Tustin Presbyterian Church has stood on West Main Street in Old Town Tustin since 1884, a quiet anchor in the small downtown for more than a century. On Sunday mornings its members and visitors gather for a single traditional service at 10:00 a.m., drawn by a heritage of worship, music, and warm fellowship that has welcomed generations of newcomers. The congregation belongs to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is a member of the Presbytery of Los Ranchos.
Worship at Ten on Sunday Morning
A single Sunday worship service anchors the life of Tustin Presbyterian Church. Held at 10:00 a.m., the service follows a traditional form of liturgy and music, carefully planned by the pastor and other members of the church staff. Each week the Chancel Choir leads the congregation in singing, accompanied by organ and on special Sundays by orchestral players.
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and at special services through the church year. Baptisms of infants, children, and adults are joyful occasions that take place as opportunities arise. Children begin in worship with their families and then, after a Children's Moment with the pastor or another staff member, are invited to Sunday School. Nursery and toddler care are available throughout the morning so that parents of very young children can participate fully. The service is also livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings remain available for viewing at any time.
The Symbols of the Sanctuary
The sanctuary itself is shaped by meaning. Members returning to the renewed worship space are surrounded by symbols that point to Christ as light of the world, living water, Word made flesh, Good Shepherd, bread, vine, resurrection, and eternal life.
At the lectern, Scripture is read and prayers are led. The pulpit, shaped in the same octagonal form as the lectern, font, and table, recalls the eight days of the new creation and centers the preaching of the Word. Candles, especially the Paschal candle, mark Christ as the light of the world. Water in the font each week reminds the congregation of baptism and the simple grace that welcomes, cleanses, and renews. A new mahogany communion table, decorated with wheat and grapes, sets the table for the Lord's Supper, with the chalice and paten signifying his body and blood given for us. A brass Celtic cross anchors the room, linking the congregation to believers across the centuries. Paraments on the lectern and pulpit change with the Christian year - green for Ordinary Time, for example - and the green cloths were specially designed and made by fabric artist Jamie Fingal. And the people of God gathered in the pews are themselves the most visible sign of grace at work.
A Chancel Choir and a Wicks Pipe Organ
Music has long been a central feature of TPC's life. The Chancel Choir, a committed group of about 25 adults led by Gavin Thrasher and accompanied by organist Makena James, sings most Sundays of the year. The choir rehearses on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, and several times each year the Handbell Choir adds its voice to worship.
The music in each service is normally built around the scripture passages appointed for the day, so that anthem, hymn, and sermon work together. Special music programs through the years have included Haydn's Mass in B-flat, Bach's Cantata BWV 106 "Gottes Zeit ist die Allerbeste Zeit," Mozart's Requiem, Fauré's Requiem, and Kodály's Missa Brevis. At Easter, special music brings in organ and instrumentalists, and the Christmas concert featuring every group in the music ministry is a highlight of the year. Singers of every experience level are invited to join; the audition, choir members note with a smile, is simply finding the choir room.
The choir and congregation are accompanied by a 53-rank Wicks pipe organ that has long graced the sanctuary.
A Labyrinth in the Fellowship Hall
When the flooring in the Fellowship Hall was replaced in 2009, a labyrinth patterned after the well-known Chartres plan was laid into the new surface. Modeled on the medieval cathedral walking paths used as a symbolic pilgrimage, the labyrinth serves as an aid to meditation. Walkers move through three stages: purgation, a letting go at the entrance; illumination, often found at the center; and union, a return to ordinary life renewed. Members and visitors walk the labyrinth for prayer and quiet reflection.
Ministerio Hispano in the Fellowship Hall
A Spanish-language ministry has been a vital part of TPC for many years. The Ministerio en Tustin meets in the Fellowship Hall, with Sunday School for all ages at 10:00 a.m. and a Sunday worship service at 11:30 a.m. A women's Bible study gathers on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. in the church office, and a virtual Spanish Bible study meets on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. A women's Bible study also meets on Fridays at 6:00 p.m.
The Saturday morning food bank, held from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., is one of the largest outreach efforts of the congregation. Directed by Jorge Gutierrez, Director of Spanish Ministries, the food bank serves roughly 300 families each week. Food is sourced through partnerships with Love Community Outreach, OC Rescue Mission, Artisan Bread Bakery, and the 99 Cents Store, and a team of volunteers gathers on Fridays to sort the donations before the Saturday distribution.
