Orange Park Presbyterian Church sits in the heart of Orange Park, Florida, on Park Avenue (Highway 17), just north of Kingsley Avenue, across the street from Winn-Dixie and immediately south of Moosehaven. The congregation gathers each Sunday morning for Sunday School at 9:15 and worship at 10:30, and its reach runs well beyond the sanctuary walls: a preschool that has served local families since 1989, mission partnerships that welcome refugees resettling in northeast Florida, a choir that sings through the seasons of the church year, and small groups where adults study Scripture and serve neighbors. As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), OPPC, as members call it, is rooted in the historic Reformed tradition, governed by elected elders, and committed to what the church describes as authentic faith, Spirit-filled worship, inspiring messages, meaningful relationships, and transforming small groups.
Sunday Morning Rhythm
The Sunday schedule is simple and consistent. Christian education for all ages begins at 9:15 a.m., and the worship service follows at 10:30 a.m. A printable bulletin is made available each week for those who want to follow along with the order of worship. The sanctuary is filled with music from the Adult Choir, prayers shaped by the church year, and a sermon rooted in the lectionary texts. Services are livestreamed, and a video archive on YouTube reaches back several years for those who want to revisit a sermon or catch up after a missed Sunday.
Children are part of Sunday morning from the very start. The pastor offers a children's message just for them during worship, and after that moment a nursery and a children's church for ages 4 to 13 are available so younger worshipers can learn at their own level while parents remain in the service.
Meet the Pastor: Rev. James Kendrick
The Reverend James Kendrick is the church's pastor. He came to Orange Park Presbyterian from Calvin Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, where he served for four years, and before that he walked alongside other congregations in the greater Jacksonville area as a transitional pastor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida State University and a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is described as passionate about meaningful worship, walking with people through life's joys and challenges, and living out the gospel through compassion, service, and a deep commitment to social justice, particularly among the least and the lost. He and his wife, Sallie Gipson, have two adult children, and he lives in Jacksonville Beach where he enjoys surfing, reading, and time outdoors.
A Presbyterian Identity
OPPC is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and its statement of faith draws on the denomination's Brief Statement of Faith. The congregation proclaims that in life and in death we belong to God, and that through the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God. The statement affirms creation as God's good work, the entry of sin through human rebellion, and God's ongoing work of love and mercy to redeem all of creation. It confesses one Lord Jesus Christ, God's only Son, who lived among us as the Word made flesh, who was crucified for the sins of the world, and whom God raised from the dead. It confesses the Holy Spirit as the giver of life who binds believers together as the one body of Christ and engages the church with Scripture, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ. Two sacraments are shared at OPPC: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Members are equipped for God's service in the world and live in expectation of God's new heaven and new earth, praying, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Growing in Faith as Adults
Adult formation at OPPC takes several shapes. Three Sunday School classes meet at 9:15 a.m. between services: The Travelers' Gathering Place, facilitated by Cathy Sanders in Room 4; The Seekers, facilitated by Ruling Elder Rick Kirby in the back office; and the Adult Forum, facilitated by Debbie Pendry in Room 3 of the Gathering Place. Each class offers a different style of study, conversation, and community.
Once a month on the first Monday at 6:30 p.m., a group called Bible Where? meets at a changing location for fellowship, friendship, food, and a discussion of a Bible lesson. All are invited, and friends are welcome to come along. Presbyterian Women extends the same kind of community through its circles. The Hope Circle gathers on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the office under the leadership of Betty Wengert, and the Grace Circle gathers on the second Thursday at 11:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall under the leadership of Lynda Wiggins. From September through May, the Sew & Sews meet on the first Wednesday of each month to sew quilts for the Clothes Closet, walker bags and blankets for nursing home residents, and pillows for Wolfson Children's Hospital, with Bev Davis as the contact.
