Worship and Welcome at Calvary Chapel The Brook

Over 300 adults and 150 kids met at Grand Terrace High School (GTHS) on Sunday, June 30, but this time the gathering was for a more spiritual education. Grand Terrace and surrounding residents were welcomed to spend the morning in worship with Calvary Chapel The Brook in their welcoming service that morning. Established in Grand Terrace in 2004, Calvary Chapel The Brook has held its worship services at Grand Terrace Elementary School for more than eight years. With the opening of Grand Terrace High School (GTHS) last summer, the church now meets Sundays at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the GTHS Theater for morning services. “This was our way of saying that we would like to welcome all of Grand Terrace and the surrounding area to our new meeting place,” said Calvary Chapel The Brook Pastor Rick Doucette. After visitors worshiped and enjoyed music by the Hunter Mariano Band of Harvest Christian Fellowship, Pastor Doucette opened his series on the book of Ephesians, discussing the spiritual battles one faces in everyday life, and the spiritual armor needed to weather these battles. The series will continue through summer. To top off the celebration, visitors also enjoyed cake and refreshments following the services. Reaching out to the community has always been a chief principle of the church, shared Doucette, who noted that The Brook has been involved in various events including Grand Terrace Community Days and the Halloween Festival held each year. The church has also “sought to build a strong relationship with the community and the high school in providing assistance with volunteers for events and various forms of service to the school,” said Doucette. The church’s services have also been highlighted with a community service award by Grand Terrace High School, which recognized Calvary Chapel The Brook for its assistance to GTHS in its inaugural year, Doucette added. The move into the high school theater has also afforded the church a larger area, which Doucette said was encouraging its growth. “We’re seeing more people coming in, and the theater is such a nice facility. It’s very comfortable and we think people are really enjoying that,” he said. With five acres of land located off the corner of Michigan Avenue across from GTHS, the church “has plans in the near future to build a church facility,” also increasing its community presence, said Doucette. Currently, a cross and prayer benches have been installed on the property on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Main Street—and they’re open to all. “People from the community are invited to stop by and pray any day or time they would like,” said Doucette.