Calvary Community Church, at 815 W. Lathrop Road in Manteca, has served Manteca and the surrounding area for more than six decades. It is known for a clear purpose: helping people find and follow Jesus. That purpose takes shape in contemporary worship, practical Bible teaching, Life Groups of 4 to 12 people, ministries from nursery through adulthood, and direct outreach through Living Well and Calvary Closet.
From a 1959 Bible Study to West Lathrop Road
Calvary's story began in October 1959 when Rev. John Siemens, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Stockton, led a yearlong weekly Bible study in Manteca. The study led to the establishment of Calvary Baptist Church. In October 1960, the Stockton church granted papers to 12 members to organize the new congregation. For three years, the church met first in the American Legion Hall and then the Seventh Day Adventist Church before moving to its own building on Button Avenue.
The church bought a 20-acre parcel in 1985, anticipating future growth. That same year, voters changed the name from Calvary Baptist Church to Calvary Community Church so it could better serve the needs of the entire community. Ground was broken on the Lathrop Road property in October 1992, and the congregation dedicated the facilities at 815 W. Lathrop Road in May 1994. Five additional acres behind the church were purchased in 2006.
Calvary belongs to Venture Church Network, a regional church-based network of more than 200 churches known for their commitment to the Bible. Its aim is to evangelize northern California and Nevada. Although the churches share that network, each Next Generation church remains completely independent and self-governed. Its pastoral succession includes Dr. Carl Truex, Dick Kalebjian, Victor Ernst, Herbert Happel, Floyd Overstreet, Dennis Henderson, Dr. Dan Angove, and Joe Brown before Jim Marian took the lead in August 2019.
What a Service at Calvary Is Like
Sunday worship is at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m., and the church also gathers Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Services generally run about one hour to one hour and 10 minutes, including worship, announcements, and a message. The atmosphere is deliberately casual. People may wear dresses and collared shirts, shorts and T-shirts, or flip-flops. A band leads songs of praise, and teaching comes directly from the Bible.
Families do not need to arrive as finished churchgoers. The stated message is that people do not have to be perfect to be part of Calvary, and there is room for people wherever they are in life. Pastors and volunteers are available after services for questions or conversation. Free coffee and tea are available on the patio, while specialty drinks are sold in the Calvary Cafe. Cookies are available before Sunday services, and dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. before the Thursday gathering.
Children's volunteers greet families and check children in. Programs during the 9:00 and 10:45 Sunday services cover infants through elementary school and include junior high and high school students. Families may pre-register children from newborn through fifth grade. Both Sunday services are livestreamed through Facebook and YouTube, with the Sunday livestream beginning at each service time.
Worship That Is Upbeat, Reflective, and Expectant
Calvary describes its worship as both contemporary and modern: upbeat and reflective, joyful and intimate. The aim is not simply to sing about God, but to enter His presence with expectation that the Holy Spirit is working through praise. This conviction is summarized by the core value We Look Up. The worship arts ministry needs singers, acoustic and electric guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, drummers, sound and lighting technicians, camera operators, streaming and production staff, service hosts and directors, stage crews, and stage production workers. Rehearsal is required for those who serve.
Calvary Kids, Three.Twelve, and RISE
Calvary Kids
Calvary Kids meets during both Sunday morning services. The nursery, for newborns through 24 months, is in Rooms 108 and 109. Adventure Time serves children two years old through kindergarten in the preschool wing. Mountain Movers is for first through third grade in the 300s, and High Voltage is for fourth and fifth graders in Room 311. Eagles Wings serves children with special needs by appointment in Room 204.
On Thursdays, AWANA meets from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. Its groups are Puggles for ages two and three, Cubbies for three- and four-year-olds, Sparks from kindergarten through second grade, TNT from third through sixth grade, and LIT from seventh through twelfth grade. LIT combines leadership development, faith formation, relationships with younger children, and service. A child attending Thursday worship can be part of AWANA while adults gather for the 6:30 service.
Three.Twelve and RISE
Three.Twelve is the junior high ministry for grades six through eight. It meets Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., has small groups on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., and gathers during both Sunday services. Its leaders seek energetic ways to relate to students and share the Gospel with them.