Children Welcome in Worship
Children and infants are welcomed in Sunday worship. After the children's message, a nursery and a children's church for ages 4 to 13 give younger worshipers a place to learn at their own level while parents and older siblings remain in the sanctuary. The children's ministry points to Jesus' words in Matthew 19:14: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
A Preschool Rooted in Mission
OPPC Preschool has been an outreach mission of the church since 1989, and it remains one of the most visible ways the congregation serves Orange Park families with young children. The preschool describes itself as a creative learning center with a process-oriented curriculum, designed to develop the whole child intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually. Pre-academic and academic skills sit alongside music, exercise, art, and play, and a Christian environment weaves God's grace and love into stories, songs, art, prayer, and interaction. The school operates under license C04Cl0045 and is led by Preschool Director Amanda Davis, with classroom leads and assistants serving children grouped as Sunshine, Bumblebee, Rainbow III, Rainbow IV, and VPK, with a VPK Plus option that includes extended care. Tuition and registration details are published on the preschool pages.
Missions Close to Home and Far Away
Mission and outreach at OPPC reach both near and far. The Two-Cents-a-Meal Program supports the Jamaica Ecumenical Mutual Mission, and the congregation also gives monthly to a local food pantry. Baskets of household goods are prepared for Beyond90, a local refugee housing and support organization the church has long partnered with, and OPPC also funds a summer camp experience each year for children from refugee families enrolled in an International Summer Academy. School supplies go to local students through Seeds of Love, financial support goes to community housing needs through Mercy Services, and the church packs meals for Hunger Fight. Members serve hands-on with BASCA, a local organization for adults with disabilities, donate hand-sewn quilts to Miriam's Basket for children in crisis, take part in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program, and support the presbytery's camp and conference center. The church campus also hosts community life beyond its own ministries, including two Girl Scout troops that meet in its buildings.
Music, Tech, and Hospitality in Worship
Worship at OPPC is supported by three teams that work mostly behind the scenes. The Adult Choir sings music appropriate to the seasons of the church year and to the week's scripture, rehearsing on Wednesday evenings roughly twice a month and singing each Sunday morning. The Tech Team operates audio, media, and lighting so that worship runs smoothly, and the same team ensures that sermon recordings are made and shared. Greeters and ushers form a third team, preparing and cleaning up the sanctuary, welcoming worshipers, distributing bulletins and nametags, recording attendance, collecting the offering, and helping anyone who needs a hand finding their way around.
Prayer, Care, and Support Ministries
Pastoral care at OPPC is woven through a network of small, quiet ministries. The prayer ministries include a prayer chain for emergency prayer needs, a prayer team for ongoing needs, and a prayer team that meets and prays with individuals after services. The Birthday Card Ministry sends cards to mark each member's special day, and the Visitation Team reaches out to people in the hospital, in nursing homes, or unable to attend church. The Meal Coordination Ministry organizes meals for members confined to their homes by illness, at times of death, and for funeral receptions. The Newborn Ministry celebrates new babies with a meal and places a rose in the sanctuary to announce each arrival, and the Telephone Ministry keeps regular phone contact with shut-ins. Behind the scenes, a Fellowship Meal Ministry plans and serves meals for special events, and Office Volunteers help with light administrative tasks such as answering phones, making copies, and assembling special mailings.
Led by a Session of Ruling Elders
Like every Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation, OPPC is governed by a session, and at Orange Park that session is made up of nine ruling elders elected by the congregation. These men and women serve three-year terms and may be re-elected for up to six years. Together with the pastor, they exercise leadership, governance, and spiritual discernment, and they are responsible for the life of the congregation as it lives out its calling.
Visiting Orange Park Presbyterian Church
The church is located at 1905 Park Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073, and the phone number is 904-264-0536. Visitors who arrive by car will find a paved lot on the east end of the campus along Park Avenue, an unpaved lot behind the sanctuary off Reed Street, and additional off-street parking near the sanctuary; reserved visitor spots are located directly in front of the sanctuary for first-time guests. Anyone curious about becoming a member of the church is invited to contact the pastor. The church office can be reached at info@oppresby.com, and giving is available online.