First Presbyterian Church of Eustis: A Historic Congregation on South Center Street
First Presbyterian Church of Eustis has stood at the corner of South Center and Citrus Streets in downtown Eustis, Florida, since 1912, though the congregation itself dates back to 1884. The church is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), part of the Central Florida Presbytery, and it carries the simple motto that shapes everything it does: When you know Jesus, you show Jesus. Visitors walking up to the historic building on a Sunday morning will find a congregation that is proud of its traditions and at the same time open to new expressions of faith, anchored by a blended worship service and a music program that has earned a reputation well beyond Lake County.
A Sunday Built Around First United Worship
The heart of the week at First Presbyterian Church of Eustis is the Sunday gathering, and the schedule has been shaped to build toward the 10:30 a.m. service. The day opens at 8:00 a.m. with Chapel Study, a small group that gathers around music and theology. From 9:45 to 10:15 a.m., everyone is invited to the Gathering Place for fellowship, conversation, and food - a casual half hour that often becomes the most natural way for newcomers to meet members of the church. At 10:15 a.m., the focus turns to the Sanctuary for a brief time of intercessory prayer, and at 10:30 the First United Worship service begins.
First United Worship is described by the congregation as a beautiful blend of our traditions and contemporary expressions of faith and praise. The service includes heartfelt music, Scripture-based preaching that the church describes as practical and relevant, prayer, and the regular celebration of the Sacraments. The service is livestreamed each week, and recordings of full sermons remain available afterward.
The service is also the place where children are welcomed into the life of the congregation. After a Children's Moment early in the service, where the Scripture lesson of the day is introduced in language the youngest members can grasp, children are guided by volunteers to their classrooms in the Education Building. The nursery is open throughout the morning for children age four and under.
Music That Spans Bach to Bluegrass
If a single program distinguishes First Presbyterian Church of Eustis, it is the music ministry. The church says plainly that it does music of all types, from Bach to Bluegrass, and the result is a layered musical life that surrounds the First United service with sound.
The Chancel Choir sings for the 10:30 a.m. worship and is recognized throughout Central Florida for its musicianship. Its repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary, Renaissance to Spirituals, and the choir sings both a cappella and accompanied by orchestra. Singers of all ages are welcome; auditions are not required.
The Gold Handbell Choir is considered one of the best in Florida and rings with seven octaves of handbells and seven octaves of hand chimes. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 5:00 p.m. from August through May. Prior handbell experience is not required, though music reading ability is necessary.
What began as a brass ensemble has grown into Resounding Brass Plus, which now includes brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. The group plays each week for the 10:30 a.m. service, accompanying hymns as well as Chancel Choir anthems, and provides lively preludes and postludes.
For a more contemporary sound, the Praise Band - a group of musicians who range from self-taught to professionally trained - leads a varied repertoire each week. If you would like to join the team, contact Joy Holifield and be prepared to come and hang out and jam for Jesus, the church invites. All four ensembles are coordinated by Cindy Curtis.
SPLASH: Sing, Play, Learn, and Serve Him
The children's ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Eustis is called SPLASH, a name that stands for Sing, Play, Learn, and Serve Him. The program is built on the conviction that every child is known, valued, and cared for, and that their questions deserve real attention.
SPLASH is the Sunday School for children ages three through fifth grade and meets during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. After the Children's Moment, younger children join the SCUBA Team on the first floor of the Education Building, while older children move up to the Surfer Team on the second floor. Lessons are designed to be practical, prayerful, and full of care, helping children grow in faith, understanding, and love for God.
Each summer, SPLASH expands into a one-week Vacation Bible School open to children of the church and the wider community. The church typically uses Group's VBS curriculum and aims to coordinate with other area churches so that families are not pulled in several directions during the same week. VBS runs four to five days during the summer break, usually toward the end of June, with children attending for two to three hours each day. The coordinator is Shannon Walter, and the church welcomes volunteers of all ages - even offering to cover the cost of background checks for new helpers.
Mom's Morning Out: A Preschool on the Church Campus
Operating out of the church's facilities, Mom's Morning Out is a weekday preschool program for children from eighteen months old through age five (kindergarten-eligible). The program runs Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with tuition that depends on whether families choose one, two, three, or four days per week.
Each day includes a Bible story, music, crafts, creative play in centers such as Housekeeping, Painting, Books and Blocks, outside play, and snack. The staff describes itself as having a love for young children and a passion for providing a variety of age-appropriate, play-centered opportunities fostering social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth. The program is currently enrolling, and families can begin the registration process by calling the church office during business hours.
Center St. Kitchen: A Friday Meal Against Hunger
On Friday mornings, the Fellowship Hall portico at First Presbyterian Church of Eustis becomes the gathering point for one of the church's most tangible ministries to the surrounding community. Center St. Kitchen serves a balanced, home-cooked meal to anyone in the area - residents and guests alike - without judgment and without requiring any explanation.
Service runs from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. or until meals run out. Guests can receive as many as ten hot meals per visit, each with an entree, salad or vegetable, and dessert, packed in to-go boxes with utensils and water. The kitchen operates through volunteer teams, and the church welcomes anyone sixteen and older to sign up; younger volunteers can serve alongside a parent or guardian.
