Spring Branch Presbyterian Church stands on Campbell Road in Houston's Spring Branch area and is known for a Sunday gathering that combines familiar liturgy with a creative edge. At 10:50 a.m., the congregation sings old and new, hears messages that can range from a traditional sermon to a youth skit, and makes room for adults, young people, and children to share in worship. The same church-centered life continues through a Wednesday supper and contemporary service, a Christian academy, adult study, choirs, scouting groups, intergenerational gatherings, and service that reaches people through meals and other benevolences.
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:50
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:50 a.m. at Spring Branch Presbyterian Church, 1215 Campbell Road, Houston. The service is traditional with a creative spark woven into familiar liturgy. Its focus is connecting with God, giving praise through music, and teaching from God's Word. Music ranges from older hymns to praise music, while the message may be a traditional sermon or a skit presented by the youth group. People of all ages help lead worship, and the congregation includes an adult choir and a handbell choir.
Adult Sunday School classes meet from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Education Building. Explorers studies the Bible book by book and in context in Room 101, while Saints Under Construction gathers in Gathering Place Classroom 2 for discussion centered on strengthening faith. Coffee and doughnut holes are available in the church parlor beginning at 9:15 a.m., giving adults time to talk before class and worship.
Children's Sunday School for ages 5 to 10 meets at 9:30 on the first and third Sundays in the Gathering Place classroom, with crafts, stories, games, and other activities. The youth group meets at the same time on those Sundays in the Youth Room. During worship, Stories & Songs serves children ages 3 to 6 with Bible stories, singing, coloring pages, and crafts. Children may return to their parents during the final hymn.
Communion is typically offered on the first Sunday of the month and on major church occasions. The sanctuary has a hearing assistance system, with wireless units and earpieces or headphones available from an usher. The service is also streamed each week through the church's YouTube channel and Facebook presence for people unable to attend in person.
Wednesday Supper and a Midweek Contemporary Service
Wednesday is a full church evening beginning with Wednesday Night Supper at 5:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Volunteers serve varied menus, with age-appropriate choices for children. At 6:30 p.m., the worship team leads a contemporary service in The Gathering Place. It features a live praise band, uplifting and relevant messages, interactive worship activities, Communion, and time for spiritual renewal and connection. This additional service gives people who may feel less drawn to traditional worship another way to praise, learn, and belong.
Flexercise also brings the congregation together on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10:00. The Gathering Place becomes a setting for about an hour of light exercise and fellowship, combining physical activity with the church's communal life.
The Academy, Nursery, and Children's Faith Formation
Spring Branch Presbyterian Academy is the congregation's primary benevolence and one of its most visible ministries. Its mission is to care for children in an environment where they can grow physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, touch lives with the love of Jesus Christ and his teachings, and build family through ministry. The Academy is licensed by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and accepts children throughout the year when space is available.
- Day care offers preschool learning experiences for children from six weeks through pre-kindergarten.
- After-school care and summer camp serve pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
- Private pre-kindergarten classes run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with extended care in the mornings and afternoons.
Academy children take part in Worship on a Weekday, a weekly time of Bible stories, prayer, and songs. They periodically share songs with the congregation at Wednesday Night Supper and worship services. Bus transportation is also available during the school year for children attending the after-school program.
The nursery provides Christian care for infants through age 3 in Room 126 of the Education Building during Sunday School and worship. Nursery children join the service for Time for Young Disciples and then return to the nursery. Children are also welcome to remain in worship throughout the service, and busy bags are available in the narthex. Christian music, simple crafts, games, and the Growing and Grace and Gratitude curriculum are part of nursery life. Childcare for most church activities is available for children from infancy through fifth grade by request.
For older children, the first and third Sunday classes use crafts, stories, games, and Bible teaching, while Stories & Songs helps younger children follow along during worship. The Presbyterian Youth Connection serves middle and high school students through service, fellowship, worship, and exploration. Confirmation is a 16-week Journey of Faith, usually for middle school students, covering church history, governance, sacraments, resurrection, and the continuing faith journey. Each student is paired with a church member to read and discuss the Gospel of Luke and consider how faith can be lived in the present. Summer ministry includes Vacation Bible School and camping.
Adult Learning Across the Week
Adult education has several regular forms. Explorers' Class is led by Linda Crawford, Matt Dikeman, and Jim Kunkel and approaches Scripture book by book, seeking to keep biblical stories and ideas in context through varied translations and commentaries. Saints Under Construction, led by Patti Nanney, uses the weekly Scripture for discussion centered on strengthening faith. Both classes meet from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Education Building.
Pastor Mark facilitates a Thursday Bible study on the Gospel of Luke at 1:00 p.m. through Zoom, creating a midday study opportunity. The church library adds another avenue for study, with Bible study resources available for checkout and a collection of Presbyterian worship aids, reports, study guides, and other educational materials.
Presbyterian Women organizes Bible study, fellowship, mission, and service. One circle meets on the second Wednesday morning at the church or in homes, while Unwind gathers on the first Monday evening at a restaurant in the greater Spring Branch area. Their service includes mission soup dinners and heart-shaped pillows made for hospitalized patients through Common Threads, along with knitting, crochet, and sewing. Presbyterian Men meet for Bible study on the third Saturday morning. College-aged adults and young parents have breakfast and fellowship opportunities, with childcare available for church events. Intergenerational gatherings bring younger and older congregants together through games, crafts, shared meals, discussion, and celebration.
