On Red Hill Avenue in North Tustin, Red Hill Lutheran Church has built its identity around a single idea: that a congregation can hold two very different worship traditions under one roof and still be one family. The church runs an on-site preschool-through-eighth-grade school, fields a chancel choir and a contemporary praise band, packages tens of thousands of meals for the developing world, and walks confirmation students through a two-year journey in Luther's Small Catechism. Its stated purpose is simple: "Know Christ. Make Christ Known."
Two Sunday Mornings Under One Roof
Most weeks at Red Hill Lutheran start with a choice. At 8:00 AM, the Classical Worship service fills the sanctuary with pipe organ, chancel choir, and a liturgy rooted in the Lutheran tradition. At 10:15 AM, the Contemporary Praise Service trades the organ for a full praise band led by Isaiah Coughran, with upbeat and sometimes introspective songs drawn from the contemporary Christian repertoire. Holy Communion is celebrated at both services every Sunday, and a Nursery Ministry is available during both in Classroom 11 for children from six weeks through five years old.
Visitors are invited to "come as you are" and choose the service that fits their preferred style. A sermon podcast and recorded services from past weeks are kept in two YouTube playlists, one labeled "Past Classical Services" and the other "Past Contemporary Services," and the most recent service is embedded on the church's online platform. Sunday worship is also livestreamed through the church's YouTube channel.
DiscipleU and the Hour Between Services
Between the two Sunday services, from 9:15 to 10:00 AM, Red Hill runs DiscipleU, a church-wide Bible study hour for all ages. Children meet in the Kids Zone, middle school and high school students gather in Peter's Parish, and adults meet in the Christian Life Center. The adult class, led by Pastor Seth Britton, walks through topics such as the nature of the Christian church, the mission and values of Red Hill Lutheran, and an introduction to membership.
The DiscipleU K.I.D.S. format pairs large-group teaching with crafts, hands-on activities, and small-group conversation. DiscipleU K.I.D.S. Fellowship adds deeper discussion and brings the children into the sanctuary for communion, introducing them to the full rhythm of worship.
A Deep Wednesday Bible Study
Every Wednesday morning at 7:00 AM, in the sanctuary and online, the congregation gathers for "Wednesdays in the Word," an unhurried walk through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Attendees are encouraged to bring a Bible, bring questions, and bring a desire to learn. The session is also offered as a Monday evening review meeting in the Christian Life Center basement, Room B-30, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, where participants take a second look at the previous Wednesday's material.
Children from the Tiniest Years Through Fifth Grade
Red Hill Lutheran's children and family ministry is organized by age, with the goal of "Tiny Ones Trust the Savior" (T.O.T.S.) for the youngest children and "Know Jesus, Impact the world, become Disciples, and Serve others" (K.I.D.S.) for elementary-age students.
T.O.T.S. Early Childhood Ministry cares for children from six weeks through age five in Room 11 during both worship services and during the DiscipleU hour. Teachers follow a rotation through the Old Testament, with recent seasons covering stories from Ruth and David under the theme "Love Roots." Every adult leader is background-checked, fingerprinted, and certified in CPR and First Aid. For families who prefer to keep their little ones with them, the Prayer Chapel and the Narthex are open during services, with the service streamed live into the Narthex.
K.I.D.S. Ministry serves kindergarten through fifth grade with a large-group-and-small-group format that mixes teaching, crafts, games, and conversation. A Family Resource Library, kept in the Narthex during the week and on the patio on Sunday mornings, lends books for parents on every developmental phase from birth through college. Through its K.I.D.S. program the church also runs a Cub Scout pack, partnering with parents to deliver a year-round, family-driven character and outdoor program.
Children at Red Hill also have a choir of their own. The Children's Choir, led by Director of Music Jason Harney, rehearses on Thursday afternoons and sings in worship several times a year.
Middle School and High School Ministry
Student Ministry is led by Tim Rivera, who has served in middle school and high school ministry at Red Hill since 2023. All middle school students are welcome every Wednesday night for food, games, hanging out with friends, and time in God's Word. All high school students meet every Tuesday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for youth group, fellowship, Bible study, and prayer, with an optional "After Hours" gathering from 7:00 to 8:00 PM that moves off campus for food and conversation.
