A Vista congregation built around worship and service
At 1450 E. Vista Way in Vista, Grace Presbyterian Church is known for a Sunday gathering that joins in-person worship in the sanctuary with an online service. The same fellowship extends through a Christ-centered preschool, a food pantry, a warm-meal ministry, after-school tutoring, and Bible-centered groups for children and adults. Grace describes itself as a multicultural community church with a vision of raising up and sending out disciples so that “May the kingdom of God come on earth as it is in heaven.”
Its mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in the community and throughout the world. The congregation wants visitors to encounter the risen Lord through worship, Word, and fellowship, and it describes Grace as a safe place for people to ask questions and discover what it means to be in relationship with God. That combination gives the church a clear rhythm: gather on Sunday, grow through study and fellowship, and carry that fellowship into homes, classrooms, and community programs.
Your first Sunday at 10 a.m.
Sunday worship begins at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary and is also available online. Music gives the service a blended character: a worship band, choir, handbell choir, and organ all serve the congregation. Children remain with their families during the opening part of worship, and a special children's message comes before the Sunday School classes begin.
After their first Sunday, people who are new to Grace can stop at the Welcome Table to receive a special welcome gift. Once a month, people who are new to Grace are invited to a welcome lunch at the pastor's home at noon, where they can share a meal and get to know one another. Visitors who want to make contact can connect with Grace. The church's main telephone number is 760-724-0077, and its general email is info@gpcvista.org.
Children begin with their families and then move into class
Grace makes room for children from their earliest years. Families with infants and toddlers are invited to remain in the sanctuary for worship. A family room includes a live video feed of the service and snacks, allowing parents to step out when necessary without leaving the service behind.
Children also begin in the sanctuary with their families. After the children's message, they move into Sunday School, where teachers guide them through the same biblical text that is preached in worship, using arts, crafts, and reading their Bibles. Each class has at least two Sunday School teachers, and families check out their children from the classrooms.
Safety is a particular emphasis in the children's ministry. Staff, leaders, and Sunday School teachers are Live Scan screened through the Department of Justice, background checked, and trained every year in protecting children. The combined worship and classroom rhythm keeps young children close to their families while giving them time to explore the sermon's biblical text in their own classes.
Food, warm meals and reading support for families
Grace's community engagement begins with several regular expressions of care. Shepherd's Pantry distributes food on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m., giving neighbors a clear weekly opportunity to receive food. Meals of Grace meets Tuesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The gathering combines a warm meal with the Word of God, and everyone in need or seeking fellowship is welcome. The weekly schedule also includes an AA meeting at 7 p.m. Monday and an AA Men's Group at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., Creciendo Juntos opens an after-school program in collaboration with teachers and administrators at Foothill Oak Elementary School. Its Spanish name means “Growing Together.” Tutors and mentors assist students in second through fifth grades with reading and writing through one-on-one tutoring, educational iPad work, and homework support. The program also welcomes adults who want to volunteer as tutors or mentors or donate funds to sustain it.
Maria Haigh directs Creciendo Juntos and serves as Director of Community Relations and Sunday School Coordinator. She holds a degree in religion and youth ministries, a master's degree in counseling, and has worked as both a school and college counselor. She brings that background to work with children, parents, volunteers, and after-school learning.
Study groups for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday
Grace's study opportunities meet people at different stages and in different languages. Monday evening Bible study runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Room 9 of the Christian Education Building and is facilitated by Joseph Cleary. The church invites newcomers to join a study or continue one they have already begun.
Other regular studies include:
- Bible Study Fellowship meets Wednesdays from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m.
- Adult Bible Study meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. in Room 8 and welcomes a multigenerational group. The class studies biblical books and books by Christian authors.
- Bible 101 en Español meets Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. in Room 11.
- How to Read Your Bible meets in Room 9 after Sunday worship. The class uses YouVersion and Bible Project apps to develop reading tools and skills.
