Churches has always played an important role in our community. Two of our original churches, the Crest Community Church and St Louise de Marrilac Catholic Church still help keep our community strong today.
Crest Community Church - 1933
The Crest Community Church began as a Sunday school in the home of Miss Lulu Satterlund on October 22, 1933. When attendance grew too large for her home, the Sunday school was then held in the Suncrest Clubhouse until 1935 when the building on the corner of Lento Lane and Madera Verde Pl was purchased and dedicated on November 3, 1935. It was written that Virginia Price’s dad turned the “ugly duckling” little house into a place of worship around 1940. This original building remains today on the corner of Madera Verde and Lento Lane. Between 1935 and 1941 three pastors were supplied by the Christian Missionary Alliance Church of EI Cajon. As attendance grew, the first preaching couple, Earl and Anna Majors, were called to the church in 1941. They resided in the house which was known as “the Mosque,” which was located on Eucalyptus Drive.
Sunday school was conducted weekly with an occasional preaching service until 1941. Between 1941 and 1948, five additional pastors served the church until Rev. Dallas Miller was called in 1948 and served until August 1951. During Rev. Miller’s ministry, a new church was built in front of the little existing church on Madera Verde and Lento and completed in 1952. The original church was then used for Sunday school.
In 1959, Gerald Woodhouse became the new pastor and he and his wife Margaret served the community for over 16 years. Mrs. Woodhouse wrote, “When we arrived, there were about 35-40 people in the church and a choir of about 10 old people. From then on the church grew until it no longer had adequate seating.”
In 1960, the Suncrest Clubhouse building was purchased and remodeled it into their new church. Many community members were sad to see their social gathering place gone. The small church building that had been built on Madera Verde was moved next to the newly remodeled church on Suncrest Blvd. because it was needed for potlucks, social gatherings, junior church, missionary conventions, etc. The build-ing, affectionately called “The Chapel” still stands today and is used for Sunday school classes and other activities.
A basement and more classrooms were added under the sanctuary. In the 1980s, the sanctuary and offices were remodeled. From 1933 to 2013, a total of 25 pastors and interim pastors have served the Crest Community Church. In 2013, Crest Community Church’s name was changed to New Season’s Church-Crest under the leadership of Pastor Tony Lambert. The name was changed back a couple years later to its original name when the church community realized the significance of the history of our first church.
Over the years, several organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, CCA, Crest School activities, local piano instructors, and the Registrar of Voters utilized the facilities. Following the Cedar Fire in 2003, the church welcomed rebuilding crews from out-of-state and served lunch for several months to the workers as they helped to rebuild Crest
St Louise de Marillac Church - 1942
St Louise de Marillac Church
Prior to 1942, the Catholics of Suncrest and La Cresta had to attend Mass in El Cajon. However, due to the lack of regular transportation, a number were unable to fulfill their religious obligations. In 1941, Most Reverend Charles Francis Buddy received a petition asking for a parish and the services of a priest, signed by the Catholic residents of the Crest. His decision to visit Suncrest culminated in the forming of the parish under the titular patronage of St. Louise de Marillac. The name was chosen by the Bishop. St Louise de Marillac was one of the more recently canonized saints of the Church and was the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
The first Holy Mass was offered in the Suncrest Clubhouse April 19, 1942 by Rev. Frederick Coupal, in whose care the bishop had placed the new parish. The clubhouse could not be expected to lend itself to religious solemnity and therefore a parcel of land was acquired on Suncrest Blvd. at the corner of Eucalyptus Avenue where a long-vacant and modest little home stood. The house was converted into a chapel.
In November 1944, the Most Reverend Bishop Buddy purchased the home of Edmund Dupuis at 339 Estornino Lane in Suncrest, in order to provide the first parish rectory. The rectory was later sold to James Donovan and the priest took up residence in the Nosbonne home at 129 Albatross Place, Suncrest.
The Building of St. Louise Church
In May of 1950, the present spot was chosen for the proposed church and purchased from Edward Meyer for $600. Ground was broken on August 27, 1950.
On December 19, 1950, the cornerstone, hewn of granite from the Suncrest Quarry and presented to the parish by the Clemens Granite Company of San Diego, was blessed and inserted in a prepared niche in front of Cthe church. The first Holy Mass was sung by Father Goodrow before an overflowing congregation on Christmas midnight, 1950.
There have been in excess of 30 priests assigned as pastor or administrator of the Church of St. Louise de Marillac and each has made many contributions to the church and the community.
Crest Assembly of God Church - 1960
Crest Assembly of God Church
The Crest Community Church moved their little chapel to the new church location on Suncrest Blvd. in 1960. The original building, behind where the little chapel had been on Madera and Lento, remained. The Crest Assembly of God Church held its first service with 12 people on April 9, 1961 at this location. Later, it became the Lighthouse Christian Center and then the Cornerstone Church. The church closed in 2010 and the building was sold in 2013 to a Crest resident