Eastminster Presbyterian Church sits along North Riverside Drive in Indialantic, a small barrier-island town tucked between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon on Florida's Space Coast. Known locally as "the church on the river," the congregation has welcomed worshipers to the corner of 5th Avenue and Riverside since 1950, growing alongside the development of the nearby Space Center. Three Sunday services, a weekday preschool, and a calendar of midweek studies give the church a steady rhythm through the week.
Three Sundays a Week
Eastminster has built its Sunday around three very different services, so members and visitors can find a worship style that fits them.
The morning begins at 9:00 AM with "The View," a casual outdoor service held in the courtyard. Worshipers gather under the Florida sky for a relaxed service with contemporary music and a sermon. At 10:30 AM, the congregation moves indoors to the Sanctuary for the Traditional Service, the classic Reformed worship that draws on the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Book of Confessions and Book of Order.
Sunday evening brings Holy Grounds, a coffeehouse-style service of conversation, contemplation, and praise held in the Fellowship Hall at 5:00 PM. Holy Grounds doubles as the start of the youth program: middle and high school students attend the service together, then head to the Youth Room at 6:00 PM for dinner, games, and a short Bible lesson.
The 10:30 AM Traditional Service and the Sunday evening Holy Grounds service are livestreamed, so members and friends can worship along from home. Online membership is available for those who join through the livestream and want to make Eastminster their church home.
A Pastoral Team of Four
The ministry team at Eastminster is led by Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Rob White. Rob came to Eastminster from pastorates in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, and holds a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from McCormick Theological Seminary. He and his wife Tracy have two children, Liam and Adalyn.
Three associate pastors round out the preaching and care team. Rev. Darice Dawson serves as Parish Associate, leads contemporary music at Holy Grounds, and assists with Christian education; she also convenes the Wired Word study and oversees the prayer chain. Rev. Chuck Reisinger serves as Visitation Pastor and leads the "Beyond the Pulpit" adult Sunday School class. Rev. Dr. Fred Leasure, Pastor of Giving, teaches the Wednesday Brown Bag Bible Study and preaches in the mission series "A Heart for Mission."
Teresa Fleenor directs the music ministry, and her husband David Fleenor conducts the chancel choir and handbell choir. Laura Lee directs Christian education for children. Francois Elize serves as both Youth Director and Kitchen Manager, organizing Sunday dinners for the youth group and the Wednesday Gathering meals. Don Dawson leads the audio/visual team.
Children, Youth, and the Weekday Preschool
Children are woven through every Sunday. The nursery is open for infants and toddlers during the 9:00 and 10:30 AM services. Children's Sunday School meets at 9:15 AM in the Becker Room for VPK through 4th grade, where Laura Lee leads a curriculum of reading, acting, games, and art. During the 10:30 AM Traditional Service, children are called forward after the offertory for a children's message, then head to the Chapel for Kids Connect and the Little Blessings Choir, where they sing worship songs, learn memory verses, and create art.
At 9:10 AM, students in grades 5 through 12 are invited to "Real Talk: Youth Edition," a Sunday School class in the Youth Room led by Jeb Carpenter. After attending Holy Grounds at 5:00 PM, the youth group gathers from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for dinner, games, and a short Bible lesson. All youth in grades 5 through 12 are welcome.
Eastminster Weekday Preschool extends the church's reach into the broader community, offering faith-based, developmentally appropriate programs for children 18 months old through VPK. Interim Director Emilee Wagner oversees toddler, preschool, and VPK classrooms, with the VPK program built around the state's Education Standards across physical development, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematical thinking, scientific inquiry, social studies, and creative expression through the arts. The preschool has served Indialantic-area families for decades.
Midweek Gatherings and Adult Discipleship
Wednesday evenings belong to The Gathering, a shared-meal program that returns each fall. After dinner in the Fellowship Hall, classes for all ages are offered.
