Trinity Presbyterian Church was established in Novato on May 3, 1970 as a mission work of our denomination, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (a Reformed and Presbyterian denomination), through the church planting efforts of Rev. Robert H. Graham along with several members of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Berkeley who resided in Novato. Trinity was formally organized as a particular congregation on May 13, 1971, initially under the name Novato Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Rev. Richard C. Miller faithfully pastored the church from 1974 to 2006. Our current pastor, Rev. W. Reid Hankins, was ordained and installed January 11, 2008. The church relocated to its current location in Petaluma in October, 2022.
Over the years, Trinity has continued to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to those in Petaluma and the surrounding areas. With members in Sonoma and Marin counties, and beyond, Trinity is a spiritual home for both local Petaluma residents and people throughout the North Bay of the Bay Area.
Our continuing mission is summarized in the Great Commission:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
In a world today where people rely on their own wisdom, success, and affluence, we are committed to calling people back to God. We have been commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to make disciples of all the nations. We proclaim the good news revealed in Scripture that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came down to earth to save sinners through his life, death, and resurrection. Now God calls people to faith and repentance, to turn away from their sins and to trust in Christ for their salvation.
To that end, and true to our Presbyterian and Reformed heritage, we stand upon the Word of God as our foundation as a church. At Trinity Presbyterian Church, the Bible is faithfully taught and sincerely believed as the Word of God and the only infallible rule of our faith and life. We are a community that is called to reverently worship the Triune God in “spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Though God has made us citizens of his heavenly kingdom (Philippians 3:20), he has left his church in the world until he returns to be a witness to the gospel, calling people throughout the world into covenant relationship with himself. God has done this so that the free offer of the gospel of salvation would be extended to the ends of the earth. As a church, then, we engage in worship, discipleship, and evangelism. If you are not a Christian, we invite you to come visit us so you too can hear the life-changing good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Or, if you are already a Christian and looking for a local congregation in Petaluma, we encourage you to come visit us and consider finding your spiritual home among us.