In the 1950’s a small group of Contra Costa County Christians who loved the Reformed
Christian Faith were attending the Alameda Christian Reformed Church in Alameda. This group, led by Bob and Trudy Van Noord, wanted to see a Christian Reformed Church in Contra Costa County too. In July 1958, at this group’s urging, the Alameda Christian Reformed Church called a pastor, John Hollebeek, to serve as a missionary pastor in the Walnut Creek area. The group initially met in the Pleasant Hill home of Bob and Trudy Van Noord (Trudy was to many an example of how to live a Christ-like life and was a very loved member of this church until she passed away in 2010). The small group flourished and in March 1959 they rented a meeting space in downtown Walnut Creek at the Masonic Lodge which was at the corner of Mount Diablo Boulevard and Locust Street (in 2024 that building houses the Shake Shack restaurant).
The small group continued growing and in early 1960, wanting its own home, it purchased almost 3 acres of undeveloped land “out in the walnut and pear orchards” on Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek. This is where the church still meets today. It quickly started building the first Sanctuary Building (now called the Fellowship Center) which was dedicated on April 28, 1961.
Also in 1961 the growing group, that had up to this point been operating under the supervision of the Alameda Christian Reformed Church, became its own independent congregation, the Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church. The first official meeting of the Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church occurred on October 18, 1961.
In 1962, wanting to be able to provide housing for their pastor and the pastor’s family, the young church had the Parsonage built. The Parsonage has been continuously occupied by the congregation’s pastors since that time. Through the early 1960’s the church continued to gain members, many with young children, and by the mid 1960’s it found itself needing space for a nursery and Sunday School classes. So in
1966 the Nursery Building (now called the Childcare Center) was constructed.
Through the late 1960’s and early 1970’s growth continued, and eventually more room was needed for Sunday School classes and other meetings. This need resulted in the Education Building (now called the Education Center) being built in 1975. The church continued to grow through the 1970’s and 1980’s and by the mid 1980’s found itself
outgrowing the Sanctuary Building too. The pews could no longer hold all those attending Sunday worship services, so they started lining the aisles with folding chairs for additional seating. Soon those chairs were filled too. Next the worship services began to be “live- streamed” on a screen in the Education Center so those who could not find a seat in the Sanctuary could watch the service from the Education Center building. This situation was not acceptable to the congregation as they wanted to worship together as one body. So soon another construction project was being planned and in 1989 the current Worship Center building was constructed.
In 1999 the church changed its name from Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church to Faith Christian Fellowship. Faith Christian Fellowship continues to be a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church and continues to love its neighbors and share the life-changing Gospel message with its community.
CRCNA Information
Christian Faith were attending the Alameda Christian Reformed Church in Alameda. This group, led by Bob and Trudy Van Noord, wanted to see a Christian Reformed Church in Contra Costa County too. In July 1958, at this group’s urging, the Alameda Christian Reformed Church called a pastor, John Hollebeek, to serve as a missionary pastor in the Walnut Creek area. The group initially met in the Pleasant Hill home of Bob and Trudy Van Noord (Trudy was to many an example of how to live a Christ-like life and was a very loved member of this church until she passed away in 2010). The small group flourished and in March 1959 they rented a meeting space in downtown Walnut Creek at the Masonic Lodge which was at the corner of Mount Diablo Boulevard and Locust Street (in 2024 that building houses the Shake Shack restaurant).
The small group continued growing and in early 1960, wanting its own home, it purchased almost 3 acres of undeveloped land “out in the walnut and pear orchards” on Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek. This is where the church still meets today. It quickly started building the first Sanctuary Building (now called the Fellowship Center) which was dedicated on April 28, 1961.
Also in 1961 the growing group, that had up to this point been operating under the supervision of the Alameda Christian Reformed Church, became its own independent congregation, the Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church. The first official meeting of the Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church occurred on October 18, 1961.
In 1962, wanting to be able to provide housing for their pastor and the pastor’s family, the young church had the Parsonage built. The Parsonage has been continuously occupied by the congregation’s pastors since that time. Through the early 1960’s the church continued to gain members, many with young children, and by the mid 1960’s it found itself needing space for a nursery and Sunday School classes. So in
1966 the Nursery Building (now called the Childcare Center) was constructed.
Through the late 1960’s and early 1970’s growth continued, and eventually more room was needed for Sunday School classes and other meetings. This need resulted in the Education Building (now called the Education Center) being built in 1975. The church continued to grow through the 1970’s and 1980’s and by the mid 1980’s found itself
outgrowing the Sanctuary Building too. The pews could no longer hold all those attending Sunday worship services, so they started lining the aisles with folding chairs for additional seating. Soon those chairs were filled too. Next the worship services began to be “live- streamed” on a screen in the Education Center so those who could not find a seat in the Sanctuary could watch the service from the Education Center building. This situation was not acceptable to the congregation as they wanted to worship together as one body. So soon another construction project was being planned and in 1989 the current Worship Center building was constructed.
In 1999 the church changed its name from Walnut Creek Christian Reformed Church to Faith Christian Fellowship. Faith Christian Fellowship continues to be a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church and continues to love its neighbors and share the life-changing Gospel message with its community.
CRCNA Information