Adult discipleship at Eastminster includes several ongoing options. Midweek Blessings is a Wednesday afternoon study focused on meaningful prayer. Monday Night Live meets online. Wired Word, led by Pastor Darice, examines current events through a Christian lens on Saturdays at 7:00 PM in the Library and on Sundays at 6:00 PM. Rainbow Fellowship and Presbyterian Women's Bible Study round out the regular offerings. Pastor Fred leads a Brown Bag Bible Study on Wednesdays at noon for those who can step away from work.
Tuesday mornings at 10:30 AM bring "Coffee with Pastors," held in the Library and Welcome Center for prayer time, fellowship, and conversation. The church also hosts a Book Club, a Wrapped in Love Prayer Shawl Ministry, a Cookie Ministry, a Prayer Chain, and a Primetimers lunch for older adults. Ladies' Night Out and Men's Night Out meet monthly at local restaurants in the Melbourne area, including The Olive Garden in West Melbourne and Smokey Bones in Melbourne.
Family rhythms include an annual Blessing of the Animals in the courtyard and a fall Trunk or Treat evening on the church grounds.
Music and Choirs
Music is described by the church as an integral part of the ministry at EPC. Opportunities span age groups: the chancel choir and handbell choir for high school students and adults, the Little Blessings Choir for children during the 10:30 service, and contemporary music at the Holy Grounds service. Special events such as the Messiah Singalong with the Space Coast Symphony draw on the church's musical tradition.
Earth Care and the Wider Mission
In its eighth year as a PC(USA) Earth Care Congregation, certified on February 15, 2018, Eastminster has built creation care into its identity through facilities, worship, education, and outreach. Located along the Indian River and less than a mile from the Atlantic Ocean, the church frames this work as stewardship of the environment in its own backyard.
EPC's mission support extends well beyond Indialantic. Local and regional partners include CITA Rescue Mission, Neighbor Up Brevard, Community of Hope, Nana's Children's Home, The Children's Hunger Project, the Sharing Center, the Salvation Army's Sue M. Pridmore Center, Saint Stephen's Way, and The Antioch Partners. Mission giving also supports students and teachers in the community, efforts to reduce homelessness, and assistance to at-risk women and children. The Missions Team's broader work includes creating an inclusive, affirming, intergenerational community of faith and supporting global mission partners in their efforts.
Beliefs, Mission, and Governance
Eastminster's stated mission is to "joyously minister as a vital, growing congregation of passionate followers of Jesus, extending our reach as a missional church to transform our greater community." Its vision is to glorify God by loving Christ and others in worship, word, and deed, led by the Holy Spirit. The church names three core values: God-exalting worship that incorporates the Biblical witness and worship arts; vital community life of fellowship, support, and spiritual formation; and inspired service that transforms individuals and organizations through Christian love.
EPC is governed by the PC(USA) Constitution contained in The Book of Confessions and The Book of Order. The church organizes its work through six ministry teams - Worship & Music, Missions, Christian Education, Finance, Congregational Care, and Facilities - each led by two or more elders.
Visiting Eastminster
The church building sits at 106 N. Riverside Drive, Indialantic, FL 32903, with the office open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (closed Fridays in July). The phone number is (321) 723-8371 and the general email is info@epcfl.org. Services are livestreamed on the livestream page.
Sunday mornings move between three distinct worship settings: the courtyard at 9:00 AM, the Sanctuary at 10:30 AM, and the Fellowship Hall at 5:00 PM. Visitors on a typical Sunday will find the nursery staffed for the two morning services, Sunday School in session for all ages, and a children's message during the 10:30 service. The casual outdoor service welcomes relaxed dress; the traditional service invites whatever is comfortable for sanctuary worship; Holy Grounds is coffeehouse-casual.
Gifts can be given online through the donations page, by text to (844) 430-1120, by mail, or during worship services. To get involved, visitors can call the church office or email the staff member listed for the area of interest.