30 years later!

Well, it’s been now 30 years (April 8, 2022) since Lucy and I, after much prayer and some fasting, accepted the call from Calvary Chapel of Santa Maria (CCSM) to come be their next Senior Pastor.

Pastor Larry Elizondo planted this small church, birthed out of Calvary Chapel of Arroyo Grande (CCAG). Pastor Steve Carr (CCAG) had a vision for planting churches around his community. A small Bible study began in Santa Maria comprised of people that were attending CCAG from Santa Maria. Larry was called out of Don McClure’s church in Redlands, CA, to come and establish this new church in Santa Maria. CCSM was organized in 1985 and affiliated with Calvary Chapel Fellowship of churches soon after.

Lucy and I were busy in the Central Valley of California preaching at 2 churches on Sundays, I was teaching Bible College classes at 2 Californian State Prisons (Chowchilla Women’s Prison, and Corcoran Men’s Prison), teaching Science classes at Kings Christian High School on the week mornings, and running my Island Pool Service weekly with 25 accounts.

We visited CCSM on President’s Day weekend March 15, 1992 to candidate for the Pastoral position. Our dear friends Tod and Jan Rush (former Central Valley residents) asked us to please come over and put our name in the hat. It was a wonderful weekend and the church service went well. The Board of Elders called us on April 5, 1992, and we accepted the call to Pastor at CCSM on April 8, 1992.

It’s been a joy and a great challenge, as every Pastorate is. We’ve had so many wonderful experiences, and a number of great challenges. We focus on the Ebenezers God has called to remember of these wonderful years.

My daughter was 12 when we moved top Santa Maria and my son was 9. He is now going to be anointed as the new Lead Pastor of CCSM this Sunday, April 10, 2022.

To God be all the glory.