Oakdale Family Church of the Nazarene, often called OFC Naz, sits right on the main street of Oakdale, California, the community long known as the "Cowboy Capital." OFC Naz is a multi-generational church that centers its life around families, practical Bible teaching, and a steady weekly rhythm of worship, fellowship, and service to its town. It belongs to the Church of the Nazarene, a holiness tradition shaped in part by Point Loma Nazarene University and other regional Nazarene campuses.
Sunday Mornings: School, Worship, and Children
The Sunday schedule begins at 9:30 AM with Sunday school classes offered for every age. At 10:30 AM the entire church gathers for the morning worship service, which includes music, an offering, and a sermon from God's Word. The service is also livestreamed each Sunday on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person.
Children are a deliberate priority at OFC Naz. Nursery care is available during the service for children from birth through age 3, and after the music portion of the morning, kids ages 3 through 11 are dismissed to children's church. That allows parents to focus on the sermon while their children receive age-appropriate teaching, so the whole family is being fed at the same time, just in different rooms.
Pastors Jeremy and Chelsea: Co-Lead Pastors of OFC Naz
OFC Naz is led by Pastors Jeremy and Chelsea Peugh, who serve together as co-lead pastors. Both graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) as Bible and Christian Ministries majors and later earned master's degrees. Both are ordained elders in the Church of the Nazarene. They were married in 2009 and have welcomed four children into their family. The couple moved from San Diego to Oakdale in 2019 to take on the role of co-lead pastors at OFC Naz.
Their shared heartbeat for the church is captured by the phrase they repeat often: to lead the church to Love God and Serve Others, both individually and as a community. That mission statement echoes throughout the church's ministries, events, and outreach efforts.
Wednesday Nights: A Free Meal and Studies for All Ages
Wednesday evenings are one of the church's anchor weekly rhythms. The Wednesday Night Family Meals and Studies program opens at 5:30 PM with a fully prepared, completely free dinner served in Fellowship Hall. There is no obligation to stay for the study portion, so anyone is welcome to come just for the meal and the conversation.
At 6:30 PM, age-appropriate programming begins:
- Adults gather in the Adult Annex for "Experiencing God," a small-group Bible study that explores different ways to worship and draw near to God in everyday life.
- OFC Naz Kids (K through 6th grade) meets in the Children's Annex for fun, interactive lessons and activities.
- Youth Group meets in the Youth Room for dynamic lessons and discipleship time designed specifically for students.
- Nursery care is available for children from birth through age 4.
The Wednesday night format intentionally gathers the entire family under one roof for a meal and a study at the same time, and the church has built it into a clear midweek reset.
Tuesdays: Prayer and Grief Support
Two Tuesday gatherings serve different needs. At 9:30 AM a prayer group meets in the campus library to pray for church members, the local community, the country, and the world. In the evening, OFC Naz hosts GriefShare, a 13-week program designed to help people find relief, support, and direction after the loss of a loved one. GriefShare is a national program, and participants are invited to join at any point during a cycle. Snacks are provided. The church has also listed an afternoon GriefShare session at 1:00 PM in the church library on Tuesdays, giving flexibility for those whose schedules do not allow an evening meeting.
Youth Ministry: From the Youth Room to the Mountains
Youth ministry is woven into the life of OFC Naz. The weekly Youth Group meets Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM in the Youth Room, with lessons and activities tailored specifically for that age range. Throughout the year the youth also gather for special events:
- The OFC Youth Friendsgiving Potluck brings students together for a Wednesday-evening meal where they bring a dish to share. The evening includes games, gratitude time, music, and laughter.
- The annual Student Retreat, organized with Pastor Rene and the youth team, has been a weekend away in places like Pinecrest, California, centered on a single theme such as "Trust."
- Elevate is the larger student retreat held on Memorial Day weekend at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. The weekend features worship, engaging messages, group games, sports, rec activities, and beach time.
Pastor Rene (Rene Santos) is the main contact for youth ministry and the student retreats. Together, Jeremy, Chelsea, and Rene form the pastoral team that disciples the next generation at OFC Naz.
At The Movies: An Annual Sermon Series
One of the most anticipated traditions at OFC Naz is "At The Movies," an annual sermon series. Each year Pastors Jeremy and Chelsea take well-known films and use their stories to illustrate timeless truths from God's Word. Past messages have drawn on The Wizard of Oz (about following God when the road is not clear), Forrest Gump (about being exactly who God created you to be), Jurassic Park, and New Super Mario Bros (about why we all need help and cannot face life's obstacles alone). Because the series uses actual film clips, it is not streamed on YouTube. Instead, the audio is shared through the church's online presence so the wider community can still follow along.
Women, Men, and Music Teams
The church's connection card highlights several ministry areas where people can plug in: Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry, and Music/Tech Ministry. Events show these groups in action. "Get Crafty" gatherings in Fellowship Hall bring women together for a light lunch and a seasonal craft project, such as the fall pumpkin craft with succulents, for a small supply fee. The Music/Tech Ministry supports the weekly worship service and special events with vocalists, instrumentalists, and the production team behind the livestream.
Reaching Out: The Oakdale Rescue Mission and Beyond
Service to the wider Oakdale community is built into the church's identity. Volunteers from OFC Naz regularly prepare and serve a meal at the Oakdale Rescue Mission. Anyone who enjoys cooking can join in by contacting Pastor Chelsea. The giving page frames generosity as an act of worship, a grateful response to God's grace, and emphasizes that every gift furthers the mission, ministry, and message of the church in lives, households, the neighborhood, the city, and the world.
Seasonal Community Events
Several recurring events have become part of OFC Naz's yearly rhythm of outreach:
- The Live Drive-Thru Nativity is a free, immersive, live-action experience that walks families through the entire biblical narrative from Creation to the Resurrection. It features costumed actors, live animals, sets, complimentary hot chocolate, and a wagon ride pulled by an old-timey tractor. It runs three evenings in mid-December.
- Fall Fest is a free community evening each October featuring pop-up games for kids and adults, a dessert walk, a costume contest, a bounce house, treats, and free pumpkins for the first 100 guests. Volunteers help run the games and serve snacks.
- Pumpkin Palooza has included pumpkin carving, candy, games and prizes, and a costume contest for kids.
- The Rummage Sale offers clothing, accessories, household items, and collectibles, with proceeds supporting ministry.
- Celebration Sundays are occasional Sundays that combine baptisms, child dedications, and new membership announcements into a single joyful gathering.
- The Fall Family Roundup has brought families together on a Wednesday evening for dinner, a chili cook-off, and an apple dessert contest.
Small Groups and Getting Connected
OFC Naz describes itself as a "family oriented community of all ages" where people can experience God as they grow in their faith. For those wanting to go deeper than the Sunday service, small groups meet weekly on campus and occasionally enjoy retreats or serve others through volunteer projects. A connection card is available for first-time guests to share their interests, including next steps for new believers, children or youth programs, women's ministry, men's ministry, or music and tech ministry. The church also maintains an active prayer request form and keeps the wider community connected through Facebook, Instagram, and a regular video library on YouTube.
Giving and the Mission
OFC Naz is supported entirely by the voluntary giving of its friends, members, and regular attenders. Online giving is available through the church's donation page, and checks can be mailed to the church office at 1700 West F Street, Oakdale, CA 95361. The giving statement makes clear that generosity is an act of worship, just like singing, praying, reading Scripture, and serving, a grateful response to the grace that has already been given and that continues to shape the life of the church in Oakdale.