Seismic Update

Dear Calvary Petaluma, 

We are overjoyed to share this news with you:

Yesterday we heard back from the City of Petaluma that we definitively do nothave to complete seismic upgrades at the new building! We have received our completed Permit to change the occupancy of the building from office space to assembly.

Church, not only is the incredible news for the project, but this is a direct answer to prayer. We are seeing the harvest of prayers sowed by you as we have been fasting and praying for God’s favor on this issue and the project as a whole. God is so good, and we have so much to celebrate!

Certainly there will be many things to navigate in the months ahead, but we see the path forward to moving into our new building within the year.

Psalm 25:4-5
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.”
 

Walking by faith, together with you, 
Pastor Zach 
On behalf of the staff and leadership team 

Fasting and Prayer

Thank you for joining this week of prayer and fasting. As we seek God’s direction for our church, we pray that each of you will hear from the Lord. As you do, please fill out the commitment form and share what God is speaking to you and how He is leading you to give.
(click here)

I realize that fasting might be new for some of you, so I wanted to offer some encouragement about what it means for us, as Christians, to fast. Below are some thoughts I hope will help us enter into this moment as a church.

Also, don’t forget that we have a prayer meeting each day this week at noon at the church. It is so encouraging to pray together, and today was a great start!

I am so thankful to be on this journey of faith with you, and I’m excited to see what the Lord will do!

Love,
Pastor Zach

A Definition

Introduction to Christian Fasting

Fasting is temporarily abstaining from something good to intensify our expression of the need for something greater. For us as Christians, that something greater is God Himself. So we fast to seek God’s will and to be filled with more of God’s presence in our lives.

Matthew 6:16-18 – Focused on God

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

We are not commanded to fast anywhere in the New Testament, but there is an invitation. There is an expectation from Jesus who did not say “if you fast” but “when you fast”. The main point of what Jesus says in Matthew 6 is that fasting is very God-oriented. We are not trying to impress or be seen by others but seek Him.

Matthew 9:14-17 – Longing for Jesus

14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

Here, Jesus shows us how Christian fasting differs from fasting in the Old Testament. Jesus is the bridegroom, and as long as He is with His disciples, it isn’t the time to fast. But when He is taken away, when there is a longing and a feeling of separation, that is the time to fast. So, Christian fasting is a way of expressing our longing for Jesus. We want His kingdom to come and His will to be done in our lives. When we fast as Christians, we’re saying that we are hungry for the presence of Jesus and need more of Him.

Acts 13:1-3 – God’s Leading and Direction

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a lifelong friend of Herod, the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off

Here, we see the beginning of an incredible missionary move of God in the early church that was inspired while they worshipped, fasted, and prayed. Saul (who became Paul) and Barnabas were called and sent out because the church expressed their need for God’s guidance. Fasting is a powerful way to repurpose our time and attention onto the Lord for His wisdom and direction.

Summary

We use food to fulfill so many needs in our lives. We eat because we’re hungry and need strength and because we’re stressed and need comfort. Fasting is a way to say that we want and need and trust Jesus more for these things. Food is a gift from God, but Jesus is better. We want the bread of life (see John 6:35)! Applying all this to our current situation, we are fasting and praying because:

1. We want to focus our hearts and minds on God more

2. We are longing for Jesus, the Head of the Church, to come and for His will to be done

3. We need and desire God’s guidance for the decisions we’re facing as a church

Getting Practical

1. Start Simple – If you’ve never fasted before, don’t try to go all week without eating (or even all day). Consider fasting for one meal. It will be a sacrifice no matter what, but find the time to make the commitment and keep it. Maybe it isn’t food, but you fast from social media or watching T.V. Rather than spending the time in our day doing those things, we can focus on the Lord and seek Him instead.

2. Be Intentional – You also need to plan what you will do with the time besides not eating. Remember that we are not trying to impress God through self-deprivation, but we’re seeking to be filled with more of God through spiritual discipline. What will you do with the time instead? If you’re fasting for lunch, consider joining us at the church for the prayer meeting each day this week if you can. Or take your Bible, a devotional, and your journal, and have some worship music ready to fill the time with God-focused activity. The whole goal is to be filled with more of Him, which is better than anything else!

Ready to Meet this Moment

Dear Church,

On Sunday, I shared with you the latest on our “venture of faith” regarding a future home for Calvary Chapel Petaluma. To summarize: 

• We will be required to complete seismic upgrades to the new building.

• This kind of work significantly raises the cost of the project. 

• This kind of work also adds considerable time to the project, increasing the price, as we will have to pay a mortgage and rent during construction.

