Set among the trees beside a lake in the quiet north-end community of Lake Forest Park, Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church has been a fixture of the neighborhood since 1925. The mid-century modern sanctuary, completed in 1941, anchors a campus that opens its doors to far more than Sunday worship: Scout troops, Rotary, garden clubs, recovery meetings, and a bilingual preschool all share the building through the week. Members describe the congregation as a family in Christ for the sake of others, and the rhythm of the church reflects that open, intergenerational identity.
A Sunday in the Sanctuary
The week centers on a single Sunday gathering at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary, held in person and streamed live on YouTube. The service follows a relaxed, come-as-you-are feel - the leadership has deliberately set aside many of the formalities that can create barriers, and the building's mid-century modern lines and warm wood work are matched by an informal tone. After the Passing the Peace, around 10:15 a.m., children are dismissed to their Sunday programming, and adults continue in worship.
Coffee Fellowship follows at 11:00 a.m. most Sundays, providing an easy on-ramp for newcomers. An hour earlier, at 9:00 a.m., a Sunday morning Bible study gathers in Heritage Hall - recent series have worked through books like Philippians.
Faith Formation for Children and Students
The church takes seriously its identity as a Growing Young congregation, with a clear pathway for every age.
- Nursery (ages 0-3). Located next to the welcome center, the nursery is staffed each Sunday by two background-checked Family Leaders. Parents can attend the service or stay in the nursery with a TV showing the service.
- Godly Play (preschool through 2nd grade). Children begin in the sanctuary with their families, then move to the Godly Play room for a Montessori-style storytelling and wondering time.
- Exploring Faith (3rd-5th grade). This class gathers after the Passing the Peace for games, Bible stories, and discussion about applying faith to daily life.
- Youth Group (6th-12th grade). Students often sit together in the balcony during worship and meet as a group on Sunday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. The night includes four-square, games, worship, teaching, and small groups, plus camps, retreats, and service trips throughout the year.
Adults, Small Groups, and Sisterhood
Beyond Sunday worship, the church runs a wide network of small groups - some meeting online, some in homes, some at the church - centered on Bible study, prayer, and mutual support. The Adult Connection and Formation team curates opportunities including Practicing the Way groups, a Men's Breakfast, and a monthly Water From a Deep Well potluck with discussion.
Women gather as The Sisterhood, with an LFP MOM Co-Meetup on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from October through May (10:00-11:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall). Two long-running craft-and-care ministries knit into the life of the church: Knitting Into The Mystery, a prayer-shawl ministry that provides handmade wraps during tough times, and Stone Soup Quilters, which sends finished quilts through Stone Soup Ministries to hospital patients.
A Spiritual Life survey run in partnership with Renovo helps the leadership track how the congregation is forming and where new opportunities might serve the community.
Friday Food Packs and Local Outreach
Lake Forest Park's most visible neighborhood ministry is Friday Food Packs for Kids. Each Friday during the school year, volunteers inventory Costco orders at the church garage, pack food, and deliver to Kellogg Middle School and Shorecrest High School. The program ensures that students who rely on school lunches have supplemental nutrition through the weekend. A $25 donation sponsors one student for one month; $250 covers a student for the full school year. Volunteers are needed monthly for packing and deliveries, plus ongoing fundraising and communications help.
Other local partners include:
- One Parish One Prisoner (OPOP), a ministry walking alongside a woman named Rachel as she transitions out of incarceration, with a Roll Away the Stone fundraiser covering transportation, ID renewal, work clothing, and housing deposits.
- Operation Night Watch, a Seattle-based ministry serving neighbors who are poor and homeless, with dinner crews and dessert crews from the church helping provide late-night meals.
- Vision House, which helps families in crisis break the cycle of homelessness.
- Renewal Ministries Northwest, focused on spiritual practices and deeper relationships with Jesus.
- The Northwest Coast Presbytery, the regional body that connects the church to a wider network of PNW ministries.
