Two Sunday Services, One Church Family on Bluebell Drive
Celebration Church sits at 1135 Bluebell Drive on the eastern edge of Livermore, California, where it has become a familiar gathering place for a congregation that worships in two languages. The English-speaking service begins each Sunday at 9:45 AM, and the Hispanic ministry, Celebration Church en Español, follows at 1:00 PM. Both services take place in the same building, and the church's tagline, "Welcome Home," reflects a desire to make every visitor feel like part of the family. Worship is described as a time when "earth touches heaven and heaven touches earth" - expressive, joyful, and grounded in the conviction that believers should respond to God's love with celebration.
A Pastoral Team That Has Grown Together
Larry and Rhonda Ihrig became Lead Pastors at Celebration in November 2001, and their ministry experience together stretches back to 1974. Larry also serves as Vice President of Grace International (grace-international.tv), an organization that oversees church planting in the United States. Rhonda directs the Women's Ministry and carries a particular burden for pastors' wives and women in ministry. The couple has two grown children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Cory Hudson joined the staff in July 2001 and moved into a pastoral role in January 2004. With a degree in Speech Communications and postgraduate work in Communication, Education, and Biblical Studies, she now serves as Family Life Pastor, leading a women's Bible study and overseeing the Kids Ministry. She is a mother of two sons, Tucker and Tanner.
Eleazar Rosales and Flor Martínez have been part of Celebration since 2006 and have led the Hispanic ministry since July 2015. Both are musicians and worship leaders with extensive experience teaching the Word of God, and together they have nurtured Spanish-speaking worship teams across the Bay Area. They have two boys, Mathias Caleb and Santiago Emmanuel.
Josh and Dawn Clark started attending Celebration in October 1995 and have spent more than fourteen years on staff in youth ministry. Dawn helped launch the church's preschool and before-and-after-school program in early 2000, and both are passionate about reaching the next generation. Josh is bi-vocational with a Business Management degree, and the couple, who grew up in Livermore and met at East Avenue Middle School, have two married sons and a granddaughter.
A Statement of Faith Rooted in Scripture
Celebration teaches that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God and that there is one God eternally existent as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church confesses the deity of Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and personal return. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, made possible by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
The church also holds to charismatic convictions that shape its worship: it teaches the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the ongoing manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit within the body. Other articles of belief include the sanctity of human life from conception to death, the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, the teaching that sexual intimacy belongs within marriage, the unity of the church around essential doctrines, and the affirmation that each person is created by God as either male or female according to biological sex.
Celebration Kids, Preschool, and a Christian Academy
Celebration Kids exists to help children know God and his Word, grow in wisdom and favor, and share the love of Christ with others. During the Sunday morning service, the ministry provides a Christ-centered, age-appropriate environment for babies through fifth grade, with a staffed nursery and preschool for birth through age four, and Kid's Church for transitional kindergarten through fifth grade that uses games, crafts, music, object lessons, and a media-based curriculum.
The children's ministry extends well beyond Sunday. Celebration Kids Preschool serves children ages two and a half to five, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with full- and half-day options and a play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum. A School-Age Program serves transitional kindergarten through fifth graders with before- and after-school care, transportation to local elementary schools, a supervised homework club, sports and recreation, snacks, and full-day availability on most school closure days and during the summer.
Celebration also runs Celebration Life Academy, a private Christian school serving transitional kindergarten through fourth grade. The academy focuses on academic excellence, biblical truth, strong character, and developing the next generation of leaders. Throughout the year, families can look forward to Easter Outreaches, Kids' Camps, Vacation Bible School, a Harvest Festival, and Christmas Programs.
Identity Youth on Wednesday Nights
Identity, the youth ministry of Celebration, exists to "build and launch the next generation for Christ through music, teaching, leadership and discipleship training, mission trips, retreats, and activities." The group meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 PM and is open to sixth through twelfth grade students. Summer and Winter Camp are regular highlights of the year. Pastors Josh and Dawn Clark oversee the ministry.
Groups, Classes, and the Prayer Connection
Celebration encourages everyone who calls the church home to find a way to connect and serve. Groups meet in homes, restaurants, parks, around town, and on the church campus, with some gathering regularly and others popping up as semester-based classes or one-time events. The church is actively recruiting leaders, hosts, and teachers for the Groups and Classes Ministry.
The Prayer Connection is a ministry of intercessors who receive requests each week and pray over them. The prayer team gathers every Wednesday at 7:00 PM for a time of corporate prayer, and newcomers are welcome to join. Paula Glauber coordinates the team.
Women's Ministry offers weekly Bible studies for connection and growth, along with special events throughout the year. Men's Ministry hosts Bible studies, breakfasts, retreats, and conferences designed to build strong relationships among men.
Worship, Missions, and Grace International
The Worship Ministry at Celebration sees worship as "the highest earthly expression possible" and invites musicians and audio-visual volunteers to join the team. The church's mission statement is simple: "Loving God, Loving People." Celebration describes itself as a place without judgmental attitudes, where everyone is welcome and where each service includes an opportunity to accept the invitation to follow Jesus.
The church takes the Great Commission seriously and views "the whole world" as its mission field. Through its connection to Grace International, Celebration supports church planting efforts in the United States and partners with missionaries and ministries around the world.
Connecting, Giving, and Staying in Touch
Visitors and regular attenders are invited to fill out a Communication Card to share their information, request information about a ministry, sign up for a group or class, or indicate an interest in baptism. A separate Spanish-language connection card is available for the Hispanic ministry. Prayer requests can be submitted online, with the option to mark them confidential so they are shared only with pastoral staff.
Sunday messages are recorded and posted on the church's YouTube channel, with both English and Spanish playlists available. Giving is available online through the church's giving platform, and previous recurring gifts can be adjusted through a separate portal.
Celebration Church is open every day of the week for the preschool and school-age programs, every Sunday morning for worship, every Sunday afternoon for the Hispanic service, every Wednesday evening for youth ministry and prayer, and at various times throughout the month for groups, classes, and special events. The church office can be reached at 925-455-4250.