Since 1869 in Mid-Town Santa Barbara
First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara has stood on the same four-acre campus in mid-town Santa Barbara for more than 150 years. On June 21, 1869, nineteen charter members were received into the church by the Reverend Thomas Fraser, the Presbyterian Synodical Missionary for the Pacific Coast, in the adobe County Court House. They were seeking worship and learning in keeping with their Reformed Presbyterian faith. A young seminarian, the Reverend H. H. Dobbins, served the first two years and was followed by eleven temporary pastors. The first installed pastor was the Reverend Dr. Augusts Carrier in 1886.
Today the congregation gathers at 21 East Constance Avenue, just a short drive from the coast and from downtown, in a setting large enough to host a sanctuary that seats about 650, a chapel for 80, and a Christian Fellowship Center that fills with another 240 to 300 people when it is set up for meals or worship. The 4-acre property also holds the Early Childhood Center, a Garden Room, the Garden Lawn, a commercial kitchen, and a parking lot that fits roughly 130 vehicles. Members and visitors alike describe the place as a congregation that takes seriously the call to live in the light of God's love, and that strives to make everyone who enters the campus - in person or online - feel at home.
Sunday Morning at First Pres
Sunday worship begins at 9:30 am. From September through May the congregation meets in the sanctuary, a large space made cozy by the warmth of the people in it; from June through August the service moves to the Christian Fellowship Center, a more casual room with air conditioning and chairs arranged in the round so worshipers can see one another as they sing.
The order of worship follows a traditional Reformed pattern. A prelude gives way to a welcome and announcements, a call to worship, a gathering hymn, prayers of adoration and confession, and a sung Gloria. The peace of Christ is passed, and after the children's message younger worshipers in grades 1 through 6 may leave for their own time in the chapel, returning to the sanctuary at the close of the service. Two Scripture readings frame a sermon, followed by an offering, a sung Doxology, a prayer of dedication, the prayers of the people and the Lord's Prayer, a final congregational song, and a benediction. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month.
After worship the congregation gathers for fellowship on the patio, and at 11:00 am an education hour offers something for every age. Classes, book studies, and adult formation run in the Anderson Lounge. Youth in grades 7 through 12 meet for Youth Group, and children have their own programming in the Christian Education Center and Youth Lounge. Visitors are welcome to attend any of these gatherings; there is no expectation of dress, and the bulletin simply invites worshipers to wear what lets their hearts offer praise.
Children in Worship
Children are woven into Sunday morning from the very start. The KidZone, in the back of the sanctuary, gives families with young children a place that is kid-friendly but still connected to the worship going on around them. The ToddlerZone, in the Christian Fellowship Center, offers supervised play and activities for ages 1 to 3, with the worship service livestreamed into the room so accompanying parents do not have to miss the sermon. After the children's message, children in grades 1 through 6 are invited to the chapel for a children's sermon of their own, and they return to the sanctuary at the close of worship.
Music That Builds Community
Music at First Pres is meant to uplift, energize, and unite. The Sunday service blends traditional and contemporary elements - organ and piano, vocal and instrumental soloists, the chancel choir, the worship band, and the congregation itself. Casey Molino Dunn, the Director of Music Ministries, leads a program that draws on a wide range of local talent, including students, faculty members, and other performing artists from the Santa Barbara area.
The Chancel Choir, open to anyone age 10 and up, rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Music Room and sings two to three Sundays a month from September through May. During the summer the choir tradition continues through All-Church Intergenerational Pick-Up Choirs that gather for a short rehearsal before the 9:30 am service and then sing in worship - no music-reading required and no long-term commitment expected. The Worship Band anchors most Sunday services with its keyboard, bass, and drum core, with rotating brass, woodwind, and string players. A group called the Ukeladies welcomes beginners and will lend an instrument to anyone who wants one. Special ensembles form at Christmas Eve for a service orchestra and around the year for youth Sunday, midweek Advent and Lenten services, and Holy Week.
The music program also reaches beyond the sanctuary walls. Choir members sing at PresbyCamp, the presbytery, and interfaith gatherings. Beginning in 2025, the music staff partnered with the Early Childhood Center for a Trunk-or-Treat Spooktacular that paired an organist with classic silent films. Anyone interested in joining is invited to reach out to music@fpcsb.org.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
The children's ministries are designed to introduce children from infancy through sixth grade to the love of God in Jesus Christ and to help them find their place in the church family. Every program is led by trained staff and screened adult volunteers. In addition to Sunday morning offerings, the church runs Club 456 and Junior High groups on two Friday evenings a month during the school year (6:00 to 8:00 pm), with arrival activities, dinner, a lesson, games, and occasional off-campus outings like laser tag and local sports events. Kids in Mission is a one-day camp on Veterans Day for children in grades 4 through 8, with games, lessons, and a hands-on project for a local ministry or nonprofit. PresbyCamp, a week-long summer day camp, is open to children entering grades 1 through 6, with registration beginning each February.
