Need a Catholic or Non Denominational Church Mesa/Gilbert/Tempe, AZ

N.,

I would recommend visiting as many churches as you can until you feel comfortable. If you are open to churches outside of the Catholic faith I highly recommend Central Christian Church of the East Valley. This is the first church I have ever visited where the environment seems to say "Come as you are." People of all ages and life styles are welcome! No need to dress up or pretend to be someone you are not - just come! :)

They have a campus in Mesa & one in Gilbert and have so much to offer. Visit their website at cccev.com

There are so many great churches out there just be persistent and I am sure you will find a place you can call home.

Good luck
Heather

The All Saints Catholic Newman Center at ASU.

Hi N.,

If a church is a true church of God and is based on the Bible, you won't find a church that actually "accepts" all ways of life. What they would do is welcome you and minister to you to teach you the Word of God and what it means in the Bible. They will guide you and love you through this process since we all have to start somewhere. The fact that you are willing to go is wonderful. Once you become more aware of what the Bible really means, God is the one who helps you to internally make the changes He desires. The church is just His mouth, hands, ears, etc (His "body")to help others. That's why it's the "body of Christ." I have been through the Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches since I was basically raised Catholic. Since I didn't feel like I was growing spiritually and felt like I was "stuck" in a routine environment, I decided to try a non-denominational christian church. I now attend Central Christian Church of the East Valley in Gilbert on Germann and Lindsay. We have another church in Mesa on Lindsay and north of University. Please check out the website at www.cccev.com and see what fits for you. I can honestly and proudly tell you that since I started going there in August 2008, it's been an awesome, wonderful, spirit growing experience! Cal Jernigan is the BEST pastor I have heard teach. His son, Jeremy, teaches the 3rd Format service which is what you probably are looking for on Sundays at 6:00 pm. Please check it out. I promise you will not regret it! I will keep you in prayer. V. Garcia.

Hi N.,

I am Catholic and I belong to Saint Mary Magdalene. Right now they are in the process of building a beautiful new parish and hope to add a K-8 school to it as well. We meet in a local school gym for the time being but I love it becasue it is the first Catholic church I have been to in AZ that is not soooo old fashioned and stiff. They welcome everyone and have a wonderful mix of parishoners including young couples, families, middle-age people up to retired and elderly. I really felt like I belonged there when I walked in. I included their website. Hope to meet you!
http://www.smarymag.org/

St. Anne's in Gilbert fits your criteria. It's where my family and I have gone since we moved here 9 years ago. We love it there. Here's their website:

http://www.stanneaz.com/stanne/

Hi N.,
I'm not catholic but I DO attend a church who will love and accept you for who you are. Chandler Christian is on Alma School, just South of the 202. The pastor is very down to earth and wonderful. You can check out their website at:
www.chandlercc.org Check it out!

I think you have just described St. Timothy's in Mesa. It is definitely upbeat, the music is great, and the people are friendly. Give it a try. Good luck on your search.

I am not Catholic, but I hear WONDERFUL things about St. Timothy's.

I visited several Catholic churches in the East Valley and was looking for the same things as you. We finally found a Christian church that we love (Living Word Bible Church); they're accepting, friendly, supportive, and offer all kinds of supports and growth opportunities (i.e. we've taking parenting classes, life planning, etc). They have groups and trainings for all age groups and are definitely upbeat and positive. You may want to consider visiting a few non-denominational Christian churches in the area since most have a similar set-up. Good luck and God Bless!

I was raised Catholic but my husband was not and doesn't feel comfortable going to a Catholic church so we started going to Sun Valley Community Church in Gilbert (Ray Rd. betw. Gilbert & Val Vista) about a year ago. We love it and so do our kids. It's a pretty young church, many young families and singles. They offer someting for everyone and it's a very relaxed athmosphere. www.sunvalleycc.com.