Q. Who owns Resurrection Sanctuary and how did it get its name?

A. In 2015, through an interesting set of circumstances, John and Rebecca Prewett felt led to purchase a historic church building in Nipomo. Originally built in 1898 as the first home of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, this humble little building has housed several churches over the years and also served as the Victorian Bells Wedding Chapel. Since 2005, it has been the home for Calvary Chapel of Nipomo.

We decided, prayerfully, to name the building “Resurrection Sanctuary”.

It is prayerfully dedicated to the Glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom. We consider ourselves its stewards and managers, more than owners.

Q. Who are you?

Short bio: We are John and Rebecca Prewett. Even though we moved to Nipomo from Los Angeles back in 1992 — when there was only one traffic light in town — we still haven’t got over being immensely grateful to live on the Central Coast. It has been a wonderful place to raise our six children. John is an optometrist, and Rebecca — until a few years ago — taught martial arts part-time.

We both came to faith in childhood; Rebecca grew up in a pastor’s family and jokes that she never expected to go from “poor church mouse” to church owner.

More about Rebecca can be found on her blogs: Prone to Wander and Adventures in Prayer.

Q. Is Resurrection Sanctuary a church?

A. Resurrection Sanctuary is the name we choose to call the church building; however, it does not refer to a body of Christian believers. It is a place, not a family.

Q. What denomination do you represent?

A. We don’t represent any denomination although, over the years, we have belonged to several different ones, ranging from General Conference Baptist to Orthodox Presbyterian. We have also been part of independent, nondenominational churches, and spent a few years in a small house fellowship. From there, Rebecca was confirmed in the Anglican Church, spending three years immersed deeper and deeper into the historical church, until finally making her home in the Byzantine Catholic Church. In other words, we have been all over the map! Most importantly, we consider ourselves members of the Body of Christ, and we pray for the unity of that Body.

Q. Are you going to be starting a church?

A. No.

Q. Why did you buy a church building?

A. When we found out that potential buyers for this historic building had no intention of allowing it to continue being used as a church, we were upset and saddened. The Kingdom of God, it seems to us, should be advancing, not retreating from territory it already occupies. We began praying that God would provide a buyer with a vision for allowing church bodies to continue meeting in the building, maybe even someone who would use the facilities for additional ministry, prayer, and worship.

We learned an important lesson — sometimes God calls us to be the answer to our own prayers.

Q. How can we find out more? What are your plans for the building? How do we contact you?

A. If you don’t find the answers on this site, on our blog pages or on our Facebook page, you can contact us via email.