It all started on November 2, 2018...

     Sunrise Community Church Rancho Cordova was founded on November 2, 2018 by Pastor Fred Phillips III, with assistance from The Church of God, Anderson, Indiana. For the first year and half, Pastor Fred served as the Senior Pastor on a volunteer basis and in May of 2020, the church was able to provide Pastor Fred with a housing allowance as salary.

     The church was incorporated on October 29, 2018 by the State of California and then received a determination letter of tax exemption by the IRS in August of 2019 (retroactive to our date of incorporation), solidifying our status as a Non-Profit organization.

     Sunday morning services were held in the gymnasium of Sunrise Elementary School beginning in December of 2018, with our Grand Opening Celebration Service on April 6, 2019. In attendance were many visitors from other area churches associated with the Church of God in Northern California.

     The church continued meeting at the school with an average attendance of 10-15 people until the school was closed in March of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of the school closure, we began meeting exclusively online using the Zoom platform.

     On July 16, 2020, Pastor Fred hired Pastor Roy Leos as the Associate Pastor.  However, on June 12, 2021, Pastor Fred resigned as the senior pastor due to a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The Church Board selected Pastor Roy to be Pastor Fred's successor as the new Senior Pastor. In July, Pastor Roy brought his longtime friend, Pastor Tim Maynard, on staff as the new Associate Pastor and shortly thereafter, Pastor Fred Phillips III went to be with the Lord at the young age of 60. His funeral services were held on August 6, 2021.

     After 20 long months of being restricted to online meetings, we were able begin holding monthly in-person services at the Anatolia Clubhouse in Rancho Cordova. After much prayer and planning, we are excited to announce that beginning with our February 20th service, we will now be meeting in-person EVERY Sunday at the Anatolia Clubhouse! We are grateful to the Lord for His provision of a new meeting place!

     Fred Phillips III was the Founding Pastor of Sunrise Community Church Rancho Cordova. He was called to the ministry in 1982. And was licensed by The Church of God in 1991, while serving as a lay minister as the Minister of Christian Education First Church of God Clarksville (Clarksville, Tennessee), under Senior Pastor Eugene Lanham. Pastor Fred received his ordination by The Church of God, Anderson, Indiana in 1992.

     With  over four decades of ministry experience, Pastor Fred had passion for developing the next generation of church leaders to ensure the church remains relevant for years to come. He served as the Men’s President of the Interstate Association of the Church of God and was a US Army Warrant Officer, having served 27 years and retiring honorably in 2006. A bi-vocational Pastor, Fred worked as a Senior Network Engineer for Healthnet/Centene Corporation of Rancho Cordova, until resigning in 2020 to work fulltime in the family business. Fred held a BS Degree in Information Systems Management and was enrolled a Student of Theology at Anderson University working toward his Masters in Divinity Degree.     

     His wife, Lady Lia, fully supported Fred’s passion for ministry. She holds a Masters in Social Work and is the Administrator of their family business supporting veterans with companion and non-medical in-home care services, designed to keep them safely and affordably at home in Sacramento and the East Bay areas. She is active in the Interstate Women's events and is a gifted speaker. Pastor Fred and Lady Lia were a blended family of five adult children and six grandchildren.

     Pastor Fred will remain forever in our hearts as we rejoice that is he is now in the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!