The church also maintains a small food pantry and a Little Free Pantry out front for walk-up food assistance, with deacons available for one-time financial help, occasional transportation, and short-term meal support during illness or crisis.
Global Mission Partners
The congregation's reach extends well beyond the Pacific Northwest. Global partners include:
- Centro Educativo Manantial in Latin America, a private school serving families in need.
- Corner of Love, serving refugees from Central America since 1992.
- Indian Christian Mission Center, supporting children and pastors in India.
- Templo Elim Church in La Misión, Mexico.
Shared Spaces: A True Community Center
The campus is open to a remarkable range of community groups, many of which meet there weekly. The Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park, the Lake Shore Garden Club, and Scout Troop 348 call the building home, as does Counseling Centers of North Puget Sound for therapeutic services. Recovery groups also meet on site: an Alcoholics Anonymous gathering on Wednesday evenings and the Third Place Literature Study AFG Al-Anon group. Anyone in the area looking for help can be connected to additional resources through the church's Shoreline Resources and Little Free Pantries lists.
Pepitas Bilingual Preschool
Sharing the campus is Pepitas Preschool, a ministry of Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church offering bilingual early-childhood education for children in the kinder, 3s, and 4s classes. The program pairs Christian values with an affordable, supportive learning environment and welcomes tours. A new Kaleidoscope Play and Learn program, launching in conjunction with Pepitas, brings caregivers and young children together for facilitated play groups focused on early learning and connection, with a particular outreach to families with children under three. A planned playground expansion - moving into a former gravel lot - gives the preschool dedicated space for outdoor play.
Pastoral Care and Prayer Support
Pastoral care is offered through home visits, communion for the homebound, hospital visits, and grief care. Prayer requests can be shared with a team of deacons and elders who lift them up regularly. The Neighbor to Neighbor ministry organizes meal trains after a loss or during illness, rides to medical appointments, and light household or yard help. To request care, members and neighbors fill out a Care Request online or email the deacons at deacons@lfppc.org.
Beliefs and Identity
Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Northwest Coast Presbytery, with beliefs rooted in Reformed theology and the Protestant Reformation. Three values shape daily life together: Wholehearted Faith, loving God and neighbor with everything one has; Intentional Belonging, making space at the table for every person made in God's image; and Compassionate Service, following the way of humble self-offering that Jesus modeled.
Baptism is celebrated as a sign of God's covenant faithfulness and a commitment to follow Jesus - whether for a child or as a personal profession of faith.
Leadership and Governance
The pastoral team is led by Rev. Jeff Gephart, a Seattle-area native, Princeton Theological Seminary and Seattle University graduate whose passion is helping people connect their gifts to God's call. Kim Herbert serves as Director of Youth & Family Ministries (and is currently a candidate for ministry of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA)); Tim Cromeenes, a Seattle Pacific and Belmont-trained musician and former member of the Seattle Opera Chorus, directs music and worship; and Melissa Robertson, a bilingual educator with international teaching experience, directs Pepitas Preschool.
Governance follows the Presbyterian model. The Session - elders and trustees elected by the congregation - oversees the church's spiritual life and ministry direction, while Deacons lead the church's compassionate response to physical and practical needs in the congregation and the wider community. Ministry Support Teams guide specific areas including children's, youth, neighborhood outreach, global outreach, and small groups.
Getting Connected
Visitors are encouraged to arrive a few minutes early on Sunday, join worship at 10:00 a.m., and stay for coffee fellowship at 11:00 a.m. The church streams its services on YouTube for those joining from home. A Connection Opportunities document and a directory of small groups live on the church's Planning Center hub, where newcomers can also sign up for a New Member Class - complete with lunch and childcare. Those who feel ready can dive into serving through Friday Food Packs, Operation Night Watch dinners, the OPOP team, or one of the many Ministry Support Teams. Giving is available online through the church's giving portal, and a newsletter keeps subscribers in the loop on what is happening across the life of the church.