RISE is for high school students and meets Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday during the 10:45 service. Its format includes time to hang out, games, worship, challenging messages, and small-group connection. High school volunteers also meet students at sporting events, recitals, and other extracurricular activities.
Life Groups That Make a Large Church Feel Small
Life Groups are small communities of 4 to 12 people that meet regularly for a 10-week quarter. They are intended to move people closer to God and to one another through four practices: sharing what is happening in life, studying God's Word, supporting one another through prayer and encouragement, and serving in the church or community. A group may choose its own study material or follow the sermon study, and a person may join a sermon-study group during the quarter.
Groups are organized for different ages and stages, with quarterly openings for new connections. Calvary's quarter rhythm begins in January, mid-March, and August or September. Most groups last 10 to 12 weeks and take summer off, allowing participants to join a new group when the season changes rather than feeling locked into one circle.
Pastoral care and practical help also flow through these groups. They can provide meals, transportation, hospital visits, doctor appointments, and grocery shopping, while pastors offer encouragement, spiritual counsel, and prayer. This network of support is central to Calvary's aim of helping a large church feel small.
Men, Women, and the Garden Young Adults
Calvary's Men's Ministry is designed to move men toward being fully devoted followers of Jesus and to shape their homes, families, church, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Men's Life Groups meet across Sunday morning, Monday evening, Tuesday daytime and evening, and Thursday morning. A Lunch Boys group meets Tuesday at noon, while a 50-plus group meets Tuesday evening.
The Women's Ministry emphasizes intentional, authentic relationships with God and one another rather than surface-level connection. Groups include young women ages 25 to 35, women in their 50s and older, homeschooling mothers, a prayer-shawl group, Single Sisters, Quilters for Christ, and a monthly walking and hiking group. Some groups meet on a designated weekday, while others meet every other week or on selected monthly dates.
Young adults ages 18 to 24 meet at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays in Room 500. This ministry, called The Garden, gathers people in Jesus' name around faith, hope, belief, and the work of following the Gospel.
Ministry leadership includes Lead Pastor Jim Marian, Congregational Care Pastor Jim Benedict, Worship Minister Tobias Joseph, Adults and Connections Minister Bryan Cobley, Junior High and Young Adults Director Alex Oleson, Calvary Kids Director Jayme Thompson, Students Minister Nick Briggs, and Lions N' Lambs Preschool Director Kim Bowers. Cathy Moretto leads the Eagles Wings special-needs children's ministry.
Living Well: Faith and Food at the Same Table
Living Well and Calvary Closet
Calvary's Living Well calls itself the hands and feet of Jesus, seeking to build the Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is twofold: help guests deepen relationship with Jesus through prayer, relationship, and Bible study, and meet physical needs within families. The ministry emphasizes loving guests without judgment and sharing the Gospel alongside practical care.
The Living Well Bible study meets every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m., including the Estudio Biblico en Español. Food distribution follows from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and Calvary Closet is open in the same window. The closet accepts clean, stain-free clothing, shoes, and belts in good condition; socks and undergarments must be new and remain in their original packaging. Volunteers serve in food packing, distribution, prayer partnership, and the retail closet. Because storage is limited, the church does not accept household items there and directs those donors to partners such as Love INC or Hope Family Shelter.
Local and Global Outreach
Calvary's outreach extends through local partners. Right to Life's Manteca Pregnancy Help Center provides pregnancy counseling, family-planning resources, and information. Hope Shelter serves homeless families with temporary housing and resources, while Haven of Peace provides tools for women and children to become self-sufficient. Love INC mobilizes Christians to transform lives in the community, and Gideons International places Bibles in schools, colleges, hotels, prisons, hospitals, and medical offices. Dan and Debbie Bender serve international newcomers and refugees, with a particular focus on Muslims, through The Nations Among US.
