Saint John's Lutheran Church sits on Valley Road on the north edge of Arroyo Grande, within easy reach of the small town's historic Village and the wider Five Cities stretch of California's central coast. The congregation has been gathering in this corner of San Luis Obispo County for sixty years and marked its anniversary on the first Sunday of November 2026. Two Sunday services, an active children's center, a deep bench of caring ministries, and a long list of mission partners on three continents all flow out of a single three-word vision: Encounter Jesus, Experience Family, Embrace the Broken.
Encounter, Experience, Embrace: The Vision Behind Saint John's
The three phrases that frame everything at Saint John's come straight from the congregation's own statement of purpose. Encounter Jesus is the up, vertical dimension: a relationship with God through his Son, celebrated and strengthened in worship. Experience Family is the in dimension: a spiritual family that supports one another through hard seasons and equips each other to serve. Embrace the Broken is the out, outward dimension: reaching the lost, the least, and the last in Jesus' name.
Pastor Greg Wallace describes Saint John's as a wonderful, loving, not-perfect community that is glad to welcome newcomers into the family. While many members have lifelong Lutheran roots, the majority come from a wide range of denominational and faith backgrounds.
Saint John's holds dual affiliation with two Lutheran bodies. It is one of more than 800 congregations in the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), an association founded in 2001 whose beliefs are rooted in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. It is also part of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC), formed in 2010 by Christians seeking to remain deeply rooted in the truth of the Bible and the mission of Jesus Christ. The NALC describes itself as Christ-Centered, Mission-Driven, Traditionally Grounded, and Congregationally Focused, and Saint John's fits that mold.
Two Sunday Services, Two Different Moods
Sunday mornings at Saint John's offer two very different expressions of the same gospel. The 9:30 a.m. contemporary service carries a more relaxed feel, led by the worship band and paired with the children's program. The 11:00 a.m. traditional service uses additional liturgical elements, with the congregation singing hymns accompanied by the organ. Both services follow the same lectionary arc and offer the same communion table, so worshipers can choose the style that fits their week.
The 9:30 a.m. service is livestreamed on the Saint John's YouTube channel for those who cannot be on campus. Each Sunday's stream remains available to view afterward.
Kids are woven into the morning from the start. Younger children may be taken straight to the nursery. Older kids stay with their families through the opening of worship and are then dismissed after the Passing of the Peace to walk with their teachers to the KidsChurch classroom. Ushers can supply kid's bags with coloring pages and quiet activities for any family that prefers to keep children in the pew. A Quiet Room just off the Sanctuary offers space to calm, feed, or change a baby or busy toddler.
Kids and the New Little Acorns Children's Center
Cindi Wallace serves as the congregation's Children's and Youth Director and oversees a layered approach to faith formation. KidsChurch happens every Sunday during the 9:30 contemporary service. Lessons center on Bible stories told through age-appropriate crafts and games, laying a foundation of faith for young children and youth.
On the way to becoming one of the most visible ministries in the area, Saint John's is preparing to open Little Acorns Children's Center. Little Acorns is a ministry of Saint John's Lutheran Church, supported by a community that values children, families, and faith, with families of all backgrounds welcome. The center is moving through licensing with the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, and will operate in full compliance with Title 22 regulations once doors open. Programming will nurture children from infancy through early childhood, up to age six, in a loving, faith-filled environment.
Volunteers and parents who want to teach, lead, or simply help at KidsChurch can reach Cindi Wallace or Lydia Harter, who serves as the Children's Ministry Intern.
The Youth Group and the Wednesday-Through-Sunday Week
Middle and high school students have their own weekly gathering. The Saint John's youth group meets Sunday afternoons from noon to 2 p.m. All seventh through twelfth graders are invited for snacks, games, and meaningful conversations about life and faith, and friends are always welcome. Matthew Harter serves as Student Ministry Intern and coordinates the group's rhythm of fellowship and study.
For adults who want to dig into Scripture midweek, Pastor Greg leads Bible study each Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. The group rotates through books of the Bible, working through Daniel one season and Jonah the next, and welcomes anyone who wants to come alongside.
