Our Story

Our Church History

A member of Reformed Church in America (RCA), Calvary Reformed Church is located in the heart of California’s central valley, 90 miles east of San Francisco.  Ripon is a small city of 14,000 people and growing. Historically an agricultural town known for its almonds and dairy farms, the population of Ripon has grown significantly over the past two decades with many new commuting residents. Area residents are attracted to its strong family orientation, low crime rates, friendly atmosphere, top-rated schools, and lovely tree-lined neighborhoods.

Established in 1934, Calvary has flourished under the guidance of eight pastors. These pastors have ministered to our congregation 5 to 16 years each.

Calvary has continued to faithfully set itself apart by answering God’s call to fulfill the Great Commission by reaching out within the community and beyond. Calvary was the first church in our community to offer vacation Bible school, a full-time youth pastor, and an after-school program to meet the needs of children and their working parents.

The same spirit that led Calvary’s founding in the 1930’s has led members to have a heart to plant many new churches within the Classis of Central California. Calvary continues to provide strong spiritual leadership support to the Classis.

Our Church Today

Calvary Reformed Church has stayed the course because the hearts of men and women have responded to God’s vision for beginning new ministries, building new facilities to make room for others in our church home, and bringing the Good News to others wherever called. 

Calvary holds fast to fundamental evangelical and reformed principles. We believe in the inerrancy of the Bible as the holy, inspired word of God, that there is only one way to salvation through acceptance of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, and that our faith in God is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit.

What Calvary members appreciate most about our church is its friendly, compassionate, family-like atmosphere. We are a multi-generational church with two complimentary types of worship services, one traditional and one contemporary. We are blessed with a strong ministry team that includes four full-time and four part-time staff members and dozens of lay leaders that provide numerous opportunities for participants’ spiritual growth and community outreach. Both women and men’s ministries are active within the church and a special emphasis is given to strengthening families through our marriage ministry.

Our missional focus includes various and diverse youth mission projects, service to San Francisco homeless and homebound, support for six world-wide missionaries including Mission Aviation Fellowship and several part-time missionaries including Youth for Christ, our local Gospel missions, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. We also serve in ministry at Bethany Home, one of the most highly regarded assisted and independent senior living complexes in California.