Pacific Coast Church gathers each Sunday on a hillside at 2651 Calle Frontera in San Clemente, where the fellowship has been rooted for more than sixty years. From the same campus it runs weekday programs for children, students, and adults, a state-licensed Christian preschool, ministries for women and men, a special-needs community called iCan, and a network that supports more than thirty missionaries in countries from Cambodia to Kenya. The church's motto, “Following Jesus Together,” captures the heart of a congregation that grew from a small meeting of twenty people at the San Clemente Boat Club in 1955 to a body of more than 1,100 today.
From the Boat Club to the Hillside
Pacific Coast Church was born on June 5, 1955, when Pastor Oliver Siemens conducted the first service for what was then called First Baptist Church of San Clemente. Twenty people met at the San Clemente Boat Club, a building that now serves as the Ole Hanson Beach Club. That small seaside fellowship grew into a congregation of more than 1,100 worshipers, but its founding spirit of mission to the people of San Clemente has remained the same.
New leadership arrived a few years later in Pastor Orville Burch, who moved the church to a larger site at 107 West Marquita in downtown San Clemente. Under Pastor Phil Smith, called in 1969, the church family grew to roughly 200 members. Smith later left for the mission field in Southeast Asia, training pastors in the Philippines and elsewhere. After the brief pastorate of Steve Pearson, Denver Clark - a former missionary to South America - stepped in as interim pastor and was named Senior Pastor in 1986. Clark cast the vision for relocating the church to its present site on Calle Frontera, but he passed away in 1990 after a long battle with cancer before the move was completed.
Associate Pastor Mike Fabarez assumed the role of Senior Pastor and led the congregation through construction of the current facility on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He served until 2005. On February 8, 2006, the elders and church members installed Executive Pastor Mark Ambrose as the new Lead Pastor. Ambrose had been part of the PCC family since 1994, when he joined as Outreach Pastor, and he continues to lead the church today.
Across seven decades the church has kept a simple statement of purpose: “to encourage everyone to know and follow Jesus.” Three commitments carry that out - reaching people for Jesus, growing followers of Jesus, and connecting together in Jesus.
Sundays at Nine and Ten-Thirty
Services meet every Sunday at 9:00 and 10:30 AM, each lasting about an hour. The atmosphere is intentionally casual, with friendly greeters at the door and coffee and donuts waiting inside. The music team leads contemporary songs, and the preaching team walks through books of the Bible, addresses hot topics, and regularly presents the Gospel. Visitors are welcome to slip in quietly or introduce themselves - the church says both options are fine.
Kids have their own programs at both services for birth through 5th grade. Middle School meets at 10:30 AM in Bungalow 1, and High School meets at 10:30 AM in Bungalow 3. Anyone who would like prayer before or after a service can find a prayer team ready to listen.
Ten Beliefs Anchored in Scripture
The statement of faith lists ten core beliefs, each supported with a Bible reference. Pacific Coast Church teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and the supreme source of truth. The church affirms one God who exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and confesses the virgin birth, sinless life, miraculous ministry, substitutionary death, and physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, made possible by His death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the moment of conversion. PCC observes two ordinances, water baptism by immersion and communion, and teaches that commitment to a local church is essential for spiritual growth. The church looks forward to the return of Christ, the great tribulation, the thousand-year reign, and a new heaven and new earth.
Beyond the statement of faith, the church practices baptism by immersion, holds communion several times a year as a church family, and offers baby dedication for parents who want to dedicate their children to the Lord. Pastoral counseling for individuals, married couples, and engaged couples is also available through the Care Ministry team.
PCC Kids, Surfside Kids, and Summer Camp
PCC Kids runs at both Sunday services, with age-appropriate rooms from nursery through fifth grade. Songs, Bible stories, and interactive activities fill the warmup. Friendly staff and greeters walk first-time families through the check-in flow. Watch for the Kids Check-in station on the patio.
