Bethany Presbyterian Church sits on the southeast corner of 24th Street and Fruitridge Road in south Sacramento, about a half-mile south of Sacramento City College and only minutes from downtown. Locals know the congregation for its openness - people of many different walks of life, with diverse viewpoints, gathered around one stated belief: "that we are called to be Christ's ambassadors to the world." That phrase is at the heart of Bethany's Guiding Vision: "Loved by God, centered in Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are called to be the Body of Christ and sent to be Christ's ambassadors in the world."
The congregation's sanctuary is one of the most distinctive things about it. Bethany does not worship in a purpose-built church, but in a small, white clapboard chapel modeled on a traditional New England country church. It is a former United States Army chapel, and it has been moved - twice - to reach its current home on 24th Street.
A Sanctuary That Traveled from Stockton
Bethany's sanctuary began life as a World War II military chapel at the Stockton Army Air Field in San Joaquin County. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt had championed the idea that soldiers would benefit from dedicated houses of worship rather than recreation halls, and standardized plans for non-denominational army chapels were developed under her urging. Congress authorized the construction of 604 such buildings in 1941, and by war's end more than 1,130 had been built. Bethany's chapel was one of the "800 series WWII Ch-1 Regimental" chapels: a simple, dignified building on a concrete foundation, designed to look like a country church.
When the war ended, downsizing bases put hundreds of these chapels on the market. Bethany paid $2,000 for the chapel from Stockton, and in the fall of 1950 it was disassembled, trucked to Sacramento, and reassembled at the congregation's second home on 30th Street. Five years later, in October 1955, Highway 99 construction forced another move. Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch "the church on wheels" being towed to 24th Street. The steeple had to come off for the journey and, once at the new site, was placed on the lower Social Hall roof instead - Sacramento's nearby commercial airport had height restrictions that would have made a traditional steeple a hazard to passing aircraft. What most visitors see today is a bell tower over the sanctuary, with the original steeple presiding over the social hall across the parking lot.
The Mission and Guiding Vision
Bethany's stated mission is to grow in Christ, to be inspired to spread God's word, and to share God's love throughout the community. The Guiding Vision document, which the congregation uses to chart its work, expands that calling: "Loved by God, centered in Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are called to be the Body of Christ and sent to be Christ's ambassadors in the world." A printable chart of the vision is available for download so members and friends can keep the congregation's shared direction in mind.
A Congregation in a Special Season
Bethany is currently without a called pastor, and the Presbytery of North Central California has convened an Administrative Commission to walk alongside the congregation in this season of membership decline. The five-member commission is functioning with what the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) calls "Original Jurisdiction," meaning it serves as the decision-making body at Bethany for the time being. Its members are ruling elders and ministers from neighboring PC(USA) congregations, each with a designated focus:
- Ruling Elder Ron Johnson, an attorney from the Federated Church of Placerville, moderator, focused on bylaws.
- Ruling Elder Maurine Huang of Parkview Presbyterian Church, secretary, with experience in grants and congregational vitality, focused on bylaws and relationships.
- Ruling Elder Dave Studer of Carmichael Presbyterian Church, a long-time insurance executive whose family counts three generations of pastors, focused on property and finance.
- Ruling Elder William Yee, a retired attorney and non-profit board veteran from Parkview Presbyterian, treasurer, also focused on property and finance.
- Minister of Word and Sacrament Rev. David Antonson.
The commission has reviewed ethical guidelines, adopted a covenant, and identified pairs of members to lead listening and coordination in four focus areas. Day-to-day operations are handled by volunteer teams, since Bethany currently lacks paid office or administrative staff. "Please join in thanking those who have stepped up in this time of need to keep the ministry and mission of Bethany going," the congregation asks.
Sunday Mornings in the Sanctuary
Sunday worship at Bethany begins at 10:30 a.m., with pre-service music starting at 10:25 a.m. Services are offered in person and livestreamed on Facebook Live, and some services are recorded for later viewing. Each service lasts about sixty minutes and is intentionally blended - mixing contemporary and traditional music, prayer, and a thought-provoking message. Hymn favorites in recent months have included "Morning Has Broken," "Be Thou My Vision," "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," "In Christ Alone," "Amazing Grace," and "Song of Hope."
