Calvary Chapel Santa Fe Springs sits at the corner of Florence Avenue and Norwalk Boulevard in Santa Fe Springs, California, a low-slung industrial building transformed over nearly three decades into a Bible-teaching church where more than a thousand people gather weekly. The fellowship is built around a simple rhythm: worship in song, then the Bible opened book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. That pattern, set by founder Pastor Ray Loo in 1987, has carried the church from a living-room Bible study in nearby Norwalk to one of the larger Calvary Chapel fellowships in southeast Los Angeles County.
The church describes its calling in three phrases that show up across its ministries: feed the sheep, equip the saints, and send out disciples. Everything from Sunday services to quilting circles and overseas mission partnerships flows out of that mission.
From a Norwalk Living Room to Florence Avenue
Calvary Chapel Santa Fe Springs began in 1987, when a young man named Ray, who had come to faith at sixteen through a friend's invitation to Calvary Chapel Downey, started a home Bible study in Norwalk. Twelve believers gathered to hear the Word of God. Ray had served in the junior high ministry at Calvary Chapel Downey, then connected with a group of young adults who shared his passion for Jesus. Eventually he would teach that home Bible study, the seed from which the church grew. He later graduated from Biola University with a degree in Biblical Studies.
By 1991 the home group had outgrown the living room, and the Lord provided a building in Norwalk. The first service as Calvary Chapel Norwalk was held on Sunday, July 28, 1991. In 1993, the church moved to Santa Fe Springs, initially meeting in the cafeteria of Santa Fe High School and changing its name to Calvary Chapel Santa Fe Springs. A midweek service launched in 1995 at an industrial building while Sunday services continued at the high school.
In 1997, the congregation moved into its current home, a small industrial building at the intersection of Florence Avenue and Norwalk Boulevard. Twenty years later, in 2017, the church expanded into the rest of that building, nearly doubling its square footage. The expansion created a larger sanctuary and converted the former sanctuary into a Fellowship Hall, opening more room for the congregation and its outreach.
Today the fellowship runs two Sunday morning services, a Sunday evening service, and a Wednesday evening midweek service. Children's classes from nursery through sixth grade meet every service, with youth classes for seventh through twelfth graders at most services.
Sundays and Wednesdays at CCSFS
The weekly rhythm centers on three services.
- Sunday Morning: 9:00 to 10:30 AM and 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
- Sunday Evening: 6:00 to 7:30 PM
- Wednesday Midweek Service: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
A typical service opens with prayer and congregational worship in song. After a few opening songs, the pastor highlights upcoming events and ways to serve. The bulk of the gathering is given to teaching the Bible, working through Scripture book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Pastors and ministry leaders are available after each service to meet visitors, talk, and pray.
Services are livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Sermon archives are available online through the church app and on the Watch Live page.
Planning a First Visit
Visitors are greeted at two entrances, the double-door entrances on Florence Avenue and on Norwalk Boulevard. Greeters are posted at each door and can direct newcomers anywhere in the facility. There is plenty of parking all around the building, and a parking map is available online.
Most Sunday morning attendees dress casual to business casual. For Sunday evening and Wednesday services, the atmosphere is even more relaxed, with congregants typically dressed casually.
Children are welcomed from infancy. Greeters, ushers, and Information Desk volunteers help families find the right classrooms. Newborns through one-year-olds are cared for in the Nursery. Children aged two through sixth grade attend age-appropriate Bible classes, and youth in seventh through twelfth grade meet separately during most services. The church recommends arriving about ten minutes early so parents can drop off kids and get to the Main Sanctuary. All children's ministry teachers and assistants go through background checks.
Parents of newborns through three-year-olds receive a pager so they can be reached in the Main Sanctuary if needed. Parents of children ages four through sixth grade leave a cell phone number with the teacher. For parents who prefer to keep their young children with them, an overflow seating area in the foyer shows the service on screens, and a nursing mothers' room on the Children's Ministry side of the building streams the service.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Children's Ministry serves kids from nursery age through sixth grade, broken into classrooms by age: Nursery (newborns to 1 year), 2- and 3-year-olds, 4- and 5-year-olds, 1st and 2nd grade, 3rd and 4th grade, and 5th and 6th grade. Classes run every service and include worship and Bible study using age-appropriate curriculum. The Children's Worship Team, made up of sixth graders and older, leads younger children in worship through song, dance, and guitar.
Youth Ministry, also called Uprising, serves seventh through twelfth graders. Youth meet for worship, Bible study, prayer, and fellowship on Sunday mornings (9 AM and 11 AM) and Wednesday evenings (7 PM), gathering in rooms on the east side of the church building. Monthly events focus on building friendships and growing spiritually together.
Young Adult Ministry gathers men and women ages 18 (or senior year of high school) through 28 every Friday night at 7 PM in the foyer. Meetings open with worship, move into Bible study, and close with fellowship. Outings throughout the year are designed to deepen relationships.