Youth Ministries walks alongside teenagers in grades 7 through 12 as they develop their faith and learn to engage the world as followers of Jesus. Sunday Youth Group meets at 11:00 am each week, with check-ins, Scripture reading, prayer, and a year-long theme of exploration - currently focused on how to develop healthy Christian boundaries. Once a year a Confirmation Class is offered for youth who want to profess their faith in Christ or be baptized. The First Presbyterian tradition recognizes and accepts all Trinitarian baptism, so young people baptized as infants are given the chance to confirm the vows made on their behalf. Fellowship events bring youth together throughout the year for movie nights, hosted dinners, camping trips, and service opportunities.
Young Adult Ministry centers on fellowship, presence, and community for people ages 18 to 39. Board game nights, shared dinners, and small events are designed to remind young adults that Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Pastor Dean Choi, the pastor for young adults, oversees the work and reaches out to college students at Westmont and UC Santa Barbara; the ministry sends care packages during finals week and gathers drivers and dinner hosts for events. Prayer partners, drivers, and dinner hosts are always welcome.
Adults Growing Together
Adult Ministries aims to enable individual Christian growth toward maturity in Christ and to equip the community for ministry. Sunday morning adult education runs at 11:00 am in the Anderson Lounge and offers classes on Christ's teachings, the Bible, theology, church history, and what it means to live as a Christian today, often with guest speakers.
Small groups called Koinonia Connect Fellowship Groups - koinonia means fellowship, to have in common, to share - meet in homes and around town to deepen friendships and faith around hobbies, dinners, and shared study. Bible studies are offered separately for men and women. The men's study meets year-round on Tuesday mornings and works through the passage that will be preached the following Sunday; the women's study follows the Presbyterian Women's Horizons Bible Study from September through May and is offered both in person and on Zoom. The church also supplies Our Daily Bread devotional booklets each quarter to encourage daily prayer and reflection.
Welcome Wednesdays return each fall and winter for a four- to six-week stretch and offer all generations a night of food, fellowship, and conversation. Dinner is provided, and the Follow Me curriculum from the Presbyterian Church (USA) supplies a single topic that adults, youth, and children study together. Once a year the congregation hosts Weekend in the Word, when an outside church leader or theologian spends a Friday evening through Sunday morning sharing ways to grow in Christian faith.
Mission Near and Far
First Presbyterian is committed to mission and community engagement, supporting local and global partners with volunteers, prayer, and financial giving. The Mission and Community Engagement team hosts two to three visiting missionaries a year who preach and teach during the Sunday education hour, and the church regularly sends short-term mission trips through Santa Barbara Presbytery's IMPACT mission-sending ministry. The congregation has a long-standing sister church relationship with First Church Chiang Mai in Thailand, praying for and supporting the church, hosting visiting members, and traveling there to assist with mission projects.
Local Outreach
- Santa Barbara Rescue Mission - housing and financial support for unsheltered persons.
- Freedom Warming Shelter - between November and March the church serves as one of several local congregations that provides shelter and a warm meal during inclement weather.
- Safe Parking Program - the church parking lot provides safe overnight parking for people living in their vehicles, coordinated through the Santa Barbara New Beginnings Counseling Center.
- Transition House - monthly meals prepared and served for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness.
- Sonshine Ministry - visits to local nursing homes with literature, music, and encouragement.
- Jail Ministry - Bible study with local jail inmates.
- Santa Barbara Mission Conference - the church provides space, volunteers, and financial support for this annual gathering.
- Young Life - ministry to junior high, high school, and college students.
- Front Porch - ministry to students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Global Mission Partners
- Dana and Brandi Bates (Romania) - children's literacy and youth outdoor adventures through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
- Greg and Chris Callison (Middle East) - refugee support through Antioch Partners.
- Scott and Elmarie Parker (Lebanon) - support for Middle East Presbyterian Churches through the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
- Nita Hanson (Ukraine) - support for disabled persons and war victims through God's Hidden Treasures.
- Off Wichaphon (Thailand) - mission work through OMF International.
- Jim Witty (Middle East) - assistance for children affected by trauma through Care Corps International.
- Tito Paredes (Peru) - support for education of evangelical workers through CEMAA.
- Bob and Kristi Rice (South Sudan) - Christian education and support for vulnerable children through the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
- Kristy Labarge - coordination of short-term missionary trips through IMPACT International.
An Early Childhood Center on Site
The First Presbyterian Early Childhood Center, owned and operated by the church as a service mission to the community, is entering its 44th year of providing care and education for children between the ages of three months and six years. Participation is open to all families regardless of religion, race, color, or national origin, and the program is accredited by the California Department of Social Services.
The Infant and Toddler program has two infant rooms and two toddler rooms plus three yards designed for very young children, with low child-to-teacher ratios and continuity of care - teachers and their group of children advance together from room to room. The preschool program serves mixed-age groups of children from 2½ to 4 years old and spends the majority of the day in a large outdoor classroom, with a play-based curriculum built around the California Teaching Pyramid, PITC, Outdoor Classroom principles, and the California Foundations and Early Learning Framework.
