About Us

More Life. More Love. More Light.

If you are yearning for an experience of the Holy . . .

If you understand that faith is a matter of the mind as well as the heart, and that taking the Bible seriously means that it cannot always be taken literally . . .

If you believe that an openness to searching questions is more important than the offering of set and staid answers . . .

If you believe that God’s love embraces all persons equally, no matter their gender, race, economic condition, or sexual identity . . .

If you believe that diversity, tolerance, peace-making and inclusivity are strengths to be taught and cherished . . .

If you believe that the path of Jesus calls us to be nothing less than global citizens, that the social expression of love is justice, and that spiritual concerns are inseparable from commitment to the natural world . . .

If you are yearning for a community that recognizes the faithfulness of people who have different names for the way to God’s realm, and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, just as our ways are true for us . . .

If you’ve wished for a more open and embracing community of faith to nurture your spirit and raise your children, and haven’t yet found a place of belonging . . .

Then we warmly invite you to become part of the worship, witness, and work of this progressive faith community known as First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto.

Peace and grace,

Rev. Rob Martin



Our Services

Service Times

Sunday
08:30am
Early Church
08:30am
Joyful Noise
09:30am
Adult Education
10:30am
Community Worship
Tuesday
05:15pm
Contemplative Prayer
Friday
07:30am
Service of Grace

Leadership

Robert Martin

Rob Martin has served as Senior Pastor / Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto for the past 10 years. Prior to coming to First Pres, Rob served as both the Chaplain for Warren Wilson College and as Senior Pastor of the Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church located in Asheville, North Carolina. He has also served as a pastor in inner-city New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was the founder of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network and in Denver, Colorado, where he staffed Capitol Hill United Ministries—a coalition of 13 cross-denominational churches united in mission. Rob did his undergraduate studies at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina, where he completed a double major in Creative Writing and Marxian Political Analysis. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary where he served as an Urban Ministry Scholar and was the recipient of the Martin Kneeling Excellence in Preaching Award given by the SFTS Faculty.

Location & Directions

What Members Say

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