African-American Churches in Tempe/Gilbert area (Phoenix: work, high school, art)

[j9dge]

I am working with a 21yo African-American male who has just arrived in Phoenix to attend the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. I am looking for a church community for him. He is a nice, bright, earnest young man who has made some poor choices since high school, but has gone through substance rehab well and now is determined to succeed as a recording engineer by taking this 30-week course. I would like to know of a church community in Tempe/Gilbert where he could meet male role models and find a Mentor who could help him succeed.

[JeepGirl118]

J9. why are you seeking out an 'African-American Church' - why not just a "church?" Is it important to find a church where white people do not attend for this young man? If so, I do not believe you will find much more than a mixed church (at best) anywhere in the Valley.

[LynMarie04]

Not true. If he is African American and grew up in an African American church, he may feel more confortable in a "Black" church. There are several great ones: Pilgrim Rest (Baptist), First Institutional Baptist Church, Tanner Chapel AME Church, and Church of the Living God (Non-Demoninational) to name a few. I too am African American and grew up in a "Black" church. Though I have several white friends and co-workers, being in church is very much a cultural experience for many African Americans and it may be a more confortable place for him.

[BurtsBees]

See both cultures, dont just single out.