On Church Way, a Single Sunday Gathering
Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church sits at 455 Church Way in El Cajon, California, on the eastern edge of the San Diego metro. The congregation gathers as one body on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., and that single weekly worship service sets the rhythm for everything else the church does. Pastor Kevin Womack and the staff describe FHPC's identity with three words: Gather, Grow, Go. The Sunday gathering is where it all begins, and the church is intentional about it being a place where anyone, from the lifelong Christian to the first-time visitor, can walk in and find a seat.
The same campus that hosts the sanctuary has anchored the neighborhood for decades. Inside, the church operates a preschool that has served local families since 1961, runs three small groups that meet at the church, in a home, and in a city park, and maintains two private living spaces where refugee and asylum-seeking families can stay rent-free while they get settled. Outside the walls, members volunteer at the Bethlehem Food Pantry, sort donations at New Day Urban Ministries, and ride to Tijuana to serve alongside doctors at a clinic run by Refugee Health Alliance. The congregation is small enough that most members know one another by name and large enough to support half a dozen partner ministries at once.
What a Sunday Morning Sounds Like
The 9:00 a.m. worship service is one gathering, but it draws on a wide range of musical traditions. FHPC's worship merges the time-tested beauty of traditional hymnody, choir anthems, and organ with the best of today's freshest worship music led by a talented worship team and contemporary instrumentation. The room might hear a hymn from the 1800s sung to organ one moment and a contemporary worship song led by a band the next. Sarah Suhonen and Dan Decker serve as co-directors of music and shape the sound together.
The teaching is Bible-centered. Pastor Kevin Womack typically preaches through books of the Bible in sequence, and the sermon archive walks through series on the Gospel of John, the book of Jonah, the Sermon on the Mount, Paul's letter to the Romans, the I Am statements of Jesus, the Lord's Prayer, money and faith, and several series on spiritual practices. Each sermon comes with a PDF of reflection questions for personal study or small-group discussion. Guest preachers fill the pulpit from time to time, including Pastor Scott Wildey, Pastor Grace Wilkinson, Rev. Dr. Jaisen Fuson, Joel Harlow, Kyle Keys, and the church's own Student Ministry Director Mark Hamel.
The service is livestreamed on YouTube for those who want to join from home, and every sermon is added to the FHPC podcast on Apple Podcasts within days of being preached. Recorded sermons and the discussion questions are available for anyone who prefers to keep up with the preaching at their own pace. Visitors are not expected to participate in the offering plate that is passed each week; the church makes clear that giving is primarily for members and that newcomers should feel no pressure.
Children in the Room
Children are not separated from the congregation at the door. Elementary-aged children through middle schoolers begin the 9:00 a.m. service in the sanctuary with their parents, and they are dismissed to Children's Sunday School after the Children's Message. For safety, children are not released at the end of class without a parent or guardian personally picking them up. Infants through age four are cared for in the nursery during the entire worship gathering, so parents of the youngest can take their seats in the pews without juggling a baby.
Janessa Pesce serves as the Children's Ministry Director, and she brings a background in Behavioral Analysis and experience teaching English as a second language to her work. Laurie Decker, the Family Ministries Director, coordinates the broader family ministry approach that the church describes as holistic. The team intentionally supports parents by providing resources for faith-sharing at home and by building connections between different ages within the congregation. The goal is not only for children to hear the gospel but to learn how to live it out day by day.
Adults Stay for the 10:15 Hour
After the children head to their classes and the sanctuary empties out a little, the adults have an option to stay. Adult Classes meet each Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. for Bible study and conversation. The hour is structured around digging deeper into Scripture and is open to anyone who wants to attend. It is also the natural place for newcomers to ask questions in a smaller setting once they have seen how the main worship gathering feels.
Kaleo: Wednesday Nights for Students
Junior high and senior high students have their own weekly gathering on Wednesday evenings. The program is called Kaleo, a Greek word that the church translates as call or calling - the sense of God's invitation to be saved by Him and to live for Him. The aim of Kaleo is to lead students into reconciled relationships with God through Jesus Christ, as well as with each other, and to awaken in them a sense of the divine relationship God is calling them into.
Grades six through twelve gather from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with an extended community time that runs until 8:30 p.m. A typical evening includes engaging Scripture, student-led worship, and time for laughter and silly games. Mark Hamel, the Student Ministry Director, leads the ministry. Hamel came to FHPC after careers as a test engineer, a worship arts pastor, and a stay-at-home dad, and he has been playing instruments and running production tech since the mid-1990s. He meets students at their level with energy and goofiness, but he takes teaching them about Jesus seriously. The youth ministry also runs a slate of special events - broomball, movie nights, theme park trips, and mission projects around the San Diego area - that are designed to be safe, fun, and a natural place to invite friends who do not yet have a church.
The Preschool Since 1961
Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool has been a part of the Fletcher Hills community since 1961, making it one of the longest-running ministries on the church campus. The preschool serves children from six weeks old through age five, and over the summer it runs a School Age Summer Camp for children from kindergarten through age ten. Director Robin Watson has led the preschool since 2009 and has worked with preschool-aged children in various forms since 2003.
