Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church gathers on a wooded stretch of Caldwell Mill Road in southern Birmingham, Alabama, between the Patchwork Farms shopping area and the Vestavia Hills Linear Trail. The church's motto, "A community of Christ's coming kingdom, bringing hope to a broken world," captures the spirit of a congregation that has been rooted in this corner of Jefferson County for more than a century.
From Rocky Ridge to the PCA
Altadena Valley's story begins in 1854, when a small Cumberland Presbyterian congregation known as Rocky Ridge formed near what is now Briarwood Presbyterian Church. In 1912, after a split over whether to remain Cumberland Presbyterian or align with the northern Presbyterian Church, a portion of the congregation moved to the present location on Caldwell Mill Road. The church took the name Acton Memorial Church, honoring charter member Zephaniah William Henry Acton, and the Acton name dominated the rolls for many years.
Through the early twentieth century the church struggled, with periods of modest growth interrupted by losses. Beginning in the late 1960s, sustained pastoral leadership and the rise of the surrounding community brought new life. In 1968 the congregation voted 17 to 7 to rename itself Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church, signaling a renewed commitment to the neighborhood. Major building campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s followed, and the current sanctuary, completed in 1983, is a careful replica of the older one it replaced. On June 4, 1978, the congregation unanimously voted to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination Altadena Valley still belongs to today.
Two Sunday Mornings, Blended in Every Way
Sunday is the heartbeat of life at Altadena Valley. Two worship services meet in the sanctuary, one at 8:30 AM and another at 11:00 AM, with about 175 people attending each on average. The services are nearly identical and run about an hour and fifteen minutes. Music is blended, combining traditional hymns, sometimes given a contemporary setting, with newer praise songs, and the service includes responsive readings, recitation of the Apostles' or Nicene Creed, the Lord's Prayer, a pastoral prayer, corporate confession of sin, an assurance of pardon, and expository preaching. The church is governed by what the Westminster Confession calls the Regulative Principle of Worship, so every element can be traced to Scripture. Doors are closed during the Call to Worship to limit distractions, the chancel choir sings anthems from the loft, and members are welcome to clap, raise hands, or simply listen and meditate. A non-ordained praise team works under the direction of the Minister of Worship to lead congregational singing.
Communion is celebrated on the last Sunday of each month. The Lord's Supper is served with leavened bread and grape juice, and children may take communion only after being interviewed and approved by the Session as communicant members. Infant baptism is practiced, following the same covenant pattern as Old Testament circumcision, and it is a long-standing Altadena Valley tradition to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to the child during the baptism, changing the pronoun to the second person.
Children are welcome to remain with their parents in the service. A children's Worship Center, modeled on the format of a regular church service but on a child-appropriate level, gathers children ages four, five, and six after the early service and runs alongside the late service. Nursery care is provided for infants through age three during both services.
At 9:45 AM, between the two services, four Sunday School communities meet across the church campus. These are intentional mini-congregations that stay together over time even as teachers and topics rotate. They meet in the Conference Room, the Fellowship Hall, Acton Hall, and the Mezzanine Room, and each is shepherded by a pastor. Quarterly Fellowship Brunches are held during the Sunday School hour, giving the broader church a chance to gather and hear from various ministries.
Sunday Evenings, Wednesdays, and the Rhythm of the Week
Sunday evening is packed with opportunities. From 5:00 to 6:30 PM, during the school year, adult small groups meet, the youth group gathers at the Altadena House, Kid's Bridge Nights are offered for children, and the Chancel Choir rehearses. Once or twice a month a church-wide Fellowship Dinner follows in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 PM. On the first, second, and third Sundays of the month, the whole church is invited to share a meal together.
Wednesday nights are the other main small-group night. Adult small groups typically meet from 6:15 to 8:00 PM, and youth small groups meet from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in homes and on campus, divided by grade and gender. Some men's and women's Bible studies also meet during the week. Men's studies gather on Monday mornings, Thursday mornings, and Sunday nights, and the men host quarterly game nights and a yearly retreat every October. Women's studies meet Monday afternoons in the church Conference Room, Wednesday mornings in the Parlor with free childcare, Wednesday evenings in a member's home, and Friday afternoons in a member's home, with topics rotating each spring, summer, and fall.