A women's Bible study also meets on Thursday at 10 a.m. Grace's small groups range from four to 15 people, and each combines Bible study, prayer, and support around its chosen topic. The weekly rhythm also includes a Saturday prayer group at 9:30 a.m., a Soul Line dance class at the same time, and a men's breakfast at 8 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month in the Fellowship Hall. The breakfast is a setting for good food and conversation about growing in God's Word.
Presbyterian beliefs centered on grace and the Bible
Grace states that it worships the one living and true God revealed in the Bible: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection give eternal life, and he will return to judge the living and dead and establish God's kingdom on earth. The Holy Spirit lives in believers, persuades them to repent, declares Jesus as Lord, and enables spiritual maturity through obedience to the Word of God.
The Bible is described as God's uniquely revealed and written Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and as the church's first and final authority in faith and life. Human beings are created in God's image, with inalienable glory and nobility, but are marred by sin and subject to judgment apart from God's grace and salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith, received as the sheer gift of God's sovereign love. The church is the living body of Christ on earth, called to celebrate God's life, cultivate personal growth, care for one another, and communicate the gospel to the world. Its hope is the new glorified body and eternal life given to believers who are reborn by the Spirit and saved to live and serve God forever.
Grace Preschool grows learning, relationships and faith
Grace Preschool serves children 18 months through five years and offers full- and half-day programs. Full days run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and half days run from 8 a.m. to noon. Families can choose two days on Tuesdays and Thursdays, three days on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or five weekdays. Preschool Director Frankie Zavala leads a team described as highly qualified and caring, with background checks and CPR training. The school uses Brightwheel to give families daily updates and photos, supporting open communication between home and classroom.
The school's Christ-centered mission is grounded in Jesus' words, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Grace Preschool seeks to nurture every child's academic, social, emotional, and spiritual growth and to help each child build a relationship with Christ. Its curriculum balances teacher-led and student-led activities through hands-on learning. Children explore sensory centers, art, science, story time, music and movement, and the fundamental teachings of God. Teachers adapt lessons to students' interests, observe development, assess progress, and communicate with families.
The classroom spaces are called Ocean, Woodland, and Rainforest, and the school also has a playground. The philosophy behind them is that children should have a safe, nurturing place to explore, create, and experiment while developing independence, self-esteem, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and social and motor skills. Grace Preschool also offers tours of the school.
Pastor, teachers and musicians shape the life of the congregation
Pastor John Denton serves as Pastor and Head of Staff. Around him, ministry leaders carry particular responsibilities for worship, children, families, and Christian education. Maria Haigh coordinates Sunday School and community relations, Jayne Parker serves as Director of Music and Choir Director, Pat Sexton directs the Grace Notes Hand Bell Choir, Frances Hummel is the organist, and Frankie Zavala directs Grace Preschool. Joseph Cleary facilitates the Monday Bible study.
Parker has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and has taught music in public schools and led choirs of different ages; she also belongs to the handbell choir. Sexton has degrees in music and multisubject education and has directed school bands and orchestras as well as church ensembles. Hummel has served as Grace's organist since 1985, following years of playing at Camp Pendleton chapels.
Their music ministries rehearse throughout the week: the worship band on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., the handbell choir on Thursdays at 6 p.m., and the choir on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. All three rehearse in the sanctuary. Their work brings a worship band together with choral, handbell, and organ music, reflecting the blended character of Grace's Sunday gathering.
Giving joins worship with service
Grace presents giving as an expression of worship prompted by the Holy Spirit and as a cheerful response to what God has given. Its teaching points to 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Giving is available through online giving.
The practical shape of that conviction is visible across the week. The sanctuary holds worship, the Christian Education Building holds studies, the family room and classrooms welcome children, the pantry brings food into the community, and Creciendo Juntos places tutors beside students after school. Grace Preschool supports families with young children from infancy through age five. At its center, Grace Presbyterian Church remains a community where worship, Word, fellowship, discipleship, service, and the care of children belong to one shared life.