The preschool operates on a play-based philosophy. The staff believes that children learn through play and that a child's work is their play, and their play is their work. Teachers offer developmentally appropriate learning activities and a curriculum designed to help children grow socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and academically. Morning preschool programs run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and full-day care extends the day until 5:00 p.m. Families can choose a two-day schedule (Tuesday and Thursday), a three-day schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), or a five-day schedule. Tours are scheduled between 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on weekdays so that visiting families can see the preschool in action.
The preschool is licensed by the state of California and operates under three license numbers covering infant and toddler care, the preschool program, and the school-age summer camp. It is financially separate from the church itself but operationally connected - several church members volunteer in the preschool, reading to children in their classrooms or serving coffee to parents at drop-off, and the congregation supports teachers and families through special events and end-of-term gatherings.
Three Small Groups Around Town
Small-group life at FHPC is sermon-based, meaning each week's small-group gathering uses the same Scripture passage that will be preached on the following Sunday. That way, group members arrive at worship already thinking about the text, and they have a chance to discuss it in depth during the week. Three groups meet regularly, each in a different setting.
On Sundays, after the morning worship gathering ends, a small group meets at La Mesita Park. Laurie Decker coordinates that group. On Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m., another group meets at the church in the Admin Building, with Pastor Kevin Womack as the contact. On Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., a third group meets at the home of Rae Belisle at 454 Garfield Avenue in El Cajon, with Ali Decker as the contact. Anyone is welcome to join any of the three meetings; the only expectation is that first-time visitors reach out to the contact ahead of time so the group knows to expect them. A Trios sign-up form is available for newcomers who want a more personal connection to the church.
Sermons and a Deep Archive
The preaching calendar at FHPC moves through books of the Bible in long, sustained series rather than jumping from topic to topic. The current series walks through the Gospel of John verse by verse under the banner Teach Us To Pray and the related I Am statements of Jesus - I Am the Bread of Life, I Am the Light of the World, I Am the Gate, I Am the Good Shepherd, I Am the Resurrection and the Life, I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The teaching moves through the upper room discourse of John 13-17 and into the passion narrative.
Before John, the church worked its way through the book of Jonah, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Paul's letter to the Romans chapter by chapter, a series on spiritual practices (meditative prayer, lectio divina, honoring our bodies, solitude and silence, feeling our emotions, sacred space, community, and a rule of life), a series on the one another commands of the New Testament (love one another, forgive one another, bear with one another, comfort one another, serve one another, accept one another, bear one another's burdens, spur one another on), and a series on money called Faith and Money that covered treasure, greed, debt, contentment, tithing, offerings, trust, and streetwise generosity.
Each sermon in the church's online archive carries an audio player, the Scripture passage that was preached, the preacher's name, and a downloadable PDF of reflection questions for individual or small-group study. New sermons appear within a day or two of being preached, and the archive stretches back through more than two years of preaching that visitors can sample at their own pace.
Refugee Families on Campus
One of the more unusual ministries at FHPC is the rent-free short-term housing it provides on its own campus for refugee and asylum-seeking families. The church can accommodate up to two families of up to five people each in two private living spaces with a shared kitchen and bathroom facility. Supportive services for these families, as they acclimate to the United States and decide where they would like to locate permanently, are provided through the Alliance for African Assistance, a San Diego-based nonprofit that has been a long-time partner of the church.
The congregation has woven the refugee ministry into the life of the church in tangible ways. At Christmas, the Suhonen family adopted a refugee family through the Alliance for African Assistance and spent time together despite the language barrier. Sarah Suhonen, who serves as co-director of music at the church, has shared that this was a really meaningful experience for my family at Christmas. Just spending time together, even with the language barrier, was a gift. Members also support the refugee families through practical help, donations, and accompaniment as the families navigate their first months in a new country.
Serving on Both Sides of the Border
Fletcher Hills sits close enough to the US-Mexico border that the congregation treats international mission as a day-trip opportunity rather than a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Locally, the church supports the Bethlehem Food Pantry in El Cajon. The pantry is run out of Foothills United Methodist Church and serves families in the neighborhood. FHPC members volunteer on Fridays to help set up the marketplace (8:30 to 10:00 a.m.) and on Saturdays to help guests choose their food items, direct traffic, and restock during shopping time (7:30 to 10:00 a.m.). Dan Decker, the church's co-director of music, has volunteered with the pantry and put it simply: These are my neighbors. This is something really simple I can do to help them. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, and the pantry emails a monthly signup link for those who want to be added to the rotation.
In San Diego, several FHPC members volunteer at New Day Urban Ministries, where they sort donations, greet clients, and provide case management for men and women working to turn their lives around. Closer to home, church members read to preschool children, serve coffee to parents at drop-off, and help with end-of-term events and periodic movie nights at the preschool. Richard and Debbie Williams, longtime FHPC members, sit on the board of Care House, a San Diego organization that serves at-risk teens and their families. They have said that serving Care House is our way of giving back and sharing God's love with families who find themselves in less fortunate life circumstances than we have.
