“A Short History of our Church”
The Covenant Reformed Church in San Diego started out as “Gospel Presbyterian Fellowship” in 1998 under the guidance of Mr. Gil Baloy, a graduate of Westminster Seminary in California. Approximately 27 attendees made up this group that originated from the Puritan Evangelical Church of America, which formerly was the Paradise Hills Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
They desired to be a part of a solidly Reformed denomination. A close friend Mr. Robert Carver recommended to him the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS). There are some differences such as the Three Forms of Unity vs. the Westminster Standards. The RCUS does not hold to the King James Version as its sole pulpit and pew Bible, Sabbath-Day Keeping, and Tithing per se. But Carver convinced him that the RCUS does not shun to declare “all the counsel of God” as it is represented in the Reformed Faith (Acts 20:27). To his delight, Mr. Baloy discovered that the RCUS takes seriously the importance of the unity of the “Holy Catholic Church,” which we confess in the Apostles’ Creed. This is manifested in the spirit of mutual submission of the brethren and its maintaining good fraternal relations with other Reformed denominations and ecumenical bodies like NAPARC. It was not long after that that the group petitioned the Western Classis to be taken under its care. In 2000 it was placed under the supervision of the Covenant Reformed Church, Sacramento, CA. From 2000 to 2003, ministers and elders of Western Classis, especially those of Sacramento Covenant Reformed Church, willingly traveled to that “beach wilderness,” as Pastor Jim West fondly described San Diego, to preach the Word of God and serve the Lord Supper. 2003 turned out to be a milestone year when Mr. Baloy was licensed to the gospel ministry. He was shortly after that ordained and installed as associate pastor of Sacramento Covenant Reformed Church with special responsibility over the San Diego work. Later that same year, Pastor Baloy had the great privilege of ordaining the first elder and deacon of Covenant Reformed Chapel, who are respectively Mr. Alfred White and Mr. Each Lord’s Day starts with the pastor holding a mini-worship service at the Reo Vista Convalescent Center. From the very beginning, the regular meeting place for Sunday School and the morning worship service has been the Police Officers Association Facility in the suburban city of Chula Vista. Following the worship service is a fellowship lunch. In 2004, the local RPCNA minister Mark England extended to them an invitation to join his congregation in its evening worship service on a monthly basis, which we continued for the next ten years. In 2011 Pastor Baloy started Sunday evening Bible studies. He seeks to follow our Lord's example in personally discipling others throughout the week to become His followers. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Almost the same time some of the ladies began a women’s fellowship and prayer meeting on Saturday. Every Wednesday a Bible study and prayer meeting have been conducted in homes and more recently in a local county library. A number of the church members engage in a monthly corporate ministry that involves street preaching and one-on-one evangelism at Balboa Park. This has extended in a weekly outreach to other parts of the city like San Diego State University, and to include special events like the annual “Comic Con” at the San Diego Convention Center. In 2005, the RCUS embarked upon foreign missions in the Philippines through Baloy’s acquaintance with a small group of Reformed ministers seeking guidance and support. In 2013, the congregation organized as a particular church of Western Classis. We added another elder Mr. Rodney Saunders and another deacon Mr. Jeremy Smith. Our desire is to serve the living God in true Biblical worship and manifest the sweet fragrance of our Savior in the fellowship of the saints. Lastly, our church's Mission Statement aptly describes our main purpose: "To bring the benefits of the true gospel to as many people as possible." Pastor Baloy has the wholehearted support of his wife Maricar, his sons Ezra and Ethan, and the brethren of Covenant Reformed Church.