Elders also lead two weekly prayer gatherings, one on Tuesdays at noon and another on Fridays at 7:00 PM. A church-wide prayer chain carries requests throughout the week, and a monthly prayer bookmark with a specific theme and Scripture verses is distributed for personal use.
Children, Nursery, and God's House Kindergarten
Altadena Valley takes seriously its work with the youngest members. The nursery, directed by Abi Bostrom, serves infants through three-year-olds during both worship services, Sunday School, and church events. Parents fill out a simple form so the staff can follow each child's feeding, sleeping, and changing needs, and workers intentionally love and pray for the children each week.
Children's ministry, led by Director Catie Lumpkin, builds on that foundation. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are organized into age-appropriate small groups during the Sunday School hour, where teachers and volunteers focus on godly play, sharing, prayer, and biblical discipleship. The annual calendar includes Trunk or Treat, a community-wide event on the church grounds each fall, and Camp Solid Rock, a summer week for kids. During the school year, Kid's Bridge Nights gather children from 5:00 to 6:30 PM on Sunday evenings for gospel-centered community and a foundational walk through the Bible.
On the same campus, God's House Kindergarten and Daycare operates as a ministry of Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church. Founded as part of the church's long-running commitment to Christian education, God's House serves children from age two through kindergarten. The day runs from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a half-day kindergarten option from 9:00 AM to noon, and the program focuses on a phonics-based approach to early literacy along with the teaching of biblical principles. Director Sky Macrory leads a staff that includes teachers and aides, and parents may request the current tuition and fee schedule and registration form from the church office.
AVPC Youth
Middle and high school students, sixth through twelfth grade, are the focus of AVPC Youth, under Youth Director Clint Cvacho. The vision is to engage, encourage, and equip students, providing an environment where they can be introduced to the gospel and grow in it through the study of God's Word and the care of God's people. Sunday School meets from 9:45 to 10:45 AM in the youth house and the Altadena House, a house across the street from the main church building. Youth Group gathers on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30 PM at the Altadena House, with games, hang-out time, a student-led praise band, and teaching aimed at the questions students face. Small groups meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in various locations, organized by grade and gender.
Callen Moyer serves as Girls' Discipleship Director, working especially with high school girls through a midweek community group and additional teaching. Summer mission trips take the student ministry on the road; recent teams have traveled to Sacred Road Ministries in Lapwai, Idaho, where they help lead Vacation Bible School and assist with construction.
Adults: Discipleship, Community, and Welcome
For adults, Altadena Valley offers several paths deeper into the life of the church. The College and Young Adult ministry gathers men and women roughly 18 to 30 for fellowship, study, and service. Small groups meet in homes and on campus, and the church helps newcomers find a group that fits their schedule and stage of life. A Young Adults ministry is anchored by Associate Pastor Blake Harris, who also oversees the church's men's ministry and helps disciple adults in their twenties and thirties.
The ENFOLD Disabilities Ministry, which stands for Encouraging and Nurturing Families and Others Living with Disabilities, seeks to break down barriers that keep individuals with disabilities and their families from full participation in the church's life. Staff point people for children's ministry (Catie Lumpkin), corporate worship (Heather Sommer), and the broader pastoral team (Blake Harris) help coordinate accommodations and support for families.
Worship, Music, and the Boiler Room
Steve Whitner, Minister of Worship, has shaped the musical and liturgical life of Altadena Valley since 1990. With academic credentials that include an M.A. in church music from Samford University, an M.Div. from Beeson Divinity School, and a D.Min. from Covenant Seminary, Whitner leads both the planning of worship music and the leadership development of those serving on the worship team. Young jin Jeon, a D.M.A. in music composition from the University of Alabama, serves as church organist and pianist, playing most Sundays and at special services. The chancel choir rehearses on Sunday evenings and sings anthems from the loft; a handbell choir and seasonal musical offerings round out the music ministry.
