Calvary Presbyterian Church — Attraction in San Francisco

Visited this church for almost a year following a good recommendation. There is much to like about the community on first impression, but it all quickly fades. They have all kinds of banners outside their place of worship welcoming all kinds of people, people who you would not find as any significant organic portion of their actual congregation because the attitude of the community beyond their lip service makes the environment uncomfortable for the same people they claim to welcome. People here are touchy, spiteful, overbearingly woke, and very vindictive. They are more concerned with foisting any minority person that wanders into their midst to the forefront of their pageantry with barely any care to meaningfully know, let alone accept, those people as distinct individuals beyond the stereotypical narratives they prefer the person represents for them. Once you've served your purpose in picture appearances, their PR choreography, or become unuseful to their optics, they drop you like a worn mascot and find the next minority person to hoist. It's all about appearances and symbolism in this community. The whole spiritual thing is a charade over a close-mindedness the community doesn't even try to hide. Their pastor for spiritual care will lead you straight out of your spirituality and faith. He is the epitome of the congregation: sweet initially, ignorant of both scriptures and emotional intelligence over people, projects his immaturity onto you, then turns arrogantly rude and temperamental, passes extremely presumptuous and juvenile judgments about you, then acts repentant, soft, and back to sweet again. That is the definition of an unhealthy, psycho-dysfunctional relationship. Put simply, if you are looking for ways to nurture and grow in either faith or spirituality, this is probably not the place to do it.

• Just a thought: churches that truly possess the values on those banners in their ministerial and operational DNA do not merely state them on endless banners or need banners to do the talking for them. No, the inherent composition of their congregation speaks for itself and word spreads out. * *

-- Update: Fix the problem; stop suppressing reviews (this might explain why detailed one-star reviews are virtually non-existent here). First posted this review in April 2024 and have had to repost it multiple times since then. Will continue to do so until enough new reviews report that my experience at your church no longer happens. Other reviews that also mention their negative experiences with your spiritual care pastor and other staff all seem to have magically disappeared too. Stop the systemic censorship and silencing of real people's voices that detail their experiences if what they say is not to your liking. You are making the very point I describe in my review. Raises questions about the integrity of your present high rating and how much of that is merely from censorship and curation, which in turn misleads those researching where to worship - the opposite of what a truthful church should be. Stop the tyrannical choreography. Do the right thing instead, FIX THE PROBLEM...

I’ve been to this church a few times. I don’t necessarily believe in God. I wasn’t raised in religion and I think that it’s hard to change what you were raised in without a firm push. Nonetheless, I’ve gone here because I’ve needed something comforting recently and it doesn’t feel like there’s much where else to turn than to something bigger. I say wholeheartedly that even though I haven’t been able to make the trip to visit in a while this place has helped me accept my identity in ways I assumed I’d never be able to. To—even if I can’t fully believe—understand that God does not have to be an association of fear and ridicule and can be a safety and a community. I am endlessly grateful and love and appreciate...

Calvary's tagline is "We welcome everyone. Really" and they mean it. It is a beautiful community and the pastors there give heartfelt, thoughtful and inspiring sermons every Sunday. AND there are countless things going on at the church all week!! Singing groups, support groups, book clubs, young adult groups, you name it. I was not "of faith" (and wouldn't even pin point what "faith" is for me now :) for a LONG time and I have loved finding Calvary!! It grounds me and helps me move through the world more...