We considered these to be significant challenges, wondering if it meant that God was closing the door. In the meantime, our landlord offered to sell us the building we currently occupy, which was very exciting until we learned that their best price was significantly more than our accepted offer at the new building. The bottom line is that we cannot afford to purchase our current building at the price. Since we can not purchase our current building, it is being put on the market for sale. 

Church, we are completely dependent on the Lord. We know that He has a plan, He knows our needs, and we need Him to lead and guide, protect and provide for us. Here are the three things that we need to come together to do as one church: 

1. Come to the Information Meeting this Sunday, December 3rd at 5pm 
   We will share more detailed information and pray together for God’s will to be clear and to put all our confidence in Him. 

2. Pray and Fast:  
   Starting Sunday, December 3rd, we are calling for a week of pray and fasting. We want to pray for a clear word from God and an amount that He would put on our hearts to give. This week of prayer and fasting will serve to inform our decision on whether we follow through with purchasing the new building. We will host prayer meetings Tuesday, December 5th – Friday, December 8th from 12:00-1:00pm at the church and would love for you to join us in prayer. 

3. Prepare to Give: 
   As you pray and fast the week of December 3rd, our prayer is that the Lord would be speaking to you. We invite you to share your words, scriptures, or encouragements with our leadership team. 
   
   Finally, we ask that you share if there is an amount that you feel God would be leading you to contribute towards this project.
   We don’t want to take an offering until we have clarity on the decision and direction, so your Giving Commitment will be vital in helping our leadership team discern our next steps. By the conclusion of our week of prayer and fasting on December 10, we ask that you send in your Giving Commitment by clicking the button below.

I believe that we are in the midst of a unique moment in God’s story for our church. Let’s meet it together with faith and complete confidence in the Lord. I can’t wait to see what He will do. He is the Author and Finisher! 

Growing in faith together with you,
Pastor Zach 
On behalf of the staff and leadership team at Calvary Petaluma 

November 2 Building Update

Dear Calvary Petaluma, 

First, thank you for praying and fasting for last week’s meeting on Friday, and continuing to pray for this process of purchasing a home for our church. While we did not get the answer we were hoping for, we trust the Lord with the answers He provides. God promises not to withhold anything good from us, so we can be confident that if this building is a good home for our church, God will provide, and if it isn’t, it isn’t good for us. 

Here’s where we stand: 

• After originally hearing we would not need to, we have received confirmation that the building would need seismic retrofitting to upgrade the occupancy from office to assembly.  

• We are currently working with architects, structural engineers, and contractors to get a clear and accurate sense of the scope of that work, the time it would take, and the cost. 

• We hope to have all the solid information we need within the next few weeks, and we will be processing it all and communicating with you once we know what we’re dealing with. 

That’s where we’re at. Please continue to pray for God’s wisdom every step of the way, and let’s keep our hearts and hands open as we move forward in faith. 

Love, 
Pastor Zach 
On behalf of the staff and leadership team 

Pressing into Prayer

Good Morning Church, 

           Thank you so much for your continued prayer and intercession as we ask God what he may have for us in this new building. Thank you to those who entered in through prayer and fasting, asking God for a favorable outcome in our meeting yesterday about potential seismic upgrades for the new building. 

It was a concise meeting with our structural engineer, talking through different code implications with the city official.   

To summarize, we are still waiting on a definitive answer about whether seismic upgrades are necessary at the new building, but we are getting more information every day and we will keep you in the loop as we hear more. Let’s continue to pray and trust God to open and close doors as we seek out the answers to these questions. 

We are so grateful for the support and encouragement that we feel from you. This whole process has truly felt like a step of faith, walking in a way that requires new expressions of faith. Thank you for coming together as we ask God, with open hands, what he has for our church. 

51 days left in our due-diligence process. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
– Hebrews 11:6 

Walking by faith, together with you, 
Pastor Zach 
On behalf of the staff and leadership team 

Just 59 Days Left…

Dear Calvary Chapel,
 
Yesterday, after taking time with the staff and leadership to pray and worship, we signed the purchase agreement for 1650 Corporate Circle. This step moves us forward in acquiring a building that can be a church home for the future. More specifically, our sixty-day due-diligence process has officially begun, and as I write this, we have 59 days left; it will go very fast, and there is much to do. 
 
