Church Culture and Organizational Priorities at Our Temecula Church

When you think of Sunridge, what comes to mind? Hopefully, it’s more than just the building in which we gather, or even the Bible-based sermons that are preached on Sunday mornings. If you are brand new to our Temecula church, that may be all you know of so far, but we hope that as you stick around and start to get more involved, you will find what many of our long-term attenders know: that Sunridge is a place to call “home,” and that our church body loves each other like family!

In order for our church to feel like home, some intentional decisions had to be made along the way—decisions that shaped our church’s culture. Many of these decisions were made early on in our church’s history and have contributed to who we are today as a church body.

Here are a few of our organizational priorities at Sunridge that have contributed to our church culture:

Growth and Fellowship Opportunities Outside of Sunday Services Are Readily Available

We love our Sunday mornings together, but we also know that much of the growth and real fellowship that the people of Sunridge experience take place outside of our Sunday church services. Many of the people who attend our Temecula church are involved in Bible studies, Growth Groups, various serve teams, as well as our Affinity Groups, like our basketball, golf, or sewing groups.

At Sunridge, it is our desire that everyone in our church would get involved in something beyond our Sunday gatherings. That’s why we are intentional about having lots of options! We would love to see everyone in a group where they can find encouragement, friendship, and opportunities for spiritual growth.

Church Leadership is Accessible and Questions Are Encouraged

At Sunridge, we do our best to cultivate a culture of transparency. Our pastors and leaders are readily accessible on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. If you have a question or concern, you are welcome to bring it up to anyone in church leadership. You won’t be brushed aside. That’s not to say that every suggestion will be implemented or every concern will be addressed exactly as you think it should, but our church leaders do take the time to listen, answer questions, and prayerfully consider concerns that are brought to their attention.

Our pastors and leaders are here to serve. They understand that Sunridge is not their church. It is God’s. They are here to shepherd His people and steward the church’s resources in the ways that He leads.

At Sunridge, we also make it a point to be transparent with our church’s finances. Many of you faithfully give to support the ministries of Sunridge, and we want you to know that we are using those gifts responsibly. That’s why we put out a report at the end of every fiscal year and post it on our website for all to see. We also make our annual budget accessible to anyone who is interested.

There is a lot of prayer and time that go into crafting our church budget every year. We want to use our resources in a way that will bring glory to God and that will help us fulfill our mission of “Helping People Find and Follow Jesus.”

The Vulnerable Are Well Cared For

Throughout the Bible, Christians are called to care for the most vulnerable among them, and we take that calling seriously at our Temecula church. We have many different programs and ministries in place to offer care, help, and healing to those in need.

We’ve always placed a high priority on caring for the children and youth in our church. Not only do we care for their physical wellbeing by creating safe environments for them on our campus, but we also care for their spiritual wellbeing. Children as young as toddlers are taught the Word of God through age-appropriate Bible lessons. They are also shown the love of God by our staff and volunteers who pour into them. At Sunridge, you aren’t dropping your kids off for “childcare,” you are helping them find and follow Jesus as well! You can read more about our Children’s Ministry values here.

For those who are financially vulnerable, Sunridge has set up an Agape Fund to help people meet their immediate needs. James 2:15-16 says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” As a church, we are called to help our brothers and sisters in need, and sometimes that means providing financial help. Because our Agape Fund is limited, we are very prayerful about how the funds are distributed, but if you find yourself in need, don’t be afraid to reach out! If you feel called to donate to the Agape Fund, you can designate a gift specifically for this purpose when you give online or through the app.

For those struggling emotionally, our Temecula church has many different ministries to help. We offer free, biblically based counseling services, as well as ministries for those who are dealing with grief following the loss of a loved one, or who have gone through (or are going through) a divorce. Recently, we launched a visitation ministry to care for those who need prayer or encouragement outside of the church walls. Our volunteer Chaplain team makes visits all over the Temecula Valley—to homes, hospitals, elder care facilities, and more—wherever they are needed! Visit this page to see all of the help and care ministries we offer at our Temecula church.

Beyond the official ministries we have established at Sunridge, you’ll also find individual members caring for each other in times of need. It’s not uncommon for a “meal train” to be set up for a family who is experiencing a challenging time. We also hear about people in the church helping each other with home repairs or with a move, or just providing genuine friendship and love during hard times.

If you’ve been a part of Sunridge for some time, we hope all the things that were mentioned above rang true with you. We hope you’ve been part of a group that provided you with Christian fellowship, encouragement, and fostered spiritual growth within you. We hope you have had the chance to get to know our pastors and leaders and experience their love for this church and their servants’ hearts. And we pray that you and your family have felt valued and cared for—especially if you have experienced a hard season during your time here.