Christ United Reformed Church began in the summer of 2003 as a small midweek Bible study overseen by the Consistory (the elders and the minister) of Escondido United Reformed Church and led by Rev. Michael Brown, then an M.Div student in his final year of study at Westminster Seminary California.

As God allowed this midweek study to grow numerically, Escondido URC undertook the challenging task of planting a URC congregation in Santee. Under their oversight, a steering committee was formed and evening worship services began on November 2, 2003. Pastor Brown began preaching through the Book of Ephesians. The charter families of the work chose the name “Christ United Reformed Church” as a constant reminder of the One who is proclaimed from all of Scripture (Luke 24.13-49).