The Church of the Chimes has existed in San Jose for nearly 50 years. It all began in the spring of 1957, when a group of determined people decided that they wanted to start a Reformed Church (RCA) in San Jose, and called a newly ordained minister to start the organizational work. First known as the San Jose Community Drive-in Church, this church held its services at the El Rancho Drive-in Theater at the corner of Alma and Almaden.
Worshiping in a drive-in theater was truly a challenge for the new church. Early each Sunday morning the pulpit, organ, chairs and lattice backdrop were lifted five feet to the roof of the theater's projection booth. On rainy days, a tarp was positioned overhead as well. A local nursery loaned the church potted plants to dress up the pulpit area. Each Sunday, all of this was transported in a trailer between the drive-in and a member's garage. Sunday school classes were held in the snack bar, and attendance was taken by counting cars instead of people. The sermon was held through the theater's car speakers and the organist played without hearing any of the congregational singing.
After 14 months of worshiping in cars, it was decided to hold services in the garage of the parsonage to save for the building fund. As the congregation grew, classes expanded into every room of the house except for the master bedroom and bath, and sometimes onto the lawn. In October of 1959, the name was changed to Church of the Chimes and building at the new site began. To cut costs, much of the work was done by members. For weeks, two baritones from the choir lay on their backs on scaffolds staining the ceiling, singing hymns and thinking of the Sistine Chapel.
By the grace of God, they persevered and the RCA officially constituted 21 charter members on March 28, 1958. By summer a parsonage and property at the present site had been purchased and the congregation began to envision a new sanctuary. The Church of the Chimes (CotC) has grown over the past 20 years, expanding the campus to its current state, but more importantly, growing the lives of the people who make up the body of CotC. Our membership has grown from 12 to nearly 500 members, from worshiping in cars to three worship services in a beautiful sanctuary and a separate Family Life Center.