First Presbyterian Church sits on East Dustman Road in Bluffton, the Wells County seat in northeastern Indiana, and has been a steady presence in town since the summer of 1840. The congregation worships in the Presbyterian Church (USA) tradition and is known in the community for three things that extend well beyond Sunday morning: an Early Learning Ministry that serves families across the county, free English and Spanish language classes open to anyone in the area, and a long-running partnership with the local meal program Kate's Kitchen.
A Church Rooted in the 1840s
First Presbyterian traces its beginning to a small group of Presbyterians living north of what is now Bluffton, many of them with ties to the Apple Creek Presbyterian Church in Ohio. In 1840, Adam Hatfield walked eighty miles to Greenville, Ohio, to ask the Presbytery of Miami for permission to organize a church. The request was granted, and the Bluffton Presbyterian Church held its first worship service on June 10, 1840. As the area grew, the founding members helped establish neighboring congregations in Ossian and elsewhere in Wells County, and on August 24, 1844, the Bluffton Presbyterian Church was formally chartered with twenty-two members. More than 180 years later, the congregation continues to worship, teach, and serve in the same community.
Sunday Morning at 10:30
Worship is the heart of the week. The Sunday service begins at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary and is traditional, welcoming, and grounded in Scripture. A typical service lasts about an hour to an hour and a half and includes scripture readings, traditional hymns, congregational singing, prayer, a sermon, and time for reflection. The music director plays piano, and the congregation sings together, with a choir joining on special occasions. Pastor Terry Epling preaches most Sundays, with occasional guest appearances by Pastor Sandy Garcia.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The bread and wine (or juice) are brought directly to the pews, so no one has to come forward, and no one is expected to participate if they would rather not.
What to Wear, Where to Park, and How to Walk In
The congregation describes itself as informal and easygoing. On Sunday morning you will see everything from jeans to dresses and suits; there is no dress code. The parking lot can be entered from either Dustman Road or Orchard View Road. For a first visit, come through Door 1, and the lobby and sanctuary are right inside. Handicap parking, wheelchair access, and accessible bathrooms are all available, with no stairs required to reach the sanctuary.
Inside the lobby, greeters offer name tags to anyone who would like one. There is no formal check-in. Bulletins are available to follow along with the service and to learn what is happening in the life of the church. If you would rather slip into a pew and take everything in quietly, that is welcome too. Coffee and conversation follow worship in the lobby.
Children, Youth, and the Early Learning Ministry
Children are a visible part of every Sunday. Busy bags sit just outside the sanctuary for kids to grab on the way in, and childcare and nursery care are available during worship; asking the door greeter is the only step needed. Youth in middle and high school meet for their own time at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays from Labor Day through Memorial Day, with their own curriculum and space to ask questions and build friendships.
The Early Learning Ministry, directed by Stephanie Bixler, has been part of the church's outreach for years and operates separately from Sunday worship. The day care and preschool serves children from eighteen months through fifth grade, with options for all-day care, part-time care, preschool-only mornings, before- and after-school care that follows the Norwell Community Schools calendar, and a summer program for school-age children. Hours run Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Families of any faith background are welcome.
Learning for Adults
Sunday mornings begin with formation before worship. From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Sunday School for All Ages meets in two parallel groups, one for adults and one for children. The adult class is led by Andy Antrim and welcomes learners at any stage, including those who simply want to listen. On the third Sunday of each month, a smaller group gathers at the Community Labyrinth for prayer and meditation with Pastor Sandy Garcia; weather permitting, the walk takes place outdoors, with finger labyrinths available indoors when conditions are poor.
During Lent, Pastor Terry Epling leads a Tuesday morning study in the church lobby, with a Zoom option for those joining from home, and a Sunday Lenten Study meets after worship with a light lunch. A Women's Bible Study gathers regularly on Thursdays, sometimes in the library of the First United Methodist Church.
Free Language Classes in English and Spanish
One of the most distinctive offerings at First Presbyterian is its free language program, led by Pastor Sandy Garcia. Beginner-friendly English classes meet on Mondays and Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m., and beginner-friendly Spanish classes meet on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. The classes are open to everyone in the community, regardless of church affiliation, and serve neighbors looking to learn a new language with a native-speaking teacher.
Serving Bluffton and Beyond
Service is a core part of the congregation's identity. On the third Wednesday of each month, members of First Presbyterian help prepare and serve dinner at Kate's Kitchen, a community meal program. The church also hosts blood drives several times a year and gathers non-perishable food donations and financial support for the Wells County Food Bank. Financial contributions and volunteer hours go to the Adams-Wells Crisis Center, Boys & Girls Club, Caylor-Nickel Family YMCA, The Connecting Center, Family Centered Services, Karing for Kids, and the United Way Faith Fund.
Pastor Sandy Garcia also leads a grief support group that meets periodically and is open to anyone in the community who is walking through loss.
The church's reach extends well beyond Bluffton. As part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), First Presbyterian supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which responds to communities in crisis across the country, along with a number of longer-term partnerships. These include Congo Helping Hands in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dorcas Baskets for the Dominican Republic (a partnership with Iglesia Evangélica Dominicana through Whitewater Valley Presbytery), Kemmerer Village in the Synod of Lincoln Trails, and a ministry partnership in Northern Quintana Roo / El Milagro, Mexico.
What Presbyterians Believe
First Presbyterian is rooted in the Reformed tradition, shaped by the Protestant Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin and John Knox. The congregation summarizes its faith in four short phrases that are common to the Reformed tradition: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, and Scripture Alone. Members are saved by God's grace, respond in faith, follow Jesus Christ as the center of the Christian life, and turn to Scripture together to discern God's call.
The church is governed by elders chosen by the congregation, who serve alongside the pastors and other leaders to guide the ministry. The name Presbyterian itself comes from a Greek word meaning "elder."
The Building, the Sanctuary, and the Labyrinth
The church building includes a sanctuary whose stained-glass windows depict the Fruit of the Spirit, a community labyrinth on the property, classrooms for the Early Learning Ministry, and gathering spaces used for adult classes and fellowship. The Community Labyrinth is open as a place for prayer and meditation; the church invites visitors to walk it as a threefold practice of letting go, pausing at the center, and returning renewed to daily life.
Joining the Congregation
Sunday morning is the main weekly gathering, and the building is also busy throughout the week with the day care and preschool, language classes, small groups, and outreach. Visitors do not need to be Presbyterian, members of the church, or certain about what they believe to attend a service, a class, or a community meal. Worship services are also available as video sermons, and online giving is available for those who wish to support the ministry. The church office is reachable at (260) 824-0767, and the Early Learning Ministry office at (260) 824-4205.