Calvary Chapel Chico began in the early 1980s as an outreach of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Our first services were held in a storefront building on the corner of 5th and Mangrove. Only eight adults gathered with us for our second Sunday Service held on Dec. 25th 1983. Ten weeks after our arrival in Chico our congregation had grown to fifty or sixty Sunday morning regulars; the majority of them brand new baby Christians. The Lord blessed us with an empty Church building at 16th and Hemlock where we began holding services in March of 1984.
We continued to see people come to Christ on such a regular basis we found ourselves needing to go to three services by early the next Spring. We rented the Chico Veterans Hall for our Easter Sunday service in 1985 and began holding regular Sunday services at The Hall a few weeks later. The Lord continued to pour out His Spirit in our services and on the people He was reaching through them. Once again we found ourselves in double services and began renting more and more rooms at Chico High School as God continued to add new believers to our Children’s and Youth Ministries.
Those early years were such a blessing to those of us ministering together we overlooked the ever-increasing problems associated with our continuing growth. Limited nearby parking hindered or excluded many who were elderly or injured. The lack of (on site) classrooms for children, conflicts at Chico High, and increasing traffic concerns added to the difficulty of ministering to hundreds of people in facilities we only have access to one day a week. Nevertheless God faithfully continued to bless and pour out His Spirit adding to us those He was reaching through us.
Our Elders, Pastors and Board members began to look more aggressively for a more suitable facility; one that could address the growing concerns we were now praying regularly about while expanding our ministry potential.
Various buildings, building sights, even a former Amusement Park were looked at, prayed about and in some cases negotiations entered into without success. Most recently we were approached about the possibility of purchasing a soon to be vacant theater (Movies 10) in southeast Chico behind the Chico Mall. We prayed for God to give us wisdom, to guide and provide if this was in His plans for us. The asking price was well beyond anything we could see as workable so we made an offer that seemed more practical and prudent. The owners lowered their asking price but didn’t come close to what we were offering so we went before The Lord in prayer and made another offer.
We want God’s best for Calvary Chico so at this point we are asking you to pray with us.
First and foremost pray for our interaction with all parties concerned that we would rightly represent our LORD JESUS so if this turns out not to be the place for us we don’t miss the opportunity to share Him and His plan for them.
Pray that the City of Chico will look on us with favor and grant us the necessary use permit.
Pray that we can come to terms with the owners. Pray for Gods provision financially.
Sixteen years of maintaining a low overhead has enabled us to keep our ministry focus on people.
We have no desire or plans to spend our time together focusing on fundraising or facilities.
We do realize that the best way to maintain a low overhead is to make a large down payment or better yet to pay cash and avoid a payment altogether. To that end if you have the ability and the desire to contribute beyond any tithes and offerings God has enabled and prompted you to give in the past now is the time to act.
Your servant in Jesus
Pastor Sam
The Elders and Board Members are available to address questions or concerns.