What We’re Working On…
1. Our priority is to keep the main thing the main thing… the ministry! We want to keep growing in our love for God and our love for people while we serve and reach the world. 
2. Meeting with Contractors and Architects to identify the best partners for this project who will help us narrow down what we can realistically accomplish in the time and with the budget we have.
3. Preliminary conversations with the city of Petaluma to work with them on the best strategy for our building and occupancy permits in the time and with the budget we have.
4. Lining up inspections and looking over existing information from the seller to learn as much about the property as possible to ensure there are no significant issues or deal-breakers.
5. Multiple versions of plans and contingencies for how we can make the space work “as-is” and then phase in our build-out as time and budget permit.
6.  Finalizing all the information with our bank to ensure everything is lined up so that if we do move forward after the due diligence period, we are all set to close escrow after thirty days. 
What You Can Do…
 
Pray! I know that sounds like a typical thing to say, but we really mean it! We need your prayers to lift up every aspect of this venture of faith. There’s no way this will happen without the Lord’s help. These next sixty days are crucial; we’re calling everyone to pray daily. Here are some things to pray about specifically, beyond what the Lord puts on your heart:
1. Pray that God would help us all keep the main thing the main thing
2. Pray Ephesians 4:3 that we would all eagerly maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
3. Pray for a “harvest” of people coming to know and follow Jesus to fill up the space in this new building.
4. Pray for good counselors through this process, people we can work with who will help us navigate each step with the wisdom we need.
5. Pray for God to bring spirit-filled, skillful people to do the work (like when the Tabernacle was built). 
6. Pray about what you can give:
– The most helpful giving is regular and consistent. We believe that giving 10% of our income called the tithe, is the principle and precedent for worshipping God with our resources. This would be the place to start if you have benefited from what God is doing through Calvary Petaluma but do not give regularly. Pray about what God would have you contribute cheerfully and generously to the work. If you’d like to begin giving regularly, please click the button below and select the fund called “General Giving”

GENERAL GIVING

– On top of our regular giving, there are times when we give over and above. These are opportunities for sacrificial giving, sometimes called offerings. If God has blessed you somehow, and you want to give towards this opportunity to invest in the future of Calvary Petaluma, pray about giving a special offering. As we’ve prayed through this, feeling the weight of the decision and responsibility, I sensed the Lord saying, “Now is not the time to cling to comfort or seek easy days for yourself. Now is the time to make great sacrifices for the future of our church.” If you would like to make a special offering, please click the button below and select the fund called “Enter In Building Fund”

ENTER IN BUILDING FUND

– Giving is not just financial – God gives tremendously valuable spiritual gifts to build up the church. Do you have a scripture, a word of knowledge, a word of wisdom? We would love to invite you to share those with our staff and leadership so that we can pray about all that the Lord is saying through the many diverse and gifted members of His beautiful body. Please click the button below if you have a scripture or word to share. 

SHARE WITH US

Thank you for taking the time to read this! As you can imagine, there is always so much more to say, so let’s trust that God knows the beginning from the end. Please pray and let’s see what the Lord will do!
 
Trusting in Jesus,
 
Pastor Zach
On behalf of the staff and leadership team at Calvary Petaluma.

In Case You Missed It…

Dear Church, 
We shared some exciting news on Sunday and I wanted to send the details out to our whole church in writing. After months of praying, and discussion, our offer on a building has been verbally accepted. Today we will be sending back the signed letter of intent which will begin a process to purchase a home for Calvary Chapel Petaluma. I’ve included photos to help you pray and get a feel for what’s next.  

To be sure, there is a long process ahead to see a project like this come to full fruition, but it has begun. We want to walk with open hands, trusting the Lord, not forcing anything, but diligently walking through the process to see whether or not God confirms and provides this place for us.  On Sunday, as we rejoiced together in the possibility of what the Lord might be doing, I asked two things of us: 

1. That we would dedicate ourselves to work hard to maintain the unity of the Spirit as this process unfolds. If this really is the will and work of the Lord, there will undoubtedly be increased spiritual warfare around it. Like in Nehemiah the enemy always seeks to distract, discourage, and divide. Let’s not allow that to happen. I want to invite you to keep short accounts, pray continually, and be especially sober-minded.  Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV) I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 2. That we would pray for God’s help to keep our eyes on the main thing. Jesus is building His church, but the church is not a building. The church is the people of God gathered to worship, love each other, and then scattered to serve and reach the world. We don’t want to lose site of the mission in light of all the additional demands and decisions. A building is a tool for ministry, so let’s pray that more and more ministry would take place. Matthew 5:18 (ESV) For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.Mark 12:30–31 (ESV) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Philippians 1:27 (ESV) Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

I know that there are, and will be, many questions about what the process looks like from here. We are currently planning an information meeting for Sunday October 1st at 4PM so please watch for more information on that and join us if you can. We hope to share as much helpful information as we have at that point, and answer as many questions as we are able to.  

I am excited to go on this journey of faith together, and I can’t wait to see all that the Lord will do. 
Love, 
Zach