Our Mission

At Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church, our mission is to live God’s love for all people and for the planet.  We follow Jesus by working towards his vision of a world of dignity, justice, and peace for all.  We are God’s hands and feet in the world, and by living our values, we help co-create and build the world we want all of our children to inherit.

We are blessed to be nestled amidst the rolling hills of Marin County. With sanctuary windows that offer sweeping vistas of the Ross Valley. We embrace the natural beauty of our surroundings and are deeply committed to protecting and nurturing  the natural world and God's creation.

The history of Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church can be described in two biblical words: bold and faithful.

From its beginning to the present day, this congregation has stepped forward in faith - trusting that God was calling us into new places, new ministries, and new ways of serving our neighbors and our world. Again and again, the people of SHPC have had the courage to follow where God was leading and the faith to trust that God would meet us there.

SHPC traces its roots to Second Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo, organized in 1908. In 1948, the congregation celebrated a new chapter of growth and the ordination of its own pastor by taking a new name: Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Less than a decade later, another bold step was taken. In 1957, Trinity dissolved in order to form a new congregation in the growing community of Sleepy Hollow. Members initially gathered in the home of Dr. Jessie Baird of San Francisco Theological Seminary while plans were made for a permanent church home.

On December 6, 1959, ground was broken at 100 Tarry Road, and in June 1960, the congregation gathered for its first worship service in the building we still call home.

One tangible connection to those early years remains at our entrance today. The historic church bell that rests in the garden was purchased by the Ladies’ Auxiliary from the San Francisco Fire Department. Originally used aboard a San Francisco fireboat in the early 1900s, it continues to welcome generations into the life of this congregation.

Through the decades, SHPC has experienced rich chapters of ministry under the leadership of faithful and dynamic pastors, including the Rev. Gene Burris, the Rev. Ben Kinney, the Rev. Don Emmel, the Rev. Dr. Andy and Rev. Wendy Dreitcer as co-pastors, Interim Pastor Rev. Renée Rico, Dr. Tici Truly, and the Rev. Beverly Brewster.

In April 2025, the congregation called the Rev. Lynn Barger Elliott and the Rev. Dr. Mark Barger Elliott to serve as co-pastors, beginning another chapter in SHPC’s continuing story.

Music has long been at the heart of worship and community life at SHPC. For 27 years, Stephen Iverson helped shape an extraordinary music ministry. Today, under the leadership of Alex Walker, the SHPC Band and Choir continue that tradition with an expansive repertoire that includes Latin chants, gospel and spirituals, familiar hymns, bluegrass, contemporary arrangements, and original music written by Alex Walker.

In May 2026, Megan Schoenbohm joined SHPC as Director of Music for Children and Youth. An award-winning and Grammy-nominated musician, Megan is well known throughout the Bay Area for her work with children, songwriting, and live performances.

Today, the SHPC Band and Choir, the Alleluia Children’s Choir, and individual musicians lead us in worship each week and bring music into the wider community through events such as Hootenanny in the Hollow and Hollowbrite.

In 2013, SHPC renovated its lower level to make room for a state-licensed preschool and welcomed Little Mountain Preschool to our campus. Serving families throughout the community, the preschool helped create the imaginative playground in the church’s backyard and continues to provide a joyful, nature-based learning community for young children.

The presence of children throughout our campus remains one of the great joys of SHPC.

In 2014, SHPC transformed a portion of its property into the Justice Garden, dedicated to growing organic, sustainably produced vegetables for hunger relief.

What began as a garden grew into a larger community ministry. Each summer, our Saturday Farm Stand on Butterfield Road shares the harvest - including more than a dozen varieties of heirloom tomatoes - with our neighbors while raising thousands of dollars for hunger-relief programs.

In 2021, SHPC expanded this ministry with the annual Tomato Plant Sale, offering locally grown plants and directing the proceeds toward hunger relief both close to home and around the world. In 2026, native milkweed was added to the sale as part of our commitment to protecting and increasing the monarch butterfly population in Marin County. Each year, well over a hundred local gardeners participate in this growing circle of generosity.

Our commitment to creation extends beyond the garden. SHPC installed a rainwater catchment system to help irrigate the Justice Garden and solar panels on the church roof as tangible expressions of environmental stewardship.

In 2018, following a thoughtful process of study and discernment, the congregation made another significant decision for its future by selling the church manse, originally built for the Dreitcer family. The proceeds allowed SHPC to eliminate its financial encumbrances and establish a capital investment fund to support future improvements and provide ongoing investment income.

Like so many decisions throughout our history, it was an act of both stewardship and trust - honoring what previous generations had built while preparing for generations still to come.

Today, Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m. is a vibrant and joyful gathering for people of all ages. Through music and song, prayer and reflection, friendship and service, we seek to create a community where people can experience God’s love and discover meaningful ways to share that love with others.

More than a century has passed since the roots of this congregation were first planted in San Anselmo, and more than 65 years have passed since a group of faithful people imagined a new church in Sleepy Hollow.

The buildings have changed. The ministries have grown. New generations have taken their place.

But the calling remains much the same.

To listen for where God is leading.
To have the courage to follow.
To serve our neighbors with generosity.
To care for the earth entrusted to us.
And to move into the future as those who came before us did - boldly and faithfully.