spaces. Programs here include Ladies Night Out, Children's Program, Men's Breakfast and much more. It has one traditional and two contemporary worship services every Sunday.
St. Martha Catholic Church is an excellent resource to Catholics in the community. Providing plenty of youth programs, as well as communion and confirmation programs, the congregation donates time, money and food to the community. Wednesday and Sunday service is available, and the large building provides classrooms, halls for prayer, as well as facilities to celebrate larger events, like weddings and wakes.