The standard day runs Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm; extended care runs 7:30 am to 5:30 pm for an additional monthly fee. A flexible drop-in infant care option began in early 2026. Limited part-time openings (Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday) may be available. Tuition assistance is awarded annually based on need and the availability of funds, with applications due in July. Center tours are given on the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 am, with no appointment necessary. The director is Beth Hassenplug, and the ECC can be reached at (805) 687-6362.
Weddings, Memorials, and Renting the Building
In the Presbyterian tradition, a wedding is a service of worship where God is glorified, the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, marriage vows are made, and prayers are offered for the couple, the community, and the world. Couples interested in being married at First Pres meet with the pastor, the Reverend Ann Conklin, to talk about their lives and faith, plan the service, and arrange pre-marital counseling. The Garden Lawn is a popular setting for ceremonies.
A memorial service at First Pres is called a Service of Witness to the Resurrection, a worship service that remembers, honors, and celebrates the life of the deceased. One of the pastors meets with family or loved ones to personalize the service with readings, prayers, hymns, and other music that is meaningful to the one being remembered. The service may take place in the sanctuary or the chapel, and graveside services at a local cemetery can also be arranged.
Many of the church's buildings and rooms are available for rent, with priority given to religious ceremonies and community charitable organizations. The sanctuary seats about 650 including the balcony plus 50 on the chancel and is rented at $1,000 for a half day or $1,500 for a full day. The Christian Fellowship Center seats 240 at round tables or 300 in auditorium seating ($500 / $800). The chapel seats about 80 ($300 / $500), and the Garden Room seats about 40 ($200 / $300). Setup, breakdown, and restroom cleanup are billed at $50 per hour. Weddings and memorials may incur additional personnel costs of roughly $1,500 to $2,000. Renters carry a Certificate of Insurance in the amount of $1 million naming First Presbyterian as an additional insured. The church does not rent to for-profit companies. An in-house caterer is available, and the commercial kitchen can be used for the plating of light refreshments.
The 1869 Society and Legacy Giving
Each fall the congregation runs an annual giving campaign in support of mission and ministry. On Commitment Sunday, members come forward during worship to place their pledge cards on the communion table as an offering to God, and the morning closes with a congregational meal.
Those who wish to remember the church in their will or estate plan are invited into the 1869 Society, named for the year First Presbyterian was established in Santa Barbara. The Society honors both those who have already left a legacy gift to the church and those who have declared their intent to do so. The 1869 Memorial Fund, built by the bequests of faithful stewards, allows the congregation to continue responding to needs in Santa Barbara and around the world. Anyone can join the Society regardless of gift size; information about planned giving, the statement of intended bequest, and estate planning basics is available from the church office.
Congregational Life and the Deacons
Congregational Life nurtures friendship, fellowship, and fun across the congregation. Regular offerings include Potluck and Game Night on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm in the Garden Room, summer dinners hosted in members' homes, dog walks at various times through the year, Epiphany Star Words in January, and the annual Blessing of the Animals on the Garden Lawn around the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
The Board of Deacons serves as the caring arm of the church, bringing home communion to those who cannot attend, visiting the homebound and hospitalized, hosting memorial receptions, organizing meal trains, supporting the Early Childhood Center, and awarding annual scholarships for higher education from funds bequeathed by past members.
Leadership
The Reverend Ann Conklin is the Pastor and Head of Staff, having begun her ministry with First Presbyterian in March 2022 after serving Presbyterian churches in Mesa, Arizona, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is joined by four Parish Associates - the Reverend Dr. Gordon Hess (serving in this role since 2000), the Reverend John Burnett, the Reverend Dr. John Harris, and the Reverend Dr. Mark Watson - and by Charles "Chuck" Curtis, a Commissioned Lay Pastor who has served on staff since 2006 as Director of Mission and Evangelism. Commissioned Ruling Elders Diane Kirkpatrick and Bonnie Boe assist with worship leadership. Casey Molino Dunn directs music, Susan Croshaw directs children's ministries, Beth Hassenplug directs the Early Childhood Center, Alison Hansen serves as Business Administrator, Paul Tarasick as Facilities Manager, and Justin Walker as Media Arts Coordinator. Pastor Dean Choi oversees Young Adult Ministries. Elders currently serving on Session and the full list of Deacons are listed on the church's leadership page. The Session, together with the pastors, oversees the life and mission of the congregation.
An Inclusive, Continually Reforming Church
First Presbyterian enthusiastically embraces the continuing and continually reforming community of faith that is the Presbyterian Church (USA). Its Statement of Inclusivity invites the full belonging of people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, ages, abilities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, life experience, educational level, and church background into the life and leadership of the congregation.
The church's vision statement sums up the heartbeat of the place: God calls us to worship faithfully, God calls us to serve lovingly, God calls us into community - sharing grace unconditionally, seeing Christ in all people. It is a vision shaped by more than a century and a half of worship on East Constance Avenue and by a congregation that continues to ask, in every generation, how God is calling it to worship and serve.