What should I expect during a celebration service?

You can expect lively music and an encouraging message at these services.  Our congregation is an active part of the service.  You’ll find people around you lifting hands, singing, shouting and clapping as part of their worship to God.  We also take time to pray for one another, receive a financial offering, and hear a talk from one of our pastors from the Bible.

Is there a dress code at Sequoyah?

We want you to dress comfortably - you’ll be loved equally in shorts and flip-flops as in a suit and tie!  If you come from a tradition that dresses a certain way, we welcome you to dress accordingly.  Casual, formal, and everything in-between... we’ll love you!

Am I required to give money during the offering?

Giving is a form of worship; however, we do not require our guests to participate in the offering.  It’s more important to us that you receive our hospitality during your visit.  We desire that when people participate in giving, it is done in a spirit of freedom and gratitude to God.

I heard Sequoyah is a "pentecostal" church.  What does that mean?

Sequoyah is a member church of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, a fellowship of churches who hold to several key distinctive doctrines.  One of these doctrines, or core beliefs, is that all Christians have the privilege and opportunity to be “baptized” in the Holy Spirit, brought into a dynamic and powerful experiential relationship with the Spirit of God.  Physical evidence of such an encounter include speaking in unknown, heavenly languages (tongues), as well as other unique physical manifestations that indicate an encounter with God’s Spirit.

What is Sequoyah doing in the community?

We believe in the importance of being a source of life and hope for Oakland and the surrounding community.  We are a home church to Teen Challenge Men’s Center, a proven solution to the drug epidemic.  Our church is a partner organization in Faith Network, which strengthens local schools by providing needed volunteer support, in addition to our own on-site after school tutoring program, called “Switch.”  We host numerous community groups’ meetings throughout the week and are always looking for ways to network with others in the Bay Area for the greater good