Elders and Session

What is an Elder?
Along with the pastors, elders oversee and help lead the life of our congregation. They lead by serving. Their areas of responsibility include worship, teaching, mission, evangelism, care, and nurture.

Elders of Session 2023-2025
First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara

As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people. Accordingly, congregations should elect persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they “lord it over” the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Ruling elders, together with ministers of word and sacrament, exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church, including ecumenical relationships.. -Book of Order, G-2.0301

CLASS OF 2023

Fred Marsh*# (Finance and Facilities team)

Joan Taylor# (Adult Spiritual Formation and Education team)

Tom Blabey# (Early Childhood Center team)

Warren Myers# (Membership team)

CLASS OF 2024

Chris Martinich (Children, Youth, and Families team)

Diane Kirkpatrick*# (Congregational Care team)

Tristin Sherman# (Children, Youth, and Families team)

Yvonne Bazinet*# (Mission team)

CLASS OF 2025

Belete Wubet* (Mission team)

Lisa Itamura (Worship and Music team)

Jim Kreyger# (Human Resources team)

*Second Term
#Team Chair/Co-Chair