Community Baptist Church sits on Sonoma Avenue on the east side of Santa Rosa, a single-story house of worship with a packed parking lot on Sundays and a busy calendar in between. For three quarters of a century the congregation has gathered at this location to sing, study Scripture, and serve its neighbors, and the rhythm has not slowed. Walk in on a Sunday morning and you will find a multigenerational room of worshipers in everything from jeans and suits to traditional African attire. Walk in on a Tuesday afternoon and you will find volunteers handing out groceries and diapers. The church is best known in Sonoma County for its 4 Seasons of Giving food and diaper pantry, its weekly Bible studies held nearly every day of the week, and a warmly multicultural congregation that worships in English and announces its community work in both English and Spanish.
75 Years on Sonoma Avenue
Community Baptist Church was established in 1951. In May 1962, Rev. James E. Coffee was installed as pastor and shaped the congregation for nearly five decades. His devotion to the surrounding neighborhood led to the development of many of the outreach and service programs that still operate from the Sonoma Avenue campus today. On April 6, 2010, Pastor Coffee went to be with the Lord after 48 years of ministry. Six months later, in November 2010, the congregation elected Rev. Dr. H. Lee Turner as pastor. Under Pastor Turner the church has expanded its educational offerings, launched new youth programs, and continued the local and international mission work begun in earlier decades. Other ministers who have joined the pastoral staff include Rev. Michael Francis, Rev. Kenny Parker, and Rev. Jerome Simms.
Sunday Morning Worship
The church's main gathering is its Sunday Church Service at 10:45 a.m. Praise and worship precedes the service, and congregants are welcome to sit, stand, or dance as the singing moves them. The musical style is an act of worship to God rather than a performance, and the music is followed by a 30 to 45 minute message from Pastor Turner. Services are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, so members who are traveling or unable to attend in person can still follow along.
Sunday mornings also include Sunday School for children and adults, and after the service there is time for fellowship. Coffee, juice, and a variety of goodies are served, and visitors are invited to stay late and meet the people who make up the church. A trained welcome team greets everyone at the door, and trained security personnel and a precautionary safety protocol are in place to keep the building safe.
Bible Study Nearly Every Day of the Week
One of the defining features of Community Baptist Church is its near-daily Bible study calendar. On weekdays the Noonday Bible Study is led by Bro Jim Kennedy, walking through books of the Bible verse by verse. The Women's Bible Study is led by Sis Maria Dwyer and has worked through series such as a study of Ephesians 6 titled "The Whole Armor of God." A Daily Devotion, drawn from the Word for You Today resource, offers a short Scripture reflection.
Sunday School meets before or alongside the main service for both children and adults. On the third Wednesday of every month, Rev. Kenny Parker leads a Bible study at the Redwood Gospel Mission, taking the church's teaching into the wider Santa Rosa recovery community. Leadership meetings for the congregation, led by Pastor Turner, are held on the fifth Saturday of months that have one, and the entire church is invited to attend. Past leadership gatherings have covered stewardship and have included the Annual Mental Health Conference.
Saturday Night Prayer
Each Saturday at 5:00 p.m., Rev. Dr. H. Lee Turner, Rev. Kenny Parker, and Deacon Roy Hampton gather for the Saturday Hour of Prayer, sometimes called the Sweet Hour of Prayer. The service is held in person at the Sonoma Avenue building and is also available online, and it provides a quiet, focused hour to close out the week before Sunday worship. Prayer requests can also be submitted through the church's prayer page for those who are unable to join.
The 4 Seasons of Giving Food and Diapers
The 4 Seasons of Giving food and diaper pantry is the most visible community outreach of Community Baptist Church and a major reason the congregation is known across Santa Rosa. Distributions take place three times a week, year round:
- Tuesdays, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
- Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., on the second and fourth Saturday of each month
- Sundays, 1:00 to 1:30 p.m., following the morning service
Participants are asked to bring a food card if they have one; if they do not, volunteers register them on site. Every announcement of the giveaway is published in both English and Spanish, and the program is open to anyone in the community who needs it. Questions about the pantry can be directed to (707) 890-1210.