Across the border, the church partners with Refugee Health Alliance, which provides general medical and maternal health services for migrants living in shelters in Tijuana as they await their chance to enter the United States. FHPC parishioners serve alongside medical professionals from both sides of the border through RHA's brick-and-mortar clinic in Tijuana and the regular Saturday shelter outreach events. Some use their own medical training; others serve as translators and lead activities for children. The church's financial support of RHA underwrites paid medical assistance during the Saturday outreach clinics. Living along the southern border of the USA, FHPC is in a unique position to serve internationally while providing parishioners the opportunity for day trips and volunteer opportunities close to home.
For newcomers who want to find their own place in this rhythm, the church runs Mission Exposure events that introduce, educate, and inspire new service connections in the neighborhood. Those events are publicized in the Weekly Update, the church's Wednesday newsletter.
The Three Values: Gather, Grow, Go
The church's three-value framework runs through everything it does. The first is Gather in Worship. FHPC believes that the church is a people, not a place, and that the Sunday morning gathering is the context in which the congregation experiences God's presence as a people. The value of meeting together regularly, uniting as a faith family, worshiping the Living God, hearing the Word and living it out in community, and remembering and celebrating what God has done sets the rhythm and tone for the way the people of God live the rest of the week.
The second value is Grow in Faith. The church believes that humans are spiritual and that everyone receives spiritual formation one way or another. The question is who shapes that formation. FHPC hungers to be transformed into Christ-likeness for the sake of others and longs for Jesus to form the congregation as He lives with them, in them, and through them - in outward behavior, in purposeful calling, and in Spirit-filled heart transformation. The church values the role genuine community plays as members embark on their personal journeys together through both formal practices like Small Groups, classes, and spiritual disciplines and informal practices like shared meals, play, and fellowship.
The third value is Go in Mission. FHPC defines being missional not as church growth or social justice but as the church being God's instrument of mission in the world, rather than mission being an instrument of the church. Everything the church does is part of God's mission because the congregation sees itself as the sent ones of God. The church believes that God uses the gifts and talents of its members to build His kingdom in the church, in the neighborhood, and to the ends of the earth, and that the people of FHPC are compelled by Christ's love to give generously, sacrificially, humbly, and radically of their best resources and selves for God's purposes in the world.
Meet the Team
The pastoral team is led by Rev. Dr. Kevin Womack, who serves as Pastor and Head of Staff. Kevin came to FHPC from First Presbyterian Church in downtown San Diego, where he served as Associate Pastor. He has also served in several other locations directing student ministries. He holds an undergraduate degree in Communication from San Diego State University, a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Talbot School of Theology. He and his wife Mandy have two daughters, Megan and Zoe, and he spends his free time riding his bike around San Diego.
Sarah Suhonen and Dan Decker serve together as Co-Directors of Music. Sarah has been a professional musician in San Diego for thirteen years, holds a B.A. in music from Azusa Pacific University, and has spent twelve years as the conductor of the Peninsula Singers, a 100-member Point Loma community choir. For nine years she directed contemporary music at La Jolla Presbyterian Church. Dan is a lifelong church musician and retired elementary school teacher who also serves as a teaching artist for Guitars and Ukuleles in the Classroom. Dan and his wife Laurie have been married since 1986 and have two daughters.
Laurie Decker is the Family Ministries Director. She holds several degrees and teaching certifications from San Diego State University, including an M.A. in Education, and she taught middle school at a Christian school in San Diego for twenty-seven years plus four years in public schools. Mark Hamel is the Student Ministry Director; he has been married to Michelle since 2001 and is the proud father of two children, Ava and Aiden. Janessa Pesce is the Children's Ministry Director; she holds a Bachelor of Arts from Midwestern State University in Texas, studied abroad in France and Mexico, and brings experience in tutoring, teaching English as a second language, and Behavioral Analysis to the role. Jonathan Asche is the Director of Media; he graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2003 and has served FHPC in audio and media roles since 2013. Robin Watson leads Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool; she has directed the preschool since 2009, has worked with preschool-aged children since 2003, and lives with her husband Markus and their three children, Micah, Macy, and Drew.
Giving, News, and How to Stay in Touch
FHPC treats giving as an act of worship. Members and regular attenders can give during the worship service each week, by mailing a check to the church office at 455 Church Way, El Cajon, CA 92020, by electronic check through their bank, or by credit card using a secure online form that allows donors to optionally cover the church's transaction fees. Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible; an end-of-year statement is provided to every donor.
Anyone who wants to stay connected can sign up for the Weekly Update, an online newsletter that the church sends every Wednesday with information about upcoming events, small groups, and prayer needs. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and can be reached at 619-463-6631 or office@fhpc.org. The preschool office can be reached at 619-466-3326 or robin.watson@fhpc.org. The church is also active on Facebook and YouTube, where the Sunday service is livestreamed each week.
Whatever someone brings to FHPC - a long history with church, a fresh search for meaning, a child who needs Sunday School, a desire to serve, a home to host a small group, or simply a question - the congregation's three-word shape holds: Gather on Sunday morning, Grow through the week in community and Scripture, and Go out into El Cajon, San Diego, Tijuana, and the world as the sent ones of God.