On Wednesdays the school kicks off Surfside Kids, a separate midweek program for kids in the area. Surfside meets most weeks during the school year, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, with childcare for infants through 35 months and a curriculum for ages 3 through fifth grade. The fall semester runs from September 9 through December 9. Costs are tiered by family size with a military rate and a parent-volunteer option that covers the cost for up to two kids. Parents in a PCC Grow Group can drop their kids off at 6:15 PM at the playground and pick them up at 8:15 PM.
Summer brings Emerald Crossing VBS, a half-day camp for kids entering kindergarten through fifth grade. The week runs 9 AM to noon, with stories from David's life paired with verses from Psalm 23, alongside crafts, games, and music. The church asks for more than 100 volunteers to make the week run.
Every Kids Ministry leader has been vetted through an application, reference checks, a one-on-one interview, and a government background check, and is trained on a regular basis.
Middle School in Bungalow 1, High School in Bungalow 3
The student ministry at Pacific Coast Church is split into two age groups that share the same DNA but meet separately. On Sundays the Middle School Ministry gathers in Bungalow 1 at 10:30 AM for fun, worship through music, and an understandable message from God's Word. The High School Ministry meets in Bungalow 3 at 10:30 AM with the same format.
During the week both groups meet in small groups to build relationships, talk about God's Word, and encourage each other. Middle School small groups meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in Bungalow 1. High School small groups meet on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Bungalow 3. Both ministries run additional events throughout the year to help students know and follow Jesus.
Grow Groups, Connect Groups, and Alpha
For adults who want to go deeper, the church runs three different kinds of small groups. Grow Groups are groups of eight to sixteen people who gather weekly for discussion, encouragement, and accountability. They study God's Word and apply the Sunday message to everyday life. Groups meet in person and online and start meeting each fall.
Connect Groups are built around a common interest. The church currently lists groups ranging from pickleball, surfing, tennis, and golf to game nights. If a group doesn't exist for an interest someone cares about, the church will help start one.
Alpha is the entry-level small group ministry for people who are still exploring questions about God. It is open to anyone who wants to investigate the Christian faith in a relaxed, non-judgmental setting.
The Gathering and PCC Moms
The women's ministry at PCC centers on two programs. The Gathering is a topically based Bible study for women. The group hears a message together and then breaks into small groups for discussion and prayer. The current study walks through “The Names of God,” an eight-session study featuring teachers Kristi McLelland, Caroline Saunders, Blair Linne, Jennifer Rothschild, Kelly Minter, and Elizabeth Woodson. The Gathering meets Friday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at the PCC Campus and Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the PCC Offices.
PCC Moms is a Tuesday morning community for young moms, meeting from 9:00 to 11:30 AM. While moms connect, hear from guest speakers, and enjoy breakfast, loving adults care for their kids. The church frames the morning as a judgment-free zone where real life meets real faith. The fall session runs from mid-September through mid-December.
Special events for women happen quarterly, including a Galentines gathering and a summer women's brunch.
Huddle Groups, Coffee at Dawn, and the Men's Retreat
The men's ministry at PCC is built around three rhythms and one annual getaway. Huddle Groups are groups of three to six men who meet at least twice a month for prayer, conversation, encouragement, and accountability. Members read the same devotional in the YouVersion Bible app between meetings and work through a short set of accountability starters covering worship, purity, self-control, gratitude, relationships, witness, integrity, and honesty.
Coffee and Prayer is the simplest piece of the puzzle. Men meet every Tuesday at 6:30 AM at the PCC Campus - or online via Zoom - to talk to God together over coffee. A quarterly men's breakfast brings larger groups around a table for good food and an encouraging message from God's Word.
The annual PCC Men's Retreat takes men age sixteen and up to Palomar Christian Retreat Center on Palomar Mountain for a weekend of hiking, flag football, ultimate frisbee, clay shooting, and unhurried conversation. Past guests have included former Special Forces officer and Broughton Hotels founder Larry Broughton.
iCan, GriefShare, and Care for Chronic Pain
Care Ministry at PCC runs four ongoing groups for people walking through difficult seasons. iCan is a place for teens and adults with special needs to grow in their relationship with Christ and with one another. Members share a meal and fellowship time, then gather for worship, prayer, Bible study, games, and dessert. iCan meets Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the PCC campus, and volunteers help serve meals, assist with mobility, run games, and celebrate birthdays.
