100 years ago, in 1922, a group of believers from La Crescenta traveled down to Los Angeles to attend a crusade led by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. There they were introduced to Pentecostal teaching and were filled with the Holy Spirit. They returned home excited and wanting to share their newfound faith with others in La Crescenta.

By October 1922, they had formed a church that met at the corner of Sycamore and Glenwood that was often referred to as The Sycamore Mission.

They joined the Assemblies of God and became the La Crescenta Assemblies of God Church. For the first three years the congregation was pastored by Emile Chastagner and his wife Minnie. In 1929, the congregation purchased property and built a new church building near the corner of Montrose and Ramsdell avenues.

After the war, the population of the Crescenta Valley grew, and so did the church, and by the late 1940s they needed a larger facility. Under the leadership of Pastor Paul Fleming, the corner lot was purchased and in 1950 a new sanctuary was constructed that would seat almost 300 people. The old sanctuary was converted into a fellowship hall and a kitchen, offices and classrooms were added. Over the years the church purchased the adjoining lots to the north and west and built the Education building. The name of the church was also changed to Christian Life Church.

By the early 1980s the Lord had placed on the hearts of the congregation to start a preschool. In 1985, under the leadership of Pastor Don Bibler and Martha Cook, La Crescenta Christian School was founded. It started out as a small preschool that was housed in the fellowship hall. The following year, a kindergarten class was added and over the next decade it grew to include an elementary school that went through sixth grade. There were several years where school enrolment hit 150 students and even the “Little House on the Playground” was used as classrooms. For 21 years this primary ministry of the church impacted lives and families throughout the community.

On the evening of Dec. 20, 2006, while the choir was practicing for Christmas Sunday, fire broke out in the attic above the sanctuary. By the time the fire was extinguished, most of the roof of the main building, containing the sanctuary, fellowship hall and church offices, had been burned beyond repair.

In 2010 Pastor Randy and Charlotte Foster were appointed as lead pastors and the process of rebuilding began. What followed was five years of hard work and trusting in the Lord as He led through the rebuilding process. During these years the faithfulness of God was seen, and the congregants saw Him bring beauty from ashes. On Oct. 4, 2015 the greatness and goodness of God was celebrated when the new Worship Center was dedicated.

On Sunday, Oct. 16 the congregation and pastors of Christian Life Church celebrated their first 100 years of service in the Crescenta Valley. From the beginning, this church has been dedicated to preaching the word of God, prayer and reaching out to the community and to the world through missions. All the godly men and women who sacrificially gave of their time and resources over the years were acknowledged. Through their faithfulness, hundreds of people came to know the Lord as their Lord and savior, prayers have been answered and scores of healings and miracles have taken place. So many have gone out to became pastors, teachers, lay leaders and missionaries who have touched thousands of lives around the world. Only in heaven will it be discovered the full extent and impact that this church has had on the Crescenta Valley, the world, and the Kingdom of God.

Habakkuk 2:1-3 says: “I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower and look out to see what he will say to me…² And the Lord answered me: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.’³ For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”

When the pastors first came to the La Crescenta over 12 years ago God provided a vision for this valley.

Here are some of the things the Lord placed in their hearts:

• Out of the ashes of the past we will become a vibrant church once again.
• Our dreams need to be greater than our memories!
• The vision God has given us is bigger than what we can accomplish ourselves.
• He will provide the resources to fulfill His vision for this church.
• He will send us people with the gifts and abilities to accomplish what He’s called us to do.
• One day this church will be full of families, multiple times each weekend and thousands of lives will be changed by the power of God in this place!

Submitted by Pastor Randy FOSTER