Organized in 1874, First Presbyterian has deep ties to the city of San Bernardino and a long history of service to local, regional, national, and global concerns. These photos and links represent just a few of our community projects. More information is available on our Facebook Page and by contacting the committee chairs as part of Session Elders or Deacons.
For local agencies that offer help, click here for Resources.
Food Program
Our food program provides emergency food bags on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am to 11 am and distribution of USDA Commodities and other food on the third Saturday of the month from 9am-11am. If a neighbor needs food, please refer them to our food resources. These resource lists are in food bags. You can also give out a Food wallet card when asked for money or food.
Symphonie Jeunesse
We are proud to be the practicing home (and often a performance location) for our local junior symphony, Symphonie Jeunesse.
San Bernardino High School
San Bernardino High School Updraft Program supporting local students through:
- leadership circles,
- internships,
- gardening, and
- other Cardinal activities.
LifeSkillz circles- Read how we got started in Eric Law’s blog.
2023 LifeSkillz Circle
2019 LifeSkillz Circle
2016 LifeSkillz Circle
The students we started with as sophomores graduated in 2016! So we had to celebrate.
Earlier in the program, full of promise, willing to take risks…
Our freshman group determined that cookies equaled comfort and they prepared multiple batches of cookies for the Inland Regional Center, which helps people with developmental disabilities, and was the site of the Dec 2nd, 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attacks.
Cookies delivered in February and March.
Our students wrote something so powerful that it was used to sum up this 30 minute LA Times documentary film.
SBHS Internships:
2023 Interns helped setup our Easter garden, assisted with food distribution and made our facility and grounds welcoming.
2016 interns painting in preparation for the holidays.
Our 2016 interns spent a Saturday in November trimming and cleaning out the shrubbery. Who knew how many pairs of shoes could hide in there? And they are still smiling!
Our First 2 Water Wise interns Lalli & Ernesto paved the way for regular interns from SBHS. We now cheer them on as graduates from CalState University, Monterey Bay and young professionals.
Interns working on landscaping projects in Dec 2015
On Property: Water Wise Conservation
Serving our neighbor includes being a good neighbor and a careful steward of environmental resources as we use less water. 
partnership on SBHS garden box project: 
Harvest!
Cardinal Senior Breakfast 2016 – ~300 SBHS seniors enjoyed French toast, bacon, and fruit breakfast on their graduation day.
See our page just on San Bernardino High School activities.
Central City Lutheran Mission
Clean Water Team
6 men spent a week learning how to build appropriate water systems and then went to Guatemala to install those systems with Living Waters for the World.
This is a long term commitment where we go back, check our partners while scoping out the next installation. We had Rev. Wil Howie from Living Waters of the World out to describe more of the whole history and context.
Our team went back for the Joan Carpenter memorial water installation in February 2016.
Joan was a founding member of the Mission Committee and inspired the team to undertake these trips. With the family’s blessing and the congregation’s support, the team placed a special plaque on this installation.
Our Team was back to Guatemala in February of 2017
On November 17, 2022, the FPCSB Water Team celebrated completion of its project begun in October of 2017 to provide safe, clean water for Iglesia Monte Horeb, in Tijuana’s eastern suburb of Mariano Matamoros, and Centro Pedagógico Didaqué, a small private school located there.