Children and Youth
Children are warmly welcomed at TPC. Nursery and toddler care are available throughout most church activities so that parents of very young ones can participate fully. Each Sunday the children join worship for the first portion of the service and then, after the Children's Moment, head to Sunday School. The curriculum used is "Growing in Grace and Gratitude," published by the PC(USA). The Children's Ministry is led by Lori Ruff-Schmalenberger.
Junior and senior high students meet together in the Youth Lounge off the church's main office. On Sundays they begin in worship at 10:00 a.m., stay for about 15 minutes, and then head down for their own lesson and discussion - usually a topical study of several Bible verses. The youth Sunday School curriculum is "Feasting on the Word," also published by the PC(USA). The Youth Ministry is directed by Emily Fuentes.
Adult Education on Sunday Mornings
Adult Education at TPC meets on Sunday mornings during the 11:00 hour, though classes vary in length from a single session to six or eight weeks. The classes are designed to offer spiritual and intellectual challenge, to build fellowship among participants, and to support the enduring principles of the Reformed faith - representing the will of Christ, demonstrating tolerance and respect for diversity, and developing insight based on discernment and inclusivity.
Recent topics have included theological thinking about poverty, the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, family change, mindfulness and centering prayer, origins of Genesis read through ancient eyes, and racism and reconciliation. Guest presenters have included scholars from Chapman University and leaders from Empower International Ministries.
Small Groups and Covenant Gatherings
For men, a Covenant group meets on Fridays at 7:00 a.m. at The Lost Bean on Newport Avenue. There are also occasional small groups for women, with opportunities to sign up through the Adult Education program.
Fellowship Across the Congregation
TPC values the informal, personal ties that make worship and service together richer. Ongoing fellowship opportunities include First Thursday - a monthly gathering designed for the "older and wiser" among the church family - along with a bridge group, the TPC Mountaineers hiking group, the TPC Gourmet Book Club, outings to special events such as the Pageant of the Masters, Angels baseball, and the Rose Parade, potluck meals, the Easter morning pancake breakfast, and end-of-summer barbecues.
Mission in Tustin and Beyond
Members of TPC have a long history of community involvement, with ties to organizations including Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Hope Harbor (formerly Laurel House), the Santa Ana Hispanic Ministry, and Boy Scout Troop 33. Today the church supports a wide network of mission partners.
TPC was a founding congregation for Family Promise of Orange County, an interfaith hospitality network that provides emergency shelter, hospitality, and services to homeless families. The church hosts families for a week about four or five times each year, partnering with Congregation B'nai Israel to provide food and shelter. The congregation has also helped build a multi-unit transitional housing facility, the House of Ruth, developed in partnership with Family Promise, the City of Tustin, and HomeAid Orange County.
The Saturday food pantry, run through the Spanish Ministry, serves about 300 families a week. Habitat for Humanity is supported through the church's Keeping CHRISTmas Market and the local mission budget, and TPC is part of the Presbyterian Coalition providing building volunteers. Members help fight homelessness through monthly donations of hygiene products used at the Family Promise Day Center. L'Arche Wavecrest's Abraham House in Orange, which provides a home for developmentally disadvantaged adults living with assistants as friends, receives continued mission support. La Semilla Learning Center, an after-school program in Santa Ana that strengthens students academically and supports parents in their roles, is supported financially and with volunteer tutors. Hope Harbor, which provides shelter and Christian nurture to teenage girls from troubled homes, remains a long-time partner. The annual Keeping CHRISTmas Market connects the congregation to many of these partners and provides another way to contribute beyond the church budget. TPC also gives to all four PC(USA) special offerings - One Great Hour of Sharing, the Pentecost Offering, the Peace and Global Witness Offering, and the Christmas Joy Offering - and supports the PC(USA) Mission Co-Worker Program.
Joining in on Sunday Morning
Visitors are warmly welcomed by greeters at the door each Sunday. The church sits at 225 W. Main Street in Old Town Tustin, where Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary and is also livestreamed on YouTube. Recordings of the service remain available afterwards. The office can be reached at 714-544-7070 or info@tustinpresbyterian.org, and giving is accepted online.