Chancel Choir, Handbells, and Congregational Song
The Chancel Choir sings in Sunday worship, typically presents a Christmas and Easter Cantata, and provides music for special services through the liturgical year. Rehearsal is at 9:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary, and new voices are always welcome. Sunday selections generally follow the lectionary readings and sermon.
The Handbell Choir has four octaves of bells and rehearses from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons at the rear of the Sanctuary. It plays for special services, and childcare is provided during rehearsal. Gabe Perez serves as Director of Music and also leads the church's broader musical ministry.
Messy Church and Idea Spring
Messy Church meets in the Fellowship Hall on the first Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m. It is a form of church built around creativity, celebration, and hospitality, allowing people of all ages to belong together. A gathering may include crafts, science, games, mission, songs, Scripture, and a short talk that ties the activities together. Its relaxed and welcoming character is intended especially for people who have never attended church or have been away for a long time.
Idea Spring typically meets in the Fellowship Hall on the third Thursday at 5:00 p.m. The free, family-friendly series was created to bring useful and entertaining activities to the church, Academy, and surrounding community. Its gatherings have included NASA presentations, Mad Science, magic shows, mindfulness workshops, and other experiences designed for adults and children to enjoy together.
Scouting as Youth Ministry
Spring Branch Presbyterian sponsors three scouting organizations, each offering children and youth a way to develop skills, confidence, respect, faith, leadership, and service. Boy Scout Troop 478 meets Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in the Boy Scout Hut behind the church property. The troop uses the patrol method, in which small groups function as independent units with elected leaders and adult advisers. Boys help plan and carry out activities while developing their own leadership.
Girl Scout Troop 124182 meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Girl Scout Room in The Gathering Place. Its badge and Leadership Journey work grows with each age level, from learning the Girl Scout Promise and Law to examining community needs, environmental concerns, personal stories, and leadership. The girls also take part in camping, special events, service projects, and the Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards.
Cub Scout Pack 552 includes five dens, each generally meeting twice a month. Small groups organized by grade help children develop new interests, practice sportsmanship and good citizenship, earn badges, complete projects, and strengthen family and neighborhood connections.
Mission Support at Home and Beyond
Mission support has long been a focus of the congregation, combining financial giving with direct service. The Academy remains the church's primary benevolence. Local mission work includes monthly meal delivery through Meals on Wheels, while the church also supports Memorial Area Ministries and the Presbyterian Children's Home and Services. Mission support reaches national and global needs through Presbyterian Children's Home and Services, African missions, food and supply drives, and other benevolences.
The monthly mission focus often includes a guest speaker, collection of needed items, funding, and a volunteer opportunity. On the fourth Saturday of each month, volunteers deliver hot meals along two routes to people who might otherwise go without food on the weekend. The quarterly blood drive collects about 25 units, with the potential to help as many as 75 people.
Recurring annual service and benevolence patterns include:
- Seafarer's Christmas Boxes for seafarers.
- Angel Tree gifts and food baskets.
- Presbyterian Children's Home and Services ornaments.
- Uniforms for schoolchildren and food drives.
- Souper Bowl of Caring and CUPS school-supply support.
Giving can support the church and building, the Academy, Idea Spring, Messy Church, the scholarship fund, and mission partners. The church's giving options also allow regular monthly gifts and direct support for individual ministries.
The Gathering Place: Room for Learning, Care, and Community
The Gathering Place is an activities center that Spring Branch Presbyterian shares with the community to provide helpful services and express care for people beyond the church's membership. The busy building hosts the contemporary worship service, an adult Sunday School class, children's and youth activities, Girl Scout meetings, Flexercise, and other church gatherings.
A partnership with CarePartners gives the building a monthly community role. Its Gathering Place program meets on the third Monday for a half day of music, creative expression, physical and wellness activities, and lunch. CarePartners also supports caregivers and people living with memory loss, Alzheimer's, or dementia through education, resources, respite, and quality care. This shared use of the Gathering Place allows worship, education, recreation, and care to take place under one roof.
A Family-Sized Congregation Led by Two Pastors
Rev. Mark Plunkett serves as senior co-pastor. He was raised in the congregation, previously served in youth and Academy leadership, and returned in 2023 after a long career in education and 12 years as pastor of nearby Heritage Presbyterian Church. He holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Rev. Savannah Goodman serves as co-pastor for family ministries. She brings a Master of Divinity, a Master of Science in Social Work, and licensed social work credentials to her work. An ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), her background connects pastoral care with work among children, youth, and families.
The church's vision centers on becoming an inviting and caring congregation that welcomes the stranger. Its family-sized character means that people know one another and have many opportunities for fellowship, study, worship, and service. A Session and the pastors coordinate the work through Administration, Congregation, Faith Development, Mission, and Worship ministry teams. Faith is expressed through traditional and contemporary worship, teaching from God's Word, Communion, discipleship, study, service, and fellowship. Together, these ministries shape Spring Branch Presbyterian Church as a congregation where generations can learn, belong, worship, serve, and share life together.