Children, Youth, and the Saturday Academy
Children of all ages are welcome in Sunday worship, and the church runs educational programs aimed at younger members of the congregation. The Saturday Academy is a youth mentoring program for young people 13 years old and younger, meeting on Saturdays in addition to Sunday School during the week. The Village Project serves children ages 4 through 12 with fun, educational activities throughout the year. Together these two programs give the children and teens of the church a place to learn, build friendships, and grow in their faith alongside their schoolweek routines.
Mission Beyond Santa Rosa: Kenya and Uganda
Community Baptist Church has carried an international mission since 2004, when a sponsored team traveled to Kenya to assist with building and completing a medical clinic. When Kenya suffered a drought in 2006 and could not grow its staple corn crop, the church held a fundraiser and purchased and shipped a large amount of corn to the region. Beginning in 2007, the congregation began raising funds to enlarge the Kenyan church building, a project that continues today. A newer mission partnership is taking shape in Uganda, where the church is laying the groundwork for ongoing work. The same missionary impulse that built a clinic in Kenya also feeds the 4 Seasons of Giving pantry at home, and the church sees local outreach and international outreach as two expressions of the same calling.
Convalescent Outreach and Local Care
On top of the food pantry, the church maintains a Convalescent Outreach that sends volunteers to visit people in convalescent homes upon request, and a Hospital and Home Visitation ministry for members who are sick or homebound. These pastoral visits can be requested through the church office and are part of the wider "Other Services" offered alongside weddings, baby dedications, house blessings, and baptisms. Baptisms are scheduled on the fifth Sunday of any month that has one, and the church provides towels and baptismal robes for candidates.
What to Expect on Your First Sunday
Free parking is available in the church parking lot on Sonoma Avenue. Visitors are greeted by a welcome team at the door who are happy to answer questions, and the atmosphere inside is intentionally relaxed. Dress ranges from jeans to suits to traditional African attire, and the church makes a point of being a place where everyone feels welcome. Kids of all ages are welcome in the service, coffee and snacks are available before and after, and the entire morning usually wraps up within about two hours of the 10:45 a.m. start. For those unable to attend in person, services are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.
Beliefs and Mission
The congregation holds that all Scripture is divinely inspired and serves as the final authority in matters of belief and behavior, and so Bible-centered preaching and teaching form the foundation for everything the church does. The church's stated mission is to enable people to realize their full potential in Christ and to connect their passions, skills, and gifts to the community and the world.
That mission is lived out through five practices the church calls its philosophy of ministry: Evangelize the Sinner, Equip the Saints, Exalt the Savior, Encourage One Another, and Engage in Prayer. In plain terms, the church preaches repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, builds up believers in their Christian lives, worships God in spirit and truth, ministers to the whole person through the helping and healing power of Christ, and prays continuously for the coming of God's Kingdom on earth.
Giving and Staying Connected
Members and supporters can give to Community Baptist Church in several ways. The church uses Venmo under the handle @cbc_1620, accepts checks and money orders mailed to 1620 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95405, and receives tithes and offerings in person during Sunday worship. Online donations can also be made through PayPal. A weekly church bulletin is available, and an email newsletter keeps subscribers informed of upcoming Bible studies, special events, and outreach opportunities.
Anyone who wants to get involved - whether teaching a class, serving at the food pantry, singing in the music ministry, or visiting a convalescent home - can call the church office at (707) 546-0744 or the outreach line at (707) 890-1210, or send a note to cbc1620@att.net. After three quarters of a century on Sonoma Avenue, Community Baptist Church continues to open its doors, hand out groceries, pray with its neighbors, and point everyone who walks through them toward the same Savior it has proclaimed since 1951.