Founding Vision
Calvary Life Family Worship Center is one of the fastest growing churches in the Northeast. In an area that has been called dry and parched, Calvary Life has overturned fallow ground and flourished. Through its various ministries, the congregation of Calvary Life has successfully impacted this region with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, compassion outreaches and the uncompromising Word of God.
Under the leadership of Pastor John and Carmela Muratori, Calvary Life has become a melting pot for all nationalities, social classes and generations to worship together and seek the heart of God. As a relatively young church, Calvary Life has experienced miraculous multiplication. Planted in 1998, with a handful of people, church growth has continually necessitated moves to larger venues. Over the years, Calvary Life has met in a hotel, a school and two renovated warehouses.
In 2008, Calvary Life built the newest family worship center in CT. It had been called the “Miracle in Cheshire.” The 32,000 sq. ft, state-of-the-art facility was fully equipped with a complete wing for children and toddlers and accommodations for a future day care center to serve the community. The beautiful sanctuary sat over 700 people on the floor level and would later seat an additional 400 in the balcony. The building stood as a testimony of the faithfulness of God.
Beginnings
Planted in 1998, with a handful of people, Calvary Life met in a hotel, a school and two renovated warehouses, before possessing our own land in 2007.
The 2008 construction of our facility was called the “Miracle in Cheshire” — truly, the process was filled with tangible miracles from God. It began when the church secured 7½ acres of beautiful property, understanding that only 3 acres were usable due to wetlands. As the purchase process commenced, leadership discovered that there were no wetlands and all 7½ acres were in fact usable — doubling the value of the property! In addition, the hidden treasure of “Calvary’s Hill” was revealed: it contained 40,000 yards of valuable soil, which was sold for over $400,000!
This wasn’t just average soil, but was the purest and most valuable soil in the state. Just as God created and fashioned man from the ground, the dirt on this property became an unexpected and vital resource in financing this house of God. Through donations, creative financial strategies and much prayer, Calvary was able to build this facility for a fraction of its true value.
Our 32,000 sq. ft, stood as a testimony of the faithfulness of God. At the time of its construction, costs ranged anywhere from $120 to $140 a sq. ft. Calvary’s completed project came in at an amazing $75 per sq. ft, fully furnished. Truly, this is a demonstration of the uncommon favor of God.
Refining Through Trials
After nearly three years in our facility, we experienced an event that could only have been known by God Himself. Wednesday morning, February 2, 2011, we discovered that the walls of our beautiful church had begun to buckle under the weight of snow and ice.
Pastor John, his two sons, our Executive Campus Pastor and another ministry leader had come to survey the damage and put signs on the door for people to stay out of the facility until an engineer could arrive.
As they were making sure everything was closed, our Senior Pastor heard the small voice of the Lord say, “Get Out!”
Suddenly, they heard loud, pounding bangs coming from the sanctuary. The five men ran outside the building and watched with dismay as the building collapsed on their heels. Covered with dust, and with debris all around, our Pastors witnessed a project that took 2 years to build, falling in 30 seconds before their eyes. They were shouting and crying as they got to a place of safety.
As a church family, we were stunned and heartbroken by this event. We realize that we ourselves are the church, and that God is not housed by structures made with hands. Still, for many of us, this building represented years of commitment and work we have sown into the Kingdom of God. For many others, it is a place where they have experienced God’s power and truth. For all of us, it is a place filled with memories we will hold onto for the rest of our lives.
The vision and intention of this church had been to stand as a beacon to our community, to leave a legacy for generations to come. Now, only three years later, in a matter of moments, it had been rendered uninhabitable.
Once he had recovered from the initial shock, Pastor John felt the Lord drop this word into his spirit as he stood amidst the rubble:
The vision is still standing; the mission has not changed.
This ministry’s purpose is found in Him.
So we have found ourselves at a unique place in our journey — one that has challenged our members’ commitment and resolve. As a church we are still becoming, and “it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him” (1 John 3:2).
We are in awe of the Lord’s divine protection, realizing that if this collapse had occurred during a service, when the house was filled, we would not have heard any warning sounds, and lives would almost surely have been lost. An event that could have been tragic is being used by God to do an even greater work.
Replanting and Expanding
The vision God has for us is even more vast than we could have realized, and we have come to see that this trial was necessary in order for us to become all He desires. We are becoming closer and stronger, learning to persevere more than we have in all our previous years.
We have been humbled and deeply grateful by the outpouring of support from neighbors and fellow believers from around the nations who have chosen to stand along side us as we look to rebuild our house of worship.
Even as plans were drawn to rebuild in CT, families began the process of relocating to Texas to plant our Fort Worth campus, which by the grace of God began having services in June of 2011.
We have now entered a season of replanting and rebirth, as God builds on what He has already done in us and prepares us for the greater things to come. We have gone from a handful of people seeking God in a hotel room, to a growing family of believers spanning two states and impacting the nations through our internet campus, www.clbnetwork.tv—and we are only seeing the beginning.
As you join us for worship this week, you will find a growing, thriving congregation with a passion for God that walls truly cannot contain. As we look forward to what God will do over the coming months and years, we are filled with more anticipation and expectation than ever before.