Women at the Springs
The Women's Ministry is built around an annual vision: to see women growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ and developing a deeper understanding of His purpose and plan for their lives. Two weekly Bible studies anchor the ministry: Tuesday evenings at 7 PM and Thursday mornings at 9:30 AM, both held in the Fellowship Hall. Each gathering includes worship, teaching, and group discussion.
Several other ministries serve women at different life stages. Devoted to One brings together single ladies and mothers for devotionals, prayer, discussion, and outings once a month. Beautiful Healing walks women who have experienced sexual abuse through the book "Healed and Set Free" by Tammy Brown. Beauty for Ashes is a confidential twelve-week Bible study for women working through the aftermath of abortion. House of Refuge offers love, hope, and practical support to women facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies, connecting them with church mentors and local pregnancy care centers. Lift pairs each woman who wants to grow with a more seasoned sister for ten weeks of one-on-one discipleship, with pairs forming each fall.
Knots of Love is a sewing and quilting ministry that meets on the fourth Saturday of every month at 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Volunteers make quilts for newborn babies and for those who are ill, with no experience required. The group's purpose is simple: to let recipients know they are in the church's thoughts and prayers.
American Heritage Girls, a Christ-centered character and leadership program for girls ages 5 to 18, meets on the first and third Saturdays of the month. The local troop is part of a national organization dedicated to building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.
Men's Ministry and Discipleship
The Men's Ministry gathers men over the age of 19 on Tuesday nights at 7 PM in the foyer for worship, Bible study, and group discussion. The group's stated purposes are to provide a place of refreshment, accountability, encouragement, and fellowship; to unite men in prayer for one another; and to equip men to be the husbands, fathers, churchmen, and community members God has called them to be.
Beyond the weekly study, men connect through discipleship classes, breakfasts, lunches, and an annual fall retreat. Men's Discipleship is a six-month course that meets twice a month on Sunday afternoons from 3 PM to 5 PM, focusing on developing a consistent devotional life of daily Bible reading and prayer.
Married Couples Fellowship meets on the fourth Saturday of every month at 6:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, with limited childcare provided. Meetings include worship and Bible-based studies on marriage and family, followed by fellowship. The ministry also hosts couples' retreats, seminars, couples' night out, Christmas and Valentine's dinners, family game nights, family pool days, and picnics.
Healing, Recovery, and Care
Several ministries at CCSFS minister to people walking through hard places. Solace, run by Pastor Steve Marquez and his wife Monica, is a comfort group for those facing life-threatening illness and their caregivers. The group meets Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 PM in the 3rd and 4th grade classroom, using the Bible, the book "Grace for the Battle," and a study guide. The Marquizes also lead Stage 4 Ministries, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports this work.
Stand Fast is the church's addiction and recovery ministry, meeting Thursday nights at 7 PM in the 3rd and 4th grade classroom. Gatherings include worship and a teaching, then break into discussion groups for men, women, and family members affected by addiction. The ministry welcomes those in active addiction, those in recovery, and their loved ones.
Other care ministries include Beautiful Healing and Beauty for Ashes (described above), and a counseling ministry that offers general, premarital, marriage, and child counseling through the pastoral staff. Forms for each are available online.
Senior Saints, Health, and the Outdoors
Senior Saints Ministry is for those 55 and older who want to build connections with other seniors at CCSFS. The group meets once a quarter on the fifth Saturday of the month in the Fellowship Hall for fellowship, fun, and worship.
Fit for the Kingdom is a health and wellness ministry that meets seasonally on Monday nights at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall. The group's vision is to equip believers on the value of their health by integrating healthy meals, exercise, prayer, and fellowship.
Trail Life USA is a K - 12 outdoor adventure troop that meets at CCSFS on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Trailmen learn the Trailman Oath, work on rank advancements, and join Hit the Trail events on the second Saturday that include hikes, day trips, and service projects. Father-son mentorship is at the heart of the program, with mothers and single mothers also welcome to participate as registered adults and troop supporters.
Worship, Music, and Production
Worship Ministry leads the congregation in singing during Sunday and Wednesday services and various meetings throughout the week. A monthly "Worship Fellowship" gathering meets in the Fellowship Hall on the second Sunday of every month at 3 PM, and worship team members also meet for prayer and worship every Thursday at 7 PM in the foyer. Workshops and times of fellowship equip musicians and lead them deeper into understanding what it means to lead others in worship.
Worship Production covers sound, projection, lighting, and camera operation for every service and special event. The team uses ProPresenter for lyrics and study notes and operates from the sound booth in the back of the sanctuary. Members attend the monthly Worship Fellowship meetings and serve Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, Wednesday nights, and at special events.
Children's Worship Team, made up of sixth graders and older, leads the younger classes (ages 2 through 2nd grade) in worship through song and dance, and teaches the older kids (3rd through 6th grade) to lead singing and play guitar.