Calvary also names missionaries and partners serving in West Africa, the Czech Republic, Budapest, Thailand, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Central and South America, Brazil, and Cameroon. Brenda Allen works with youth and medical ministry in West Africa. Dan and Krista Coyan lead Bible studies and student outreach in the Czech Republic. Kennedy and Wendy Paiz serve in Thailand, Eric and Beth Yodis do church planting in Ukraine, and Dan Long works with Sudan Interior Mission in Ethiopia. Bill and Mary Conlee lead shoe outreach for children in Central and South America, Rick and Pearl Denham translate materials and offer courses in Brazil, and Jennifer Jessee combines nursing, discipleship, and Bible teaching in Cameroon. Csaba and Virag Balkus work with high school students around Budapest.
Service is not limited to these programs. Calvary recruits greeters, prayer-room volunteers, kitchen workers, ushers, worship technicians, shuttle drivers, bounce-house safety volunteers, Cafe workers, worship artists, and children's leaders. The recurring message is simple: there are no spectators, everyone is gifted, and everyone has a ministry.
Recovery, Grief, Marriage, and New Beginnings
Celebrate Recovery meets Fridays at 6:00 p.m. in Room 206. It is a grace-filled, biblically based community for people seeking freedom from hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Participants are encouraged to be honest about pain and the ways they have learned to escape it, then move toward healthier truths and life-giving habits.
GriefShare is a 13-week support group for people learning to cope with the death of a loved one. It provides guidance, encouragement, and space for people who understand the difficult emotions of grief. Groups focus on comfort, peace, and support through a faith-based curriculum.
Re-engage is a 15-week marriage curriculum for couples who want to reconnect or strengthen their marriage. It is a safe place for spouses to rebuild connection and is limited to 30 couples. Discover Calvary is the church's introduction for newcomers: they meet Pastor Jim and ministry staff to discuss the mission, beliefs, values, and ministries, enjoy light refreshments, and face no pressure to commit.
Growth Track adds four steps for spiritual growth. Follow equips a person to take the next steps on the journey with God. Connect helps someone find a community where they are known. Discover helps people understand themselves, their purpose, and the people around them through personality and spiritual-gifts assessments. Serve helps them find the right place to use their gifts and impact others.
For those ready to explore faith, Following Jesus centers on God as Creator, sin as separation from God, Jesus' death and resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and a life committed to following Christ. Baptism follows a person's faith in Jesus. Calvary baptizes by immersion as a picture of forgiveness, death, burial, and resurrection, but does not baptize infants. Children are dedicated to the Lord and are baptized later, usually around age 7 or 8, when they can understand Jesus and trust Him as Savior. A 30-minute pre-baptism meeting helps interested people learn more.
The Faith and Values That Shape Calvary
Calvary's statement of faith holds that the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God and the final authority in matters addressed by Scripture. It affirms one God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and confess Jesus Christ as God and man, whose substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, ascension, intercession, and promised return are central. The Holy Spirit regenerates, sanctifies, and preserves believers, empowering them for godly living and service.
The church teaches that people are created in God's image but are fallen and spiritually dead apart from grace. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, received apart from human merit, works, or ritual, and it results in righteous living, good works, and social concern. The church is the spiritual body of Christ, expressed through local assemblies that gather for worship, instruction, evangelism, and service. Its ordinances are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. Each local church remains self-governing and free from political or ecclesiastical interference.
Core Values
- We Look Up: love and worship God with passion and pray with expectation.
- We Open the Book: read, learn, and apply God's Word to life.
- People Matter: love people and go after the one.
- Everyone Serves: there are no spectators, and everyone is gifted for ministry.
- We Invite: welcome others to know Christ and become part of the church family.
- Next Generation Now: include and invest in the next generation.
- Authentic Community: gather in Life Groups to build relationships and grow in faith.
- Embrace the Difference: welcome young and old, men and women, and people from different cultures and ethnicities.
- We Live Generously: give time, treasure, and talent as a love offering to God.
- We Leave the Building: commit to acts of love, kindness, and compassion.
A Church That Leaves the Building
The throughline of Calvary's history is a church that has moved from rented halls to a permanent Lathrop Road home while keeping its attention on people. Its Sunday and Thursday gatherings, quarter-based Life Groups, children's and student ministries, recovery and grief support, marriage care, and weekly food and clothing ministries all reflect the same conviction: people matter, faith should be lived out, and care belongs beyond the church walls. Calvary Community Church continues that work at 815 W. Lathrop Road in Manteca, helping people find and follow Jesus.