Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church

Lafayette-​Orinda Presbyterian Church is much more than a place to go for Sunday morning church services, although the worship services are the best I’ve attended in the area, beautiful music by talented church members, meaningful messages, familiar hymns and excellent Sunday morning Children’s and Youth programs. LOPC is in fact much more than what you would find there on Sunday mornings, it is a place for people of varied interests to gather. Something goes on everyday at the church, beyond the daily preschool (Seedlings-​which is wonderful) there are groups for Seniors, Knitters, Quilters, Bible Studies, grief support groups, divorce recovery workshops, classes to learn about problems and issues facing the world today, everything from business ethics and interfaith discussions to violence in the Congo, and much more. The church reaches out to help less fortunate people in the Bay Area (Warm Winter Nights, Rebuild Oakland-​Just to name a couple) and as far away as an orphanage in Africa, and many places in between. The new Family Center is providing information to Lamorinda Families about real issues facing us, pressure to overachieve, disabilities, and more. In addition you’ll find Family friendly events such as Outdoor Movie Nights (with Free Snacks) and ridiculously fun youth groups for 5^th thru 12^th graders. There is a mid week after-​school program for Elementary kids, and a once a month social evening for adults with developmental disabilities. There really is something for everyone at LOPC. If you are looking for a church, you really ought to visit LOPC and see for yourself how you’ll fit in to the church family.

I’ve been attending LOPC for about 6 years now, and love a ton about this church. The pastors are top-​notch, the youth and childrens’ programming is progressive and engaging, and the Sunday morning services are run in a beautiful style blending contemporary and traditional worship styles. The music is amazing – they have several different choirs (including a jazz choir) and a worship band.
I would definitely recommend the church for all types of people. When I joined, I was a single thirty-​year old woman, and found many opportunities to get involved and get to know people (I’ve found some other churches are really set up to serve couples/​families). Now my fiancé comes to church with me here, and we are getting married at the church next year.

My husband and I joined LOPC in 1995, shortly after moving to Lafayette from the East coast. It is a remarkable place. While it has a huge diversity of programs for all ages and interests, the areas we can speak to are; sermons, pastors/​staff, and the children’s, youth, and mission programs.
The sermons are outstanding. Many years ago, when my husband was serving on Session, he heard that there were three things the congregation needed in a pastor; being able to counsel individuals/​couples, a high level of administrative skill, and the ability to communicate and reach people from the pulpit. At the time, LOPC was looking for an associate pastor, and the idea was that a candidate with any two of these abilities was considered a find. One of my favorite things about LOPC is that the two pastors we know best, Peter and John, are gifted on all three fronts.
Our children all attended pre-​school at Seedlings, which is at LOPC. It is a nurturing, professional, and wonderful program. The quality continues with the Sunday school programs, but the best part of our lives with LOPC started when our children began the middle school and high school programs. YOW (Youth on Wednesdays) and BTW (By The Way) are led by Zach and Brie, who may be the most talented, kind, and competent youth leaders you can imagine. All four of our sons have grown up attending these programs, and the growth and support they have gained has been an enormous blessing in our lives.
If you were to ask our sons, they would tell you that the LOPC mission trips have been the most important non-​family activities of their lives. Two of our boys are in college, but continued to serve on mission trips as advisors because the programs are so rewarding and fun. Our goal was always to raise them with an awareness of how they can serve God and others, and look beyond themselves, and LOPC gives kids a tangible way to serve, grow, and be a part of a community. They have gone to Mexico, Zimbabwe, New Orleans, Miami, Joplin, Wapato, New Mexico, and more.
At first, we were unsure whether we would ever feel at home in church so much larger than what we were used to growing up in New England, but we have found many connections, friends, and ways to serve at LOPC.

This is a very impressive church. They are involved in many outreach activities in the local community as well as around the world. I know many people attend because of the excellent kids programs but soon get involved in meaningful community outreach. They also have a fantastic music program for kids and adults at various levels.

Known in the community as a great place to have events, instrumental jazz and choral programs, and a wonderful preschool.
Friendly, safe, and progressive. Great for those who live in the Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda area but many drive in to the church too. Big church with lots of activities and lots of young families.