July 28, 2025
A popular Goleta church is looking to expand, but the size of the proposed building has some neighbors saying their own prayers.

Christian church Anthem Chapel currently meets at Goleta Valley Junior High School, but it wants to build a two-story, 22,038-square-foot church at 6595 Covington Way, next to Christ Lutheran Church and the parking lot for Stow House.

July 31, 2025
“Anthem Chapel currently meets at Goleta Valley Junior High School, but it wants to build a two-story, 22,038-square-foot church at 6595 Covington Way, next to Christ Lutheran Church and the parking lot for Stow House. Opponents of the project say the proposed church is too big and would impact neighborhood traffic and safety.” —Noozhawk

August 4, 2025
The City of Goleta’s Design Review Board will be conducting a Conceptual Review of a proposed new church development. The public is invited to attend the meeting scheduled for August 12th at 3:00 p.m.

The property owner, Christ Lutheran Church (CLC) has submitted a proposal to split the property located at 6595 Covington Way in Goleta, into two lots to allow the construction of a new church and associated improvements for Anthem Chapel (AC).

August 12, 2025
The church doesn’t feel like a church. 

Anthem Chapel’s proposed two-story, agrarian-style church for 6595 Covington Way in Goleta lacks spiritual inspiration in the eyes of the Goleta Design Review Board, members said during a conceptual review hearing on Tuesday.

“I just don’t get an inspired feeling from your plan. It just doesn’t inspire spirituality to me,” board member Tamesha Schumacher said. “It looks a lot like a school or a shopping center, but not a church or a place of worship.”

Aug 17, 2025
Residents near the historic Stow House in Goleta are pushing back against a proposed 22,000-square-foot development to house Anthem Church.

Kerri Maxwell and Sylvia King, who both live in the area, have been actively gathering signatures to oppose the project.

"It's just way too big for the neighborhood," Maxwell said. "In our neighborhood, nobody wants it."

November 3, 2025

A proposed church in Goleta still has some work to do before it receives a blessing from the city’s Design Review Board.

Anthem Chapel went for a second conceptual review hearing before the board last week for a new church campus proposed for 6595 Covington Way.

While the board appreciated the spiritual inspiration behind the new designs, members had ongoing concerns about building height and impacts to the environment. They also wanted to see more cohesive architecture and design throughout the buildings.