Worship leadership rotates among Bethany's elders and a wide circle of local Presbyterian ministers and supply preachers. Recent preachers have included Rev. Elias Burgos, Rev. Stan Henderson, Rev. Jack McNary, Rev. Judy Davis, Rev. David Antonson, Rev. Lew Rooker, Rev. Janice Kamikawa, and visiting ministers such as Rev. Karen Sapio, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of North Central California. Lay elders including Jim Guida, Pat Terry, Laura Anderson, and Cathy Sapunor regularly preach and lead. Worship leaders include Elder Jackie Sneed, liturgists include Kathy Frank, Debbie Leibrock, and Trisha Uhrhammer, and the music team typically pairs Barbara Greene at the piano with Manh Ong on guitar, often joined by Cathy Sapunor and Rev. Lew Rooker. The Bethany Choir sings at festival services, and soloists regularly offer anthems.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. All are invited to receive the bread and cup in memory of Christ's love and sacrifice. Baptism, when requested, is treated as "a very special sacrament - a pledge by the congregation (and parents) to help the child grow in spirit and faith."
Children are welcome in worship. Although nursery care has been suspended since the pandemic, families are invited to keep children with them during the service. Coloring sheets and bible story books are placed in the narthex to keep little hands busy, and a child's bible is offered as a gift to any family that would like one. When children are present, Jim Guida presents a children's message; he is the author of the Children's Moments resource and holds an M.A. in Theology.
After the service, refreshments are served in the Social Hall, where birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones are celebrated. Visitors who cannot attend in person can simply tune in to the Facebook page at 10:25 a.m. and worship alongside the congregation from home.
The Food Closet on 24th Street
Bethany is known across south Sacramento for one very practical ministry: it has housed the South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership (SSIP) Food Closet on its campus since 1970. The food closet serves neighbors in an area where nearly a third of households live at the poverty level.
Each year before Thanksgiving and Christmas, Bethany volunteers wake up early to serve hot cocoa and baked goods to the customers waiting in line at the food closet. "These are among the busiest days of the year for the food closet," the congregation notes. "There are tasks for volunteers of all ages. This is an easy 'door-opener' to regular volunteer hours at the food closet." On a regular schedule, a Bethany volunteer team serves on every fifth Monday morning - the church's standing volunteer shift at SSIP. In the surrounding neighborhood, members and friends collect groceries for the food closet and personal care items for the homeless clients served by Sacramento's Loaves and Fishes program.
Walking with Refugees and the Hungry
Bethany's Good Neighbor Team has partnered with World Relief Sacramento to sponsor a refugee family that resettled in Sacramento after fleeing their native Afghanistan, helping newcomers get established in the community.
Each January, the congregation devotes a week to Hunger Awareness. Participants may agree to live on a subsistence budget, serve as a prayer partner, donate to the food closet, or volunteer at SSIP. A printed devotional accompanies daily emails and social-media reflections, and at week's end participants share their experiences during a worship service. In the fall, Bethany fields a walking team for the annual CROP Hunger Walk, a community-wide event sponsored by Church World Service.
Bethany also participates in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, supporting long-term recovery alongside PC(USA) partners. Four times a year, special offerings are taken for designated needs. The church's ongoing "Widow's Mite" collection distributes water bottles, gloves, hats, and socks to homeless neighbors in the Sacramento community.
Sprucing Up the Pines at Zephyr Point
Twice a year, in May and October, Bethany members travel to Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center on Lake Tahoe to help "spruce up" the buildings and grounds. A particular labor of love is the Crawford Memorial hillside lookout deck, originally built in 1981 by Bethany's youth group in memory of two high school classmates and their father who died in an automobile accident. Bethany's volunteers continue to maintain the memorial and other parts of the property. Contributions earmarked for the Crawford Memorial Fund and registrations for the semi-annual work weekends are welcomed.
Bethany also gathers there each August for the annual Friends and Family Retreat, a weekend of fellowship and rest at the lake.
Prayer, Study, and the Monday Group
Bethany takes prayer seriously, both as a personal discipline and a shared practice. Every Monday at 3:30 p.m., members and friends pray together wherever they are - at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else - "knowing you are in the company of dozens of others doing the same thing." A prayer team also receives requests from anyone who would like to be lifted up.
