Church at Union City - Union City (CA)

5 /5 Sophia Mammo: There is a song that says, ‘falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I ever done.’ That’s the essence of my existence. As a young child I yearned to understand the difference between Jesus and God. For the most part -I grew up in Oakland in an Ethiopian household with a mother that often spoke of wanting peace. I never considered peace until my mother spoke of it. From my teens into my twenties, I was involved in many organizations, dance groups and wrote poems often in attempt to fill whole. However, that got old very fast. So, when I attended the Church of Latter Rain in Union City, at the age of 25 in 2005, for the very first time - I encountered a group of people who were sincere, loving and full of compassion. It was amazing! I was in awe of what I heard over the podium. So many questions and prayers I had (no one knew) was answered! The depth of the scriptures was brought to life for me. I received the Holy Ghost and my soul felt so connected to the Lord. I for the first time understood what it felt like to have peace and Joy. The same prayer my mother had. I will forever be grateful for the Truth of the Word of God and the liberty in the spirit of God that strengthens me from day to day. It has been going on 17 years since I have been attending COTLR and my life has never been the same.

5 /5 Denna Hornesby: A positive, life changing, experience. Life is what you make it; so is your church life. If you are looking for a positive experience, in serving the Lord, be a positive person when you get here. I was not looking for anything negative when I came to the church in 1985. And there were people that had left the church at that time. They made their personal remarks against the church as well. It all boiled down to them not getting their way. Them not having control over the church, the people, or the money in the church. That’s another thing. The money goes back to the church, not the ministry. The ministry are not the only ones in the church with a nice car or nice house. We all live great lives in Christ! They don’t even tell us, like most churches, to give 10% of our monthly income. They quote a scripture that tells us how we are suppose to give. And that giving is from our heart.

5 /5 Portia Shaw: As I look back over my life and think things over, I can truly say I have a testimony. My journey to the Church of the Latter Rain has been truly special. It started before I could remember because my parents came to COTLR back in 1980 (the year I was born), but I honestly can say that my journey had to start then! No doubt about that. I was 5 years old when I received the best gift that I could ever receive—the gift of the Holy Ghost. I just remember wanting to be baptized because I loved the water. But through that desire, the Lord saw that I needed something more. It was a weeknight service, and I was sitting in the second row by the band because I love to sing and hear the music. The sister I was sitting with began to see I was really singing the song and asked me if I wanted a friend that would never leave me. Being five at the time I could relate to friends, I wanted that more than anything! She began to tell me to call on Jesus, and I did from the bottom of my heart! ( thats all it really takes is calling on Jesus from a genuine place) before I knew it, something happened! My little hands were in the air, and I had received the Holy ghost! It felt sooooo good. I will never forget it! To think that there was an environment for me to be able to experience something from heaven from God himself was amazing! Then to top it off, that same night, they were having a baptism, and I was able to get baptized that same night! I will never forget that! Some 41 years later, Im still thankful and striving at the Church of the Latter Rain! I have been through many things in my walk with the Lord. Im grateful to say because of the dear people and the church and the Lord; I came through everything Stronger and daily I can say Im changing for the better! If youre looking for a Change, looking for Love that comes from a real place, I Admonish you to try Jesus and come and see for yourself that God and his people are real! Im just thankful to be a part of something so great! I have so much peace and joy! I had to share!

5 /5 Athena Hill: I was 18 when I met a young person in Beauty School who went to this church. She never talked to me about church other than an event that they did for the young people that graduated that year. She became my friend and one day on our way to lunch, I asked her “You go to church. So help me to understand because it doesn’t make common sense to me. What does it mean to be born again? I cannot go back into my mother and be born again.” I had this question since I was about 12 when a family friend said she was born again. However, no one ever told me what that meant. This day I was pointed to the scriptures that showed my exact question. John 3:3. It wasn’t a preacher or someone who was an official in the church, and she didn’t give me an opinion or thought, but pointed me to the truth in the Word of God. A young person provided me with an answer I had wanted to know for years. It was over a year later before I finally walked though those doors. I was still searching for something and just didn’t realize who or what I was looking for. I had to see for myself that all those things I depended on or looked to for happiness were only temporary and I was living for my next moment to feel happy or fulfilled again. But when I came I found everything I wanted and more. I found a people that almost 20years later still love me and see me as their sister, daughter, niece, and friend. I believe I wasn’t led here by chance. I know with every fiber in me that He brought me to this people so I can learn how to be like Him. Not through opinions, thoughts, or theologies, but through the preaching of the Truth of the Word of God and the implementation of living it. Here I found a people that care about one another spiritually and naturally. If you came across this church, it wasn’t by chance. If you have tried everything and everything has failed, Try Jesus. He can be your dearest friend. He that hungers and thirsts, the same shall be filled. I am forever grateful to have been led here and this opportunity to keep getting to know more about Jesus. I’m thankful to keep learning the depths, heights, and width of Him and the pattern He left us.

5 /5 Dadise A.: Ive never felt so loved and supported and encouraged in my life. Ive learned more here through Bible teaching than I ever did in other churches. Ive never experienced seeing and feeling literally every member happy and joyful and caring and welcoming. Its very diverse and there are translators for those who are non English speakers. The unity and love and Bible teachings are unmatched. Highly recommend this church.