GriefShare meets Saturday mornings at the PCC Offices for anyone grieving the loss of someone they love. Participants join at any time and attend as many meetings as they like. A separate Dementia Caregivers group meets on the second Monday of each month in a San Clemente home for both men and women caring for loved ones with any form of dementia. A Chronic Pain and Illness group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:30 AM for informal fellowship and encouragement.
A State-Licensed Preschool on the Same Campus
PCC Preschool is a ministry of Pacific Coast Church that operates on the same San Clemente campus at 2651 Calle Frontera. The school is licensed by the California Department of Social Services under license number 304371606 and is open to any child, regardless of race, sex, or religious background.
The Preschool program runs from 9:00 AM to noon for children ages two to four, with two-day, three-day, and five-day options. The Junior Kindergarten program runs from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM five days a week for children who will turn five between June 1 and December 31, preparing them for the year ahead. Extended care is available in the morning from 8:00 to 9:00 AM, at lunch bunch from noon to 1:00 PM, and in after care from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
The curriculum is built around play-based, developmentally appropriate practices aligned with the California Preschool Learning Foundations. Every child is welcomed, each one is loved, and each one is shaped in mind and heart on a Christian foundation. The preschool uses the Brightwheel app for tuition payments, check-in and check-out, photos, and parent communication.
Thirty Missionaries from Cambodia to Kenya
Pacific Coast Church supports more than thirty missionaries locally and around the world. The missionaries list includes church planters, Bible translators, medical teams, educators, and apologetics trainers serving in places like Cambodia, Kenya, Japan, the Philippines, India, Albania, El Salvador, Papua New Guinea, and on US-based itinerant teams.
On the local side, PCC works with non-profit Christian organizations addressing homelessness, human trafficking, and at-risk youth. Partners include the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, Deed & Sharing, CRU, Medical Ambassadors Foundation, Ambassadors Football, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and many more. Individuals, families, and Grow Groups can participate in local outreach together.
Following Jesus Online
For those who cannot join in person, PCC Online gathers the church's online community. Sunday morning services are available to watch online, and weekly communication connects online attenders with Grow Groups, the sermon message, and the PCC Online Facebook group. Amen Bains serves as the PCC Online Pastor and welcomes questions from anywhere in the country.
Pastoral Staff and the Elder Team
Dr. Mark Ambrose leads the pastoral staff as Lead Pastor. A Southern California native, Ambrose holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, a Master of Divinity from Talbot School of Theology, and a doctorate in preaching from Talbot. He joined PCC in 1994, served as Outreach Pastor, then Executive Pastor, then Senior Associate Pastor, before being installed as Lead Pastor in 2006.
Marc Hughes is the High School Pastor and oversees the high school ministry alongside a student ministry assistant. Stevan Milunovic is the Middle School Pastor. Walter Reguerin, a native of Bolivia, serves as the Hispanic Church Pastor and oversees PCC's Spanish-speaking ministry. Amen Bains serves as the PCC Online Pastor. The wider staff includes Kids Ministry Director Laura Zanotti, Worship Director Luke Olver, Director of Care Ministries Gaby Monson, Adult Ministries Coordinator Shelby Olver, and Preschool Director Jamie Brucker.
The church is governed by a team of elders that includes Pastor Mark and six lay elders: Tony Elias-Calles, Tom Meadows, Dave Buchan, Jeremy Metz, Don Carlson, and Brent Long.
Giving and Getting Connected
Gifts to Pacific Coast Church support the ministry of encouraging everyone to know and follow Jesus. Giving is offered online through Pushpay, by texting PCCSC to 833-750-3161, or by mailing a check to the offices at 1011 Calle Sombra, #220, San Clemente, CA 92673. Questions about giving can be directed to the office at (949) 940-2600 or kristy@pccsc.org.
Visitors and newcomers can reach the church at info@pccsc.org or (949) 940-2600. Prayer requests can be submitted online, and the church is glad to walk alongside anyone in any season of life.