Confirmation at Red Hill is a two-year journey through Luther's Small Catechism, covering the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, Communion, Confession, and Forgiveness. The class meets during the DiscipleU hour at 9:15 AM in Peter's Parish and is open to both middle school and high school students. The two years of study lead to the Rite of Confirmation, the public affirmation of a young person's baptism and belief in the Triune God. Students also look forward to an annual Winter Camp experience at Forest Home.
A Robust Music Ministry
Music is woven into nearly everything Red Hill does. The Chancel Choir, open to all willing singers, rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 9:00 PM, September through May, and performs two major works each year. The Jubilee Bells handbell choir, conducted by Dr. Linda Brown, rehearses on Thursdays from 5:45 to 7:00 PM in the choir balcony and is open to ringers of every experience level. The Contemporary Praise Band leads the 10:15 AM service under Isaiah Coughran's direction, featuring both seasoned musicians and, from time to time, guest artists. The Children's Choir adds its voice to worship several Sundays a year. Dr. Linda Brown serves as the church's principal organist, and the church calls on the vocal talents of professional singer Marty Schaefer, a member of the staff who has appeared as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony, and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra.
Women, Men, and Seniors at Red Hill
Three adult fellowship groups make space for the people of Red Hill at every stage of adult life.
Women of Red Hill gathers to study Scripture together, hear from guest speakers, and serve neighbors. Mornings include a Monday quilting group that prepares and sends quilts and layettes to Lutheran World Relief (the group produces more than 300 quilts each year) and a weekly MOPS gathering on Friday mornings for mothers of preschoolers. Women's Bible study meets monthly.
Men of Red Hill gathers around God's Word monthly for Bible study and around the table for occasional breakfasts featuring guest speakers. The group also hosts an annual Oktoberfest and looks for help with setup and event days.
Seniors of Red Hill meets on the third Tuesday of each month for lunch, speakers, and outings. Recent gatherings have included a talk on Alzheimer's, dementia, and caregiving.
What Red Hill Believes
Red Hill Lutheran teaches and confesses the Christian faith along classic Lutheran lines. The ministry is built "upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, the Word of God (the Bible), the historic creeds of the Christian church, and the Lutheran Confessions." The congregation professes belief in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and the historic ecumenical creeds (the Apostles' Creed is recited line by line).
The church teaches that the Bible is God's revealed Word, spoken in Law and Gospel, and that it is the authoritative source and norm of proclamation, faith, and life. It accepts and upholds the Lutheran Confessions as reliable guides to Scripture, citing Article VII of the Augsburg Confession on the unity of the church. Justification is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and the church affirms the priesthood of all believers, teaching that every Christian is called to serve.
On marriage and sexuality, Red Hill teaches that marriage is a lifelong union of one man and one woman, established by God in creation, and that sexual activity belongs exclusively within that union. The church also believes that God created each person male or female and that sexual difference is a gift, not a flaw.
Local Outreach and Global Mission
Red Hill Lutheran's vision statement calls the congregation to be "Making Christ-Centered, Emotionally Healthy Disciples of Jesus, One Life at a Time," and the church's mission statement says the church is to "reach and serve our local community, equip their hearts, minds and souls, and release them into the world to share God's love." That calling shows up in several long-running partnerships:
- Mission of Hope. Each year Red Hill and the school join forces to package more than 50,000 dehydrated, high-protein, nutritionally complete meals for families in developing countries.
- Baja Christian Ministries. For more than fifteen years, teams from Red Hill have traveled to Tijuana to build a home for a family in need over a single weekend.
- City of Angels Orphanage. Red Hill organizes regular day trips to the orphanage in Tijuana to bring supplies, prepare lunch, and spend time with the children.
- Every Child Has a Name (ECHAN). The church supports this adoption and orphan-care organization, hosts children on tour, and provides volunteer and financial support.
- La Semilla Learning Center. Red Hill partners with this local after-school tutoring ministry to help families with uniform expenses, supplies, curriculum, books, and prayer.
