Westwood Presbyterian Church

We invite you to learn about Westwood Presbyterian Church.

WPC is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Our Reformed worship services strive to celebrate God's love and bring spiritual renewal through meaningful sermons and uplifting music in the classical tradition.

The congregation seeks to nurture children and adults to experience the grace of God, learn the Gospel, and grow in faith. WPC is "small enough to feel at home." The "little" church does big work by putting faith into action through mission initiatives in the local community and beyond.

Located in Westwood Village near the UCLA campus, WPC began as a university church. The tradition continues: members of many Los Angeles academic communities find a church home at WPC. With about 600 members and another 200 friends who regularly participate in church life, our congregation is diverse and welcoming. WPC has become a metropolitan church, drawing people from across the greater Los Angeles region. Young families increasingly choose Westwood Presbyterian Church as their church home. We have a variety of ages; ethnic backgrounds; and theological, political, and social perspectives.

WPC MISSION STATEMENT

Welcome everyone as God's people and nourish them to embrace and share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

         Celebrate the glory of God through excellence in Reformed worship, inspirational preaching, and classic church choral music.

         Nurture our diverse congregation in experiencing the grace of God with multiple programs in Christian study, prayer, growth, support, and fellowship.

         Ensure that our children learn, experience, and live the Gospel.

         Reach out to the homeless, the hungry, and the abused children in our community--especially through agencies we created and now support.

HISTORY

Westwood Presbyterian Church celebrated its 60th anniversary in November 2007.

Soon after World War II, a small group of Presbyterians in the Westwood area came together with the vision of establishing a Presbyterian church in the community. Led by the Rev. Cecil Hoffman, Presbyterian campus minister at UCLA, this group of 134 individuals petitioned the Presbytery of Los Angeles in November 1946 to organize a congregation.

On November 23, 1947, the presbytery formally organized Westwood Presbyterian Church. The 116 charter members selected the Rev. Haven Davis, a former Army Air Force chaplain, as their first minister. The first congregation met at the Community Clubhouse on the northeast corner Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue.

In 1949, the Presbytery purchased a lot for the permanent church location on a Wilshire Boulevard hilltop to the east of Glendon Avenue. Anxious to get into their own building, the congregation bought a real estate office building on Wilshire and Glendon and moved it to the hilltop in the spring of 1950. The building (now the church's fellowship building, Hoffman Hall) was retrofitted as a temporary chapel, and the first worship service was held there in July 1950.

The church completed its sanctuary in June 1953. Later in the decade, the Christian education building was added.

Haven Davis was followed as pastor by Bruce Reinhart in 1962, James Angell in 1965, and Charles Orr in 1970. Haven Davis had a vision that the new Westwood church would become a leader among churches in Los Angeles. In many ways, that vision has been realized.

PASTORS

Lynn Cheyney, Pastor
Peggy Krong, Associate Pastor for Congregational Life
Donald Hartsock, Parish Associate

Lynn Rev. Dr. Lynn Cheyney became Westwood’s 5th pastor in June 2009. Prior to arriving here, Lynn served as an Associate Pastor in the Southern California region, first at Pasadena Presbyterian Church and then at Brentwood Presbyterian Church. From 2000-2009, Dr. Cheyney served as Senior Pastor of Flossmoor Community Church in Flossmoor, Illinois. Pastor Cheyney has a heart for the city and is passionate about the WPC’s call to be the light and presence of Christ along the Wilshire corridor and beyond. Dr. Cheyney received a B.A. from Wheaton College, a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and completed her Doctor of Ministry studies at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta in 2002. She and her husband, Gary Sattler (a psychoanalyst and seminary professor) are delighted to be back home in the Los Angeles area. Both members of the Cheyney/Sattler household love travel, books, movies and food prepared by anyone other than themselves.

Peggy Peggy Krong, Associate Pastor for Congregational Life, came to WPC from Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, where she also was associate pastor. She has been an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament since 1996, when she earned both a Master of Arts from the Graduate Theological Union and a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Pastor Krong has additional training in Clinical Pastoral Education and has participated in a Clinical Specialist program with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Peggy has special gifts flowing from her passion for music and the arts. A classically trained singer, she calls upon her love of music, literature, and theatre to inspire in others an awareness of the love of God. Before studying to be a minister, Peggy taught high school English for 15 years in Taos, New Mexico, where she also served as an elder for two terms on the session of Taos Presbyterian Church.

WPC STAFF

To contact staff members by email, click on underlined names.

PASTORAL

- Pastor - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 114

- Associate Pastor - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 108

Rev. Donald Hartsock - Parish Associate

Dr. Sharon Vairo - Parish Nurse

LEADERSHIP

- Christian Education Director - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 111

- Preschool Director - (310) 474-2889 - ext. 210

- Director of Music - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 107

- Financial Manager - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 105

- Director of Operations - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 100

SUPPORT STAFF

- Administrative Assistant - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 101

- Audio Technician

Dr. Namhee Han - Organist

- Preschool Office Manager - (310) 474-2889 - ext. 200

Javier Torres - Maintenance

- Contributions Coordinator - (310) 474-4535 - ext. 106

Erin Walker - Sunday Receptionist

OFFICERS

Officer All ministry in the Church is a gift of Jesus Christ. Members and officers alike serve mutually under the mandate of Christ, who is the chief minister of all. The standard for all offices is the pattern of the one who came "not to be served but to serve." (Matthew 20:28)

Church members elect officers who are ordained to fulfill particular functions. Ordained officers differ from other members in function only. The existence of these offices in no way diminishes the importance of the commitment of all members to the total ministry of the church.

Elders are chosen by the people as leaders of the church. Elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament together exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church, as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. It is the duty of the elders individually and jointly, to strengthen and nurture the faith and life of the congregation committed to their charge.

Elders serve with members and Pastors on Committees that support all ministries of the Church. A few of these ministries include: welcoming visitors, encouraging and assimilating new members, training ushers and greeters and serving communion. Elders support the deacons, provide Christian Education opportunities for children, youth and adults and encourage the music Programs. Elders provide oversight of finances, property and personnel as well as stewardship, fundraising and benevolence. It is incumbent upon Elders to perform these duties by the law of love.

Deacons serve under the authority and supervision of the church session (elders). The office of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of sympathy, witness, and service after the example of Jesus Christ. Deacons minister to those who are in need: to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. If you need to reach out to our deacons, you may call the church office or send them an .

The Board of Deacons organizes the preparation of the elements of Holy Communion, visitations to people in need, the delivery of Easter Lilies and Christmas Poinsettias to the homebound, the Christmas Toy Drive, and the packing of several hundred charity Turkey Baskets each Christmas season. The Deacons also collect money monthly for the Westside Food Bank, support Amnesty International through monthly letter writing, and can be found greeting you with a smile on your way out of the sanctuary every Sunday.

DENOMINATION

Westwood Presbyterian Church is one of over 11,000 congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The denomination, with 2.4 million members, is a Christian community centered around six Great Ends of the Church:

Proclamation of the Gospel

Building up the Christian Community

Worship of God

Theology Matters in the World

Promotion of Social Justice

Demonstrating Our Faith

See News from WPC and the church Calendar for more information on activities at WPC.