Loving Life Outside the Church Walls
Love Life is a sidewalk advocacy ministry that gathers on the first and third Saturday of each month at 8:30 AM outside the Whittier Planned Parenthood location at 7655 Greenleaf Avenue. Volunteers pray, offer help, and stand as a presence for the pre-born and their families.
Ushers and Greeters serve at every service, helping visitors find their way and keeping a peaceful environment during services and special events. Bookstore volunteers run a small resource center located just outside the Main Sanctuary, open after Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services. The store carries Bibles, commentaries, recorded messages, study guides, devotional guides, books of inspirational value, and outreach materials.
Several other behind-the-scenes ministries keep the church running. Cleaning Ministry serves during office hours Tuesday through Friday. Fill My Cup keeps coffee containers full on Sunday mornings to encourage fellowship in the Fellowship Hall before and after services. Information Desk volunteers staff a desk near the west entrance after each main service to answer questions and handle event sign-ups. Resource Room supports Children's Ministry classroom teachers by handling copying and supply needs during Sunday and Wednesday services.
Missions: Nicaragua and Mexico
Two missionary families sent out from CCSFS receive ongoing support.
The Booth family (Mike, Rocio, Nate, and Eliana) moved to Nicaragua on April 1, 2017, sent out by Calvary Chapel Phelan, Calvary Chapel Living Hope, and Calvary Chapel Santa Fe Springs (where Mike had previously served on staff as youth pastor). Mike has been senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Managua since November 2019. The church sits in Barrio Santa Ana, a poor neighborhood in the south of the city, and God has been rebuilding it verse by verse, family by family. Rocio leads the women's and children's ministries. A Christian elementary school serving forty-eight preschoolers through fifth graders sits half a block from the church, and a Bible college launched in early 2026 now trains twenty-five to thirty-five students per class. Mike founded Lazarus Mission, Inc. in 2025 to channel support for these ministries and similar work.
The Valdez family has been serving in Baja California, Mexico, for five years. Pastor Dan serves as church planting assistant to Mike Vincent at Calvary Rosarito. Cecilia serves in women's ministry and pastors' wives ministry, Rebekah in the Café ministry, Emily teaching a children's class on Wednesday nights, and Elizabeth as a servant leader in Youth Ministry while preparing to attend Calvary Chapel Bible College in Ensenada.
In addition to these long-term partnerships, CCSFS organizes short-term mission trips throughout the year, with trips typically scheduled quarterly. Pastors lead teams into outreach and ministry alongside partner missionaries.
Giving, the Bookstore, and the App
The church supports its mission through several giving channels. Giving online is available through the church app or by texting "ccsfsgive" to 1 (888) 364 - GIVE. In-person gifts can be dropped into offering boxes near the entrances to the Main Sanctuary. Gifts can also be mailed to the church office. The church is a 501(c)(3) religious organization registered in California and is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Tithe receipts are available by request.
A church app gives access to livestreamed services, sermon archives, online giving, and ministry sign-ups.
The Pastoral Team
Ray Loo is the founder and senior pastor. He teaches five services a week, leads a weekly prayer meeting and a men's discipleship group, and serves as the shepherd of the CCSFS flock. He and his wife Cynthea married on January 13, 1990, and have four children: Stephen, Alyssa, Abigail, and Kahleen.
Dave Mendes joined the staff in August 2021. He teaches a weekly men's Bible study, co-leads Men's Discipleship with Pastor Ray, and oversees family-focused events. Dave and his wife Jennifer have been married twenty-five years and have five children.
Patrick Long came on staff in February (of the current year per the staff page). He oversees the Stand Fast Ministry, serves as chaplain for Trail Life Troop 3368, focuses on young families, and oversees church security. Patrick served in the Marine Corps before his conversion in January 2014. He and his wife Joanna married in April 2010 and have three children.
Steve Marquez began attending CCSFS with his wife Monica in 1994, where he served as youth leader and in worship. He and Monica planted a Calvary Chapel in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 2002, which he pastored until a stage-four cancer diagnosis in 2014 led to treatment at City of Hope and a return to California. Now in remission, Steve and Monica lead Solace and run Stage 4 Ministries. He also guest lectures at the Calvary Bible Institute in Yucca Valley.
Alyssa Ku serves as graphic designer and oversees the PROCLAIM media ministry. She also serves in Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, and Children's Worship. Keanu Ruffo joined the staff as a ministry intern in February 2026, serving in Young Adults, Men's, and High School ministries along with evangelism efforts.
What CCSFS Believes
The church holds to a Calvary Chapel statement of faith. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. There is one God, existing eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and willingly died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for human sin; His resurrection and ascension make it possible for believers to stand righteous before God. The Holy Spirit was sent after Jesus' ascension to reveal human sinfulness, to seal believers, and to guide them into the Father's will. All people are sinful by nature and separated from God, but He loves us and has provided a way of deliverance. Salvation is received by acknowledging sin, believing that Jesus died in our place, asking forgiveness, and receiving the Holy Spirit. All will be judged. Those who have put faith in Jesus will spend eternity with the Lord; those who have refused will spend eternity apart from Him.