- Lutheran World Relief quilting. A Monday morning quilting circle prepares quilts and baby layettes that are sent to the poorest parts of the world.
Red Hill also personally supports several vocational missionaries, including a couple serving with Lutheran Bible Translators in Ghana, a Network Engineer supporting Bible translation work in Papua New Guinea, a family forming "Loved by God Ministries" in Burkina Faso, and a long-time swimmer and coach with Athletes In Action who ministers to aquatic athletes and coaches on high school and college campuses across the country.
Red Hill Lutheran School
The church describes Red Hill Lutheran School as its primary mission. The preschool-through-eighth-grade program offers "traditional values for contemporary lives," with solid academics integrated with biblical truths and principles and taught from a Christian perspective by qualified, committed educators. The school shares the campus with the church, and the two work as a single ministry of Word and Sacrament for families on Red Hill Avenue.
Becoming Part of Red Hill
Membership is not required to attend worship or participate in events. Anyone exploring Christianity, the Lutheran faith, or becoming a member of Red Hill is invited to "Class 101," an approximately two-hour class offered twice a year that looks at the core teachings of the Bible, the Christian faith, the Lutheran understanding of the faith, and what it means to be a member of this body of believers. Class 101 is also offered online for those who cannot attend in person.
The Senior Pastor, the Rev. Seth Britton, has served Red Hill since 2010, first as Associate Pastor and now as Senior Pastor. The church also offers three additional pastoral ministries: baptisms for any age as a sign of God's gracious and accepting love, weddings officiated by the pastor for couples who are members of the church, and funeral or memorial services intended to surround grieving families with the promises of the Gospel.
Leadership and Staff
Pastor Seth Britton, Senior Pastor, has been ordained since 1998 and was called to Red Hill in 2010 after serving as Associate Pastor there for more than a decade. He earned a bachelor's degree from California State University, Fullerton, a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.
Stephanie McArthur, Director of Family Ministry, grew up in Tustin and now lives in Irvine with her husband and two sons. She came to full-time ministry after the birth of her first child and has led nursery, children's, junior high, and high school ministry and small groups of every age. She is currently earning her Master of Divinity through Kairos Seminary and Luther House of Study.
Beth Stoffregen has served as Director of Youth and Family Ministry since joining the Red Hill staff in 2018. She came from Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo, where she was the children's ministry assistant. Tim Rivera, Student Ministry Coordinator for both middle school and high school, joined Red Hill in 2023 after earning a degree in youth and adolescent development from Cal State Fullerton.
Jason Harney, Director of Music and Principal Conductor, leads the Chancel Choir, Jubilee Bells, RHL Children's Choir, and special music and classical concerts. He is a graduate of Chapman University (choral conducting) and Azusa Pacific University (Master of Arts in Worship Leadership). Dr. Linda Brown serves as organist and directs both the Jubilee Bell Choir and the Children's Choir. She earned Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees (the latter from USC), a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from USC.
Isaiah Coughran, a singer-songwriter who has toured the United States, Canada, Japan, and the Philippines, leads the Praise Band each Sunday at the 10:15 AM service and on Wednesday mornings at the school chapel. Marty Schaefer, a professional operatic singer, lends his voice to the classical service and major musical works, and Cyndi Tully directs the handbell program.
MJ Siegert, Director of Communications and AV, coordinates the audiovisual operations for the church and school and oversees the church's online services. The children's ministry coordinators are Katelyn Der and Brie Longoria in early childhood (T.O.T.S.) and Itzel Mancilla in K.I.D.S. (kindergarten through fifth grade). Donna Kunz edits The Vine, Red Hill's quarterly journal.
Giving and the Endowment Fund
Red Hill teaches a whole-life view of stewardship, holding that everything a person has, including talents, mind, body, and money, is a gift from God entrusted for wise use. Giving is available online, and the Red Hill Lutheran Church and School Endowment Fund accepts planned gifts that enhance ministry beyond the donor's lifetime. Distributions from the Fund have supported scholarships for church members entering ministry, RHLS students attending local Lutheran high schools, youth trips, and special music events.