The Monday Group, a long-running discussion series held in the church library at 10 a.m., gathers participants around topics such as "Compassionate Communication" and an eight-part series titled "Who WAS Jesus?" Recent sermon series have spanned Old and New Testament stories - Genesis and the Flood, the calling of Abraham, the Exodus, parables, healings, and the empty tomb - drawing on texts from Genesis through Revelation.
Fellowship That Looks Like Everyday Life
Bethany's weekly rhythms make room for a wide range of people.
- Coffee and Conversation, a drop-in morning that started in 2025, runs every Wednesday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Social Hall. Coffee and donuts are on the house, and all are invited. There is no cost to attend.
- Gentle Exercise meets on Thursday mornings at 9 a.m. in the Social Hall. Stretching and balance-boosting moves begin at 8:45 a.m., and a $3-$5 donation per class is suggested.
- The Movie Group heads to the Cinemark Century Laguna Theater at 9349 Big Horn Boulevard in Elk Grove three or four times a month. Outings are open to anyone; tickets typically run around $7.25.
- The Spring Nature Walk gathers participants at the Cosumnes River Preserve for a light brunch served tailgate-style. Trails are wheelchair- and walker-accessible.
Blessing of the Pets and Other Special Services
Each fall, Bethany offers an outdoor Blessing of the Pets - a brief service held on the church grounds (moved into the Social Hall in case of rain) where dogs, cats, birds, turtles, gerbils, and even favorite stuffed animals receive a personal blessing. Photos of pets are welcome when animals cannot travel. The service falls on the Sunday nearest October 4, the day St. Francis of Assisi is remembered as the patron saint of animals and the environment.
Other special services observe the church calendar through the year, including Reformation Sunday (with Scottish refreshments and a tartan-and-plaid invitation), Pentecost (when worshippers are encouraged to wear red), All Saints Day, Easter, Christmas Eve, and themed services that focus on music, healing, grief, forgiveness, and other topics.
Presbyterian Women and Children and Youth
Presbyterian Women at Bethany is open to all, including men. The local circle subscribes to Horizons, the denomination's magazine, and gathers for study and fellowship. Updates come through moderator Cathy Sapunor.
Children and youth are described as "a vital part of our congregation, participating in worship, mission, Christian education, music, and fellowship." The congregation's longtime youth ministry left a lasting mark on the wider church: it was Bethany's youth group that built the Crawford Memorial deck at Zephyr Point in 1981, which they still care for today.
Weddings and Memorials
Bethany hosts wedding ceremonies in the sanctuary and receptions in the Social Hall, with couples invited to schedule a personal tour and check available dates. Through a long-standing partnership with Evergreen Memorial, Bethany volunteers also help provide low-cost memorial services and funerals in the sanctuary, assisting families with setup and hospitality during difficult days.
Partnering With the Wider Church
Bethany is rooted in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and belongs to the Presbytery of North Central California, one of the denomination's regional governing bodies. The congregation gives to and prays for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, participates in the denomination's Special Offerings, supports Presbyterian Women USA, and works alongside ecumenical partners such as the South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership and Sacramento Area Congregations Together. Members have attended multi-faith prayer vigils in support of immigrants at the John Moss Federal Building in Sacramento.
Giving and Getting Involved
Online giving is available through Vanco, with a smartphone app for regular donors. Checks may be made out to Bethany Presbyterian Church and placed in the offering plate or mailed to the church address. Stock gifts and estate gifts can be arranged through the office. Members and friends can also support Bethany by shopping through Amazon Smile, by earmarking gifts for the SSIP Food Closet, the Crawford Memorial Fund at Zephyr Point, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, or the CROP Hunger Walk.
What a First-Time Visitor Should Know
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. Pre-service music starts at 10:25 a.m. The parking lot entrance is on 24th Street, just south of Fruitridge Road, with the church a half-mile south of Sacramento City College. From Highway 99, take the Fruitridge exit west about a mile to 24th Street; from Interstate 5, take the Fruitridge/Seamas exit east about two miles. Dress is informal - the community ranges from jeans to Sunday best. Children are welcome in worship, and activity sheets are in the narthex. Communion is served on the first Sunday of the month, and all are invited to the table. The office is currently staffed by volunteers, so visitors planning to drop by during the week are encouraged to call or email ahead to make sure someone will be there.