Worship

The importance of faith and the power it can have in a community is evidenced in the numerous places of worship in Fresno (encompassing a wide range of beliefs). With the existence of 85 different ethnic groups in Fresno, house of worship and faith-based organizations bring the community together. Faith serves as a common bond in many of the churches that are considered cross-cultured – reaching out to all people regardless of their race, gender, age or socio-economic status.

As a matter of fact, Fresno’s selection as an All America City by the National Civic League was due in great part to its faith-based initiatives (programs that work diligently to improve the quality of life for people all across the city).

Some of these initiatives include the One by One Leadership program, Pastors Clusters and the City as Parish program. One by One has proved to be one of the most successful programs in Fresno, training people from 62 churches with more than 4,000 people actively engaged in outreach services throughout Fresno. There are now seven Pastors Clusters groups that involve 100 clergy members from varied areas in the city, representing a wide range of denominational and racial backgrounds. The City as Parish program works to encourage a co-existence of city and church as partners in improving the quality of life for residents.