About

How Calvary of the Siskiyous

Began

Calvary of the Siskiyous began as a fellowship on September 23rd, when in 2000, John Higelin and his family began a bible study in their home in Yreka, California.  They were sent out to plant a church while under the teaching of Pastor David Rosales of Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, in Chino, California. It was John and Jennifer's desire to plant a church in Siskiyou County, as they believed the Lord was leading them to start a new Calvary Chapel in an area where there were no other Calvary Chapels within 30 miles. John and Jennifer had scouted out the region a year earlier in the Scott Valley area along with a friend, Brian Bristol, who had moved to Etna to become the principal at Etna High School. As Pastor John said, “We really sensed God wanting to birth a new work up in this region, so after spending time with the Bristol family in Etna, we concluded that they should round up a group to pray for our moving up to Northern California.”

Other Attempts to Plant A

Church

What happened in the meanwhile was that Applegate Christian Fellowship, under the direction of Jon Courson, had been planning the same thing. So, prior to John and Jennifer's arrival in 2000, Applegate sent Jeff and Rachel Jordan down from Jacksonville to start a work in Scott Valley. While it was exciting news hearing that God was doing something, John knew the small population of the area would be unable to support more than one Calvary Chapel style ministry, and that it would be wise to let Jeff and Rachel Jordan be used by God to reach Scott Valley. The group that began with the Bristol's in Etna was encouraged to support the new church plant from Applegate Christian Fellowship.   Looking back now, Pastor John recalls “ My approach was that of Abraham, as in Genesis chapter 13 when Abraham let Lot go his direction and let the Lord point us where to go. As time went on a year later I got a call from the Greenview church ( the church plant led by the Jordan's) in Scott Valley saying the church no longer had a pastor, so in the early fall of 2000 we came up to the area and eventually God began a new church in a new location, through what came to be now known as Calvary of the Siskiyous.” “Upon our arriving, we learned more history about attempted Calvary works in the past, and we'd also heard that Applegate had sent another brother down to Yreka in the past, but the Bible Study did not continue. Others had also come up into the area from other churches as well. A neat brother named Tim Brock (who now pastors at Calvary Chapel in Davis, California) was leading a Bible study at the same time unbeknown to us, as we came to Yreka. When he heard that we'd started Calvary of the Siskiyous he believed the Lord was leading him to Davis.” Another Calvary Chapel pastor, Denny Stahl from Grants Pass was here in Yreka for a season as well, as were other men sent out from other churches who considered starting Calvary Chapel fellowships, but nothing developed. John and Jennifer's goal was always to go where no other Calvary Chapels were already, and they didn’t want to build upon another man's foundation ( Romans 15:20 )

Our Early Days

We first started meeting at Yreka High School, and then over the course of those first three years we met at the YMCA, the VFW Hall, and then Girdner Funeral Home. We just kept on growing, and outgrew the VFW Hall until we ran out of room. God gave us our own facility, and it's been a real blessing. Starting four years ago, we began a few additions, including a modular for our youth  classrooms, and a remodel of our existing building. During the time the Lord was leading John to come to Yreka, 2 Corinthians 8:10-11 were among the key verses that really spoke to their hearts and direct them back up to the Yreka area. The name “Calvary of the Siskiyous” leaves off the “Chapel” part of Calvary Chapel because Covenant Chapel, another church in the area, had already used that in their name. We thank Jesus Christ for His faithfullness and pray God will show you where He has called you to fellowship. We invite you to come join us for one of our midweek studies, or on Sunday mornings, and we look forward to meeting you!