Discipleship Groups, Bible Study, and Adult Education
Beyond Sunday worship, the church's small-group and study life is centered on Discipleship Groups. The church describes these groups as the best place to get connected to the life of the church. They meet on the church campus, in homes, and online, and they are organized around three commitments: pursuing Jesus together, building relationships that feel like family, and intentionally making a difference where members live, work, study, and play.
On-demand video studies are available through the church's YouTube channel for those who want to study a particular book of the Bible on their own. Currently available series include the Book of Esther, the Book of Daniel, the Book of Micah, the Acts of the Apostles, the First Letter to the Corinthians, the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Letter to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, the First and Second Letters to Timothy, the Epistle to Titus, I, II and III John, and the Book of Revelation.
The church also periodically gathers for a women's Bible study. Recent studies have included a seven-week walk through Ruth Chou Simons' TruthFilled on the letter to the Romans, meeting Thursday evenings in the Gathering Place. Childcare has been available on request for these studies.
Support Our Troops and Other Hands-On Ministries
The Support Our Troops ministry centers on sending care packages to service members overseas and on collaborating with the pastoral team for special services around Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Volunteers donate items and money, shop for supplies, and pack and ship boxes.
Other ways members plug in include the Audio/Visual team (training is provided), the Office Volunteer team (creating bulletins, returning calls, answering emails), and the Property Committee, which keeps a running list of do-it-yourself projects around the historic church buildings and welcomes pairs of volunteers to take on tasks. The Grief Share ministry and the Wednesday Prayer Shawl Ministry offer quiet, steady pastoral care in the background of the church's weekly life.
Joining First Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church of Eustis takes seriously the practice of Christian membership and makes the process accessible. Anyone interested in becoming a member schedules a Meet and Greet with the pastor by calling the church office. Membership comes through one of three routes: a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ and a commitment to grow in faith through the life and work of FPCE, the transfer of an existing membership from another Christian church, or the re-affirmation of a faith commitment made previously.
The church practices believer baptism as one of the two Sacraments, recognizing baptism as the visible sign of an invisible grace and a sign of God's electing love. The congregation recognizes baptisms from other traditions and does not require re-baptism.
There is no admission fee for membership. The church is a member-supported ministry and relies on the generosity of the congregation and guests to carry out its work.
Governance: The Session and Ruling Elders
Like every PCUSA congregation, First Presbyterian Church of Eustis is governed by a Session of Ruling Elders, elected by the congregation to two-year terms and brought forward through self-nomination or the work of a Nominating Committee. Ruling Elders share in leadership, governance, spiritual discernment, and discipline alongside the Teaching Elders of the denomination. The 2026 Class includes Ed Kirkland, Joan Scott, Jeanne Thomas, and Mike Gambino. Alesandra Saunders serves as Clerk of Session. To keep the work of governance visible, the Session posts its minutes in a shared folder and welcomes the congregation and the wider community to review them.
A Season of Pastoral Transition
First Presbyterian Church of Eustis is currently in a season of pastoral transition. After eight years of ministry, Pastor Mario Bolivar concluded his call to the congregation and has moved into a role with the Presbytery of Florida, where he now walks alongside thirty-five congregations as Equipping Presbyter and Stated Clerk. The congregation gave thanks for his ministry and prayed for his new work.
Serving as Interim Pastor and Head of Staff is Rev. Mike Foley, a retired ordained minister with forty-one years of active ministry behind him, including fifteen years as senior pastor of Ormond Beach Presbyterian Church. He was recommended to the congregation by the Central Florida Presbytery and now moderates the Session, guiding the church through the Mission Study process that will shape the search for the next installed pastor. During this season, the Mission Study Task Force is gathering input on the church's identity, ministries, vision, and the qualities members hope to see in the next pastor. Until that work is complete, Rev. Foley and other preachers, including Rev. Dan Williams and Rev. David Keck, fill the pulpit.
Beliefs and Identity
The congregation's vision is straightforward: To Reflect and Reveal the Love of Christ in all that we do. Members describe a community that does not always agree on every issue that divides modern culture but chooses to disagree without being disagreeable, believing the church is stronger for the honest conversation.
Tithing is taught as a spiritual practice of putting God first, and giving is framed as a grateful heart that wants to present back to God a portion of what God has given us; in reality, what is already God's. Online giving is available.
Beyond the local ministry, the church partners with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, directing financial gifts to relief efforts such as the response to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean. The church's Mission Study process is itself an exercise in listening for God's leading, and members are encouraged to take part in shaping what comes next.
Visiting and Getting in Touch
First Presbyterian Church of Eustis is located at 117 South Center Street in Eustis, Florida. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can be reached at 352-357-2833 or by email at office@fpceustis.com. For pastoral matters, the address is pastor@fpceustis.com. An active calendar, announcements, and sermon recaps are available.
Weddings and funerals are celebrated at the church; inquiries can be made through the church office. Whether someone comes for the chapel study, stays for fellowship, joins in prayer at 10:15, and worships at 10:30 - or simply stops by the Center St. Kitchen on a Friday - the church's doors are open and the welcome is real.