Music Ministries: Band, Choir, Handbells, and Organ
Saint John's music program is large enough to offer something for almost every musician. The worship band leads the 9:30 contemporary service every Sunday. The choir and handbell choir rehearse during the week and sing or play periodically at both the 9:30 and 11:00 services. The organist anchors the 11:00 traditional service with classic hymnody.
Shari Bowman directs the choir and handbell program. Janice Goodwin and Cal Wood serve as worship leaders for the contemporary service. Dawn Russ plays the organ for the traditional liturgy. Singers, ringers, and instrumentalists who want to join any of the ensembles can reach the appropriate leader through the office.
Women's Ministry and the Famous White Elephant Sale
Women@Saint John's gives the women of the congregation meaningful opportunities for growth, fellowship, and service to the community. Monthly activities throughout the year include Bunco nights, quarterly Functional Fitness classes, a Women's Retreat, a charity baby shower for partner organization LifeLine Pregnancy Center, and a pre-prom spa day for students at Lopez High School.
The annual White Elephant and Bake Sale is the engine that funds much of that work. Held over a Friday and Saturday in early October in Ouimette Hall, the sale draws on donated household items, small furniture, antiques, jewelry, linens, tools, games, kitchen goods, and gently worn jackets, coats, hats, and shoes. Proceeds flow to community organizations throughout the year, including the Boys and Girls Club, Meals that Connect, SLO County Disabled Veterans, Captive Hearts, Children's Resource Network, and the Salvation Army. The same team keeps Sunday morning coffee service and the kitchen supplies stocked.
Men Around the Breakfast Table
The Men's Ministry exists to connect the men of Saint John's with one another. On the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. in Room 8, men sixteen and up gather to prepare and share breakfast, then move into devotional time, discussion of challenging biblical passages, or conversation about current events. Many stay on afterward to join the Property Team's monthly Church Workday, which tackles indoor and outdoor jobs from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Bruce Metzler leads the men's ministry. Lois Franks and Mike Johnson coordinate the property workday.
Caring Ministries: Stephen Ministers, Prayer Team, Altar Guild, Fun, Fitness and Fellowship
When members face a season of grief, divorce, hospitalization, disability, or job loss, Saint John's Stephen Ministers step in. These lay members are trained to offer confidential, one-on-one Christian care, listening, praying, encouraging, and holding hope for the people they companion. A Stephen Minister usually meets with their care receiver about once a week for roughly an hour, and every conversation stays strictly confidential. Gordon Eiland can connect anyone interested in serving as a Stephen Minister with the team.
The Prayer Ministry reviews prayer requests received on Sundays and lifts up those needs during the week, circulating updates by email. Prayer requests can be sent to prayers@SaintJohnsAG.com. Greg Wallace and Jen Stowe help coordinate the team's work.
The Altar Guild partners with Pastor Greg to prepare the altar and communion elements, working in pairs on a rotating schedule so that the worship space is well maintained for each service. Louise Taylor leads this quiet but essential ministry.
For those who like to mix fellowship with a bit of fresh air, the Fun, Fitness and Fellowship group meets monthly when the weather cooperates. Members hike, walk, play pickleball or disc golf, and take part in local road races, often inviting friends and family along. Adrienne Rule organizes the calendar.
A monthly Knitting and Crochet Group gathers on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. until noon in the church office, producing scarves, hats, blankets, and baby blankets. Many of the baby blankets and hats go to the boutique at partner organization LifeLine Pregnancy Center. Pam Glenn coordinates the stitching.
Connecting Ministries is the front door for newcomers. The Connect Central table in the Commons is the hub for information, Connect Cards, and sign-ups for small groups, activities, and service opportunities. The team also coordinates Sunday morning roles such as usher and greeter. Sarah DeYoung, the congregation's Connections Coordinator, oversees this work.
Mission Partners Near and Far
Ten percent of Saint John's annual budget goes directly to support its global and community mission partners, and many of those relationships run deep.
