Mexicali Reformed Church in Baja California, Mexico

Jared and Miriam Pine are ministering in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico aimed at establishing a confessionally Reformed Christian community in a region historically dominated by secularism, Roman Catholicism, Pentecostalism, and other non-Reformed traditions.

Background and Context

Historically, the Protestant Reformation had little impact in Latin America due to Spanish colonial persecution of Protestant ideas. In Mexico, Spanish Christianity remained largely unchallenged for centuries, leaving many areas with deep-rooted superstitions and fear-based religious attitudes. In Mexicali, these issues persist, with strong influence from prosperity gospel teachings and fear of a secret rapture.

The Mexicali Reformed Church Plant

In November 2025, Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California called Jared Pine—trained at Westminster Seminary California—to lead the planting of a United Reformed Church of North America (URCNA) church in Mexicali. Jared, married to Miriam (born in Mexicali) and with three children baptized at Christ Reformed, is committed to building a Reformed church that adheres to the Three Forms of Unity—a summary of Scripture for Reformed theology—and focuses on the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Current Work

• Bible Study & Fellowship: Jared has organized a Sunday evening Bible study, combining prayer, hymn singing, fellowship, and teaching.

• Mission Goal: To establish a Reformed outpost that proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ—especially his substitutionary death—and offers forgiveness and eternal life to believers

• Mexicali: Mexicali is the capital of Baja California with over a million residents and is a major border city with two of the largest U.S.–Mexico ports of entry

Inspiration

The Heidelberg Catechism, commissioned by Elector Frederick III of the Palatinate in the 16th century to combat superstition and fear, is cited as a model for the Mexicali effort. It emphasizes comfort in Christ’s return and freedom from the devil’s power, aiming to counter the fear-based religious

Significance

This church planting is part of a broader effort to bring a Reformed, confessionally grounded faith to a city where such traditions have been absent for generations. It seeks to provide a stable, doctrinally sound community for Spanish-speaking believers and to strengthen the global URCNA presence in Latin America.

Email: jared.pine@christreformed.org
Spanish Website: Reformata Mexicali
Sending Church: Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, CA

Covenant Chinese Reformed Church in Anaheim, CA

Covenant Chinese Reformed Church is a Mandarin-speaking confessional Reformed congregation meeting in Anaheim, California. The church plant is overseen by Christ Reformed Church also in Anaheim. Their mission is to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the many Mandarin-speaking people living in the greater Los Angeles area and around the world via the internet.

Yi Wang was born in northern China and became a Christian while studying architecture at the University of Turin in Italy.  As a new Christian, hungry to learn God's word, he came upon Reformed literature online.  As he began reading John Calvin and some of the Puritans, he started looking for a Reformed church and made contact with Rev. Ferrari in Milan, Italy.  Yi and his wife Huimin became members of Chiesa Reformata Filadelfia in 2013.  And then came to Westminster Seminary in California in 2015.  He graduated from Westminster Seminary California in May 2018.

On November 2019 Yi was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament at Christ Reformed Church. He is called by God’s grace to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Mandarin speaking peoples in the greater Los Angeles area. For more information about the Mandarin speaking worship services, visit the Covenant Chinese Reformed Church website. If your browser supports translation, you can view the website in English.

There are about 70-80 Mandarin speaking folk who worship the King of the Nations each Sunday morning.

Website: https://www.ccreformed.org/
Email: yiwang@christreformed.org
Overseeing church: Christ Reformed Church, Anaheim, CA

Santa Clarita United Reformed Church

Santa Clarita United Reformed Church is a church plant under the oversight of First URC Chino in Classis Southwest US and is located in the City of Santa Clarita, California, in the northeast region of Los Angeles County. The city is the third largest in Los Angeles County and has a population of 228,000.

Sunday worship services began in 2020. A few years later, the church moved to a 6,000-foot rental space already built out to accommodate a church.

Rev. Dr. Lee Irons is the church planting pastor. Since many are new to the Reformed faith, Dr. Irons catechizes the adults and youth, providing them with a grounding in the theology of the Reformed Confessions.

One of the exciting things about the church plant is its location near The Master’s University. We sought out and were granted permission to be represented at the church fair that the University puts on to encourage students to become involved in a local church. We have received students from Master’s University into membership and continue to receive a steady flow of visitors living in the city of Santa Clarita.

In addition, we have initiated a Friday Night Academy to reach out to the students and other adults in the community exploring the Reformed faith.

Our membership has been steadily growing. New member classes are held twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. We have held training classes for potential office bearers. Six men have now been elected as elders and deacons.

Website: https://santaclaritaurc.org/
Email: pastor@santaclaritaurc.org
Overseeing church: First United Reformed Church, Chino, CA

Ventura Reformed Church

Ventura is about 75 miles up the coast from Los Angeles. The church plant is overseen by the Pasadena United Reformed Church. The work began in the spring of 2021 when three households from Pasadena URC moved to Ventura. Ventura Reformed began worship services in May 2022, and with God's blessing, took ownership in early 2024 of the former First Lutheran Church campus in midtown.

We have enjoyed coming to know Bruke, who was born to nominally Christian parents who emigrated from Africa to eastern Canada. Bruke was born in Canada and after university went to medical school at Howard in Washington DC. Bruke is in the final years of his intern program at a local hospital.

Two families who visited regularly needed our encouragement to move elsewhere. Disappointing as it was for us to see them go, the Lord is teaching us that he wants us cheerfully always first to seek his glory and what’s best for others, regardless of what it means for us.

This makes me even more thankful for the stability we do have — an active group overall, with no less than five men among us who evidence the life, doctrine, and gifts of potential elders and deacons.

Website; https://www.venturareformed.org/
Email: adam.kaloostian@venturareformed.org
Overseeing church: Pasadena United Reformed Church