One distinctive part of the prayer life at Altadena Valley is the Boiler Room prayer ministry, which meets during Sunday worship services. Volunteers quietly follow the flow of the service, praying for the preaching, the music, the people in the pews, and the needs of the church and the world, without taking on a separate weekly meeting. The church describes it as "easy and effective," two words that don't usually go together for prayer.
Mercy, Missions, and the Wider Church
Altadena Valley takes seriously the call to love neighbor alongside the call to love God. The Mercy Team meets monthly to discuss the physical, relational, and spiritual needs of the congregation and the surrounding community, and the church partners with several local ministries. These include Christian Service Mission, Oak Mountain Missions Ministries, Foundations Early Learning and Family Center, and Urban Hope Community Church in Fairfield.
The missions ministry extends far beyond Birmingham. The church supports a long list of local missionaries working in counseling, addiction recovery, campus ministry, refugee services, church planting, and Christian education across the Birmingham area, including staff at Daymark Counseling, Unbound Grace, Campus Outreach SERVE, RUF at UAB, Birmingham Cross Cultural Connections, Restoration Academy in Fairfield, Grace House Ministries, Shepherds Fold, CMMA, and Urban Hope. Nationally and internationally, the church supports missionaries and families with Mission to the World, Serge, Wycliffe, CRU, RUF, GEM, World Reach, IXO, OMF, Sacred Road Ministries, Betel International, and other agencies, working in places like Mexico, Ukraine, El Salvador, Italy, Papua New Guinea, England, Albania, France, Chile, Kosovo, Germany, Kenya, the Czech Republic, and Japan. The annual Missions Conference brings many of these workers to Birmingham for a week of teaching and reporting, with a Missions Conference scheduled for February.
What to Wear, Where to Park, What to Know
Altadena Valley is a church where business casual is the norm but anything from coats and ties to blue jeans and shorts fits comfortably. Women are about evenly split between pants and dresses or skirts. The median age of the entire congregation, including children, is 29, and the adult median is 45. Membership is around 350, with average Sunday attendance running slightly below that. Nursery care is provided for every service and most church events. The church office is on the west end of the main building, with its own parking lot accessible from Acton Place Road, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The phone number is (205) 967-0680.
Altadena Park
Across the street from the church, Altadena Valley maintains a 4.3-acre passive park owned by the congregation. Altadena Park offers natural areas, a large recreational field, and a walking trail that connects to the Vestavia Hills Linear Trail Park. The church's staff and members tend the park on volunteer workdays, and 100 percent of donations to the park go directly to its upkeep. Anyone or any group may reserve the park for an event by submitting a park reservation form. A 4.3-acre green space in a busy part of the city, the park is one of the most visible ways Altadena Valley seeks to serve the neighborhood beyond its own walls.
Core Values and Beliefs
Altadena Valley's five core values describe the kind of community the church wants to be: a worshiping community that rejoices in the gospel; a healing community that extends gospel-shaped acceptance, gentleness, patience, love, safety, and hope; a teaching community that opens the whole Bible through the power of the Spirit; a welcoming community that pursues others with the good news rather than waiting for them to come; and a giving community that shares time, money, people, and facilities for the sake of the kingdom.
Theologically, the church holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Book of Church Order, all understood as subordinate to the inerrant Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Members affirm the historic Christian gospel, that people are saved by what Christ did in his perfect life, his substitutionary death on the cross, and his resurrection, and that salvation is received by repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus.
Getting Connected
For newcomers, the first step is simply showing up for one of the two Sunday morning services. After that, the church suggests moving into a Sunday School community, then joining a small group, and eventually pursuing formal membership through a four-part process that includes an application, a membership event, an interview with two ruling elders, and public reception during a worship service. Membership events are held four times a year. A "Get Connected" booklet is available in printed form or from the church office, and the church office can help answer any questions.
Weddings at Altadena Valley are welcomed, with services scheduled no earlier than six months in advance. Couples can request the Wedding Policies and Procedures document from the office.