People's Kitchen of Grover Beach serves a hot meal every day of the year from noon to 1 p.m. Saint John's People's Kitchen team provides lunch and a brief worship service on the second Tuesday of each month. While the meal team prepares and serves food, the Music Team leads three worship songs and a short message.
Dress a Girl Around the World workshops fill Ouimette Hall on the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., as members from Saint John's and other local congregations cut fabric, serge edges, and sew simple sundresses and peasant dresses for girls sizes 4 to 14. The dresses are sent to girls in poverty around the world and include a label that signals to human traffickers that the wearer is part of a protected group.
Iglesia Luterana San Juan Bautista in Santa Maria is a Lutheran congregation serving the Hispanic, Spanish, and Mixteco-speaking immigrant population. Many of its members work in agricultural jobs, and the church provides food and supplies, monthly lunches and sermons for field laborers, weekly worship, and baptism, confirmation, and Bible study classes. Saint John's recently helped raise nearly $4,000 to renovate a garage used for storing and distributing food and supplies, and the annual Christmas Angel tree project provides gifts for hundreds of children and youth. Pastor Pat Muran coordinates Saint John's support.
The Zozu Project sponsors more than 600 of the poorest children to attend Solid Rock Christian School in Arua, Uganda. The word "Zozu" means "thrive" in the local tribal language, and many Saint John's members contribute $40 per month to support a child through an English-language education that opens doors for future careers.
LifeLine Pregnancy Center has been serving the Five Cities community for more than thirty years with pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, parenting support, and post-abortion support for women and men. Saint John's delivers financial support throughout the year and takes part in LifeLine's Lenten baby bottle campaign. The knitting group's baby blankets and hats supply the new LifeLine boutique.
Five Cities Christian Women's Food Pantry has been feeding neighbors in the community for more than fifty years. Saint John's selects a food of the month and collects donations in the Lord's Wagon in the Commons, with the haul delivered to the pantry at the end of each month.
The Global and Community Missions Team also provides financial support to Frontiers, which reaches out to Muslim peoples, and to China Service Ventures, which sponsors camp experiences. The team prepares Agape Love Baskets for shut-ins and others in the community who need encouragement.
Six Decades on Valley Road
The first Sunday of November 2026 marks Saint John's 60th anniversary, a milestone celebrated across both Sunday services. The anniversary comes at a busy moment for the congregation: Little Acorns Children's Center is preparing to open its doors, the Women's Ministry is hosting another White Elephant and Bake Sale, and the parade float team is once again preparing for the annual Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival parade.
Greg Wallace has served as pastor of Saint John's, with Cindi Wallace joining the staff as Children's and Youth Director. Together they lead a teaching team that includes Matthew Harter as Student Ministry Intern, Lydia Harter as Children's Ministry Intern, and Sarah DeYoung as Connections Coordinator. Worship is shaped by Shari Bowman (Choir and Handbells Director), Janice Goodwin and Cal Wood (Worship Leaders), and Dawn Russ (Organist). Redilyn Holladay keeps the office running as Office Manager, with Connie Clements as Bookkeeper and Kerry Wood as Financial Secretary. The congregation is governed by a Church Council chaired by President David Immel.
What to Expect on Your First Sunday
Saint John's campus has two parking lots, with one entrance on Valley Road and the other on Los Berros Road. Visitors are welcome to park anywhere in the Valley Road lot, the easiest access point to the Commons and Sanctuary. Greeters at the double doors will offer a name tag and answer questions, and ushers can help with any special needs and find a comfortable place to sit.
Most of the congregation dresses in business casual or casual attire. Visitors are welcome to dress up or come casual; the only dress code is to come as you are. Those who want to know someone before they arrive can contact Pastor Greg or Sarah DeYoung by email or phone to arrange an advance visit.
The office is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, Thursdays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and can be reached at (805) 489-1259 or office@saintjohnsag.com. New Member Orientations are held periodically for those who want to learn more about the congregation and what membership means. Giving is available online, and ten percent of every dollar given flows directly back out to the mission partners Saint John's has come to call family.