The Formation of a New Congregation

In July 2006 our congregation began in a series of formation and worship meetings at the home of Ken and Mary Mann in San Bernardino. Many of those who attended these meetings had originally met at Cursillo. Several priests, including Fr. Richard Menees, Fr. Dale Smith, and Fr. Bill Thompson, met with us, advised us, and led us. The congregation was led to affiliate as a Church plant of St. James’ Anglican Church (Newport Beach) under the authority of the Diocese of Luweero in the Anglican Province of Uganda. In late August of 2006 we began worshiping on Saturdays at Highland Congregational Church (HCC) as Inland Anglican Fellowship (IAF). In September of 2006 we formed a Steering committee.  Our first Sunday worship at the HCC location was 24 December 2006.

In January of 2007 at the committee’s request, St. James called Brian Schulz as a transitional deacon to provide pastoral care to IAF. Brian accepted the call and would eventually become our first Rector.  In July, the committee began to look into selecting a new name to indicate the congregation’s status as a largely self-supporting mission growing to become a self-supporting church. In October, IAF adopted the new name of Christ’s Church and, during the same month, Brian Schulz was ordained to the priesthood. In late 2007 and early 2008, delegates from Christ’s Church participated in the formation of what would become the Diocese of Western Anglicans.

In June 2008 the congregation approved the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of Christ’s Church and confirmed the existing Steering Committee as the initial Vestry of Christ’s Church.  During 2008, the Vestry began work to discern a territory for Christ’s Church and to find a more suitable site for our worship.

In February 2009 the congregation amended the By-Laws and approved joining the Diocese of Western Anglicans and the Province of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).  In April, the Provincial Council of the ACNA approved the formation of the Diocese of Western Anglicans, with Christ’s Church as one of the formational parishes. After a lengthy search for a new space for worship, Christ’s Church worship services moved to Yucaipa High School in November 2009.  Also in November 2009, Brian Schulz was called as the first Rector of Christ’s Church.

Two Services and a New Building

In 2014 Christ’s Church began a more intensive search for a full-time worship facility. Throughout 2014 and 2015 the church continued to meet at Yucaipa High School for worship services, but also built up neighborhood groups throughout the city that met during the week. God continued to grow and guide our church as we met with the community through city events, studies, and prayer walks.

In 2015 we began triad discipleship groups as a means to increase our faith and reach out to our neighbors with the gospel. Throughout the year the facility search committee engaged in negotiations regarding a possible building to rent. In January, 2016 the Vestry approved renting space in a former Presbyterian church. Because this facility was badly in need of refurbishing, many of the members of the parish worked to paint the inside and outside of the church, build an altar and cross, and make other improvements and then move all of the physical assets of the church to the new location. Daily Morning and Evening Prayer services began in February 2016 while the renovations were still underway. The building was consecrated by Bishop Keith Andrews on March 5th, 2016. The first regular services were on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday with Sunday services beginning in the new location on Easter Sunday, 2016.

Throughout 2016 and 2017 Christ’s Church continued to worship, meet in small groups, and reach out to the community in new ways. Fr. James developed a pro-life ministry in San Bernardino. Congregation members were encouraged to invest in the community with Alpha Courses, outreach to the community at Calimesa Elementary School, the new movers program, door-to-door prayer, communal prayer, prayer groups, healing prayer, and other initiatives. In June, parishioners raised support to send Pastor Brian to GAFCON in Jerusalem as a delegate from our diocese.

In August, 2018, Fr. James Linton was called to serve as rector of St. John’s Anglican Church in Salt Lake City, UT. In December, 2018, Pastor Brian was called to St. James Anglican Church in Newport Beach, CA. At the end of 2018 a search committee was formed to find the next full time rector of Christ’s Church. From December of 2018 through November of 2019 Pastor Ken Greenlee served as the interim rector of Christ’s Church.

Fr. Carl Leads Christ’s Church Through the Pandemic

In November 2019, Fr. Carl Smith accepted the call to become the second rector of Christ’s Church and began serving that Advent season. In those early months Fr. Carl worked hard to get acquainted with his new congregation and began executing a vision for the next season, but then the Covid-19 pandemic completely reoriented everything.

The next two years were difficult as national and state requirements shifted in response to the pandemic, forcing churches accross the globe to be flexible while still ministering to their people. One of the first things we did was set up a live stream through Facebook Live and offered Morning Prayer services on Sunday with a small team. Eventually this expanded into live streaming Eucharist services and the people participated in drive-up Eucharist. This not only enabled people to receive the sacrament, but offered opportunity for prayer, connection, and encouragement. Eventually we began to hold outdoor services in the courtyard which allowed more people to worship with us in person. Fr. Carl’s institution by Bishop Keith Andrews was delayed until April 2021. During this season, Christ’s Church continued to be a “cradle of clergy,” with Jason Lyon ordained a deacon in 2020 and priest in 2021 and Ron Offringa ordained a deacon in 2021 and priest in 2022. In April of 2022 Christ’s Church resumed worshiping in the sanctuary of the Avenue E property.

Christ’s Church Moves to Redlands

In September of 2022, Christ’s Church moved from Yucaipa to the south chapel at Streams Church in Redlands. That same month, Fr. Carl and Debby returned to Arizona to assist and support their son, Fr. Peter Smith at Living Faith Anglican Church.

Soon afterwards, Fr. Ron Offringa was appointed to serve as the priest-in-charge paving the way for Christ’s Church to begin a new season of growth and ministry expansion. Fr. Ron faithfully served through July 2023 and continues his ministry at Christ’s Church as the assisting priest while he, together with his wife, Katelyn, begins the process for a new church plant in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

On December 31, 2023, Fr. Ron and Katelyn Offringa, along with their children, officially set out to begin their church plant in Rancho Cucamonga. Fr. Ron’s and Katelyn’s work at Christ’s Church expanded over 10 years, leading worship, working with teens and young adults as ministry partners, and Fr. Ron as the Administrator, Deacon, Priest, then Priest-in-Charge, for Christ’s Church. We are grateful to Fr. Ron and Kate for their ministry and bless them as they forge the path to raising up a new church.

Fr. Jason Lyon Appointed 3rd Rector of Christ’s Church

In June 2023, the Vestry appointed Fr. Jason Lyon as the third rector of Christ’s Church. Fr. Jason’s first service was on July 9, 2023.