Hidden Gems: Meet Jim Welch of Peninsula Community Church

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Welch.

Hi Jim, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am the pastor of Peninsula Community Church. Jim and Christie came to Peninsula Community Church in 1994, after spending nine years as a youth pastor baking in Indio! Jim is a native Californian, who has a B.A. in History from Biola University, and a Th.M. from Dallas Seminary. Jim and Christie were married while they were both teaching school at Brethren High School. Their desire is to serve the Lord together and let the world know that living God’s way is always best. Jim loves to travel to Israel (don’t get him started on that subject) and to teach the Scriptures. They have three great kids and six grandchildren. The church was probably at its lowest ebb when I arrived, but God has been at work for over 30 years and growth became steady. The church is now healthy and driven by purpose.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course there have been struggles. The church was looking into ways to close a non-profit before I came. The financial pressures of the mortgage were painful and non-relenting. They had lost hope after a long season of conflict. I arrived with my very young famly and immediately provided hope for the future. I had to figure out how to navigate the senior role, with only office staff to help. The progress was slow. They had a plan implemented to deal with the debt, and within five years, we “burned” the mortgage and have never gone into debt since. In the early days we cast purpose and vision, working together to find common ground and hope for the future. People were set in their ways and it took a while to gain full buy-in to a new direction. But we honored the past and looked forward to the future. And it worked. Growth was not miraculous, but slow and steady. But from where it began, it was always a miracle of God’s grace. The days of COVID were a challenge as well, with various opinions tearing us apart. But we made it through to the other side and now see God doing something very speical among us.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a church founded in 1964 on top of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. We have a passion for families and youth, with a huge heart to serve God anywhere in the world He leads. We are known for accurately exploring the Bible on Sunday mornings with fresh worship and small groups to get to know each other. Our goal is to grow people to impact their world, and beyond. We try to everything with purpose, not following tradition. We have spent 20 years bringing our facililty up to the contemporary world, without incurring any new debt. Our folks are friendly, generous, and mostly kind. I am most encouraged by our personal involvement in running (since 2008) an annual medical clinic in rural Uganda. We have been the sole sponsor and have seen the impact of working with a local years many miles away to encourage and love on their local commuity. We will see well over 5,000 patient visits during the five days of clinic each year. We take a team from our church (and beyond) of around 15 people to help support and love on the community of Bombo, Uganda. It takes the whole church working together to accomplish something outside was is comfortable in Palos Verdes. It has changed us, and Bombo.
Sunday mornings provide a window into PCC’s priorities, as we worship in song, preach the Gospel, and teach the Word of God to students of all ages. But the church’s footprint is perhaps marked most indelibly during the moments outside of Sunday morning. The many ministries that operate locally and abroad, the mid-week meetings that provide community and support, and even the church-wide communication of prayer requests are evidence of a group of people who strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their neighborhoods, and in the lives of their friends and families. It takes many different forms, but that desire – to pursue the heart of Jesus, and to see His work done in, around, and through us – is what defines the Peninsula Community Church family.
I would want people to know that whereever they are in their spirutal journey, we have a place for them. We love people. And we love Jesus. Every Sunday at 10:30 am we gather to make much of Jesus.

What matters most to you?
People matter most. But a very close second is the fact that God’s Word is relevant to modern life. We might not like what it says, but we can understand it and apply it to every relationship in life. That is not hard, but God is good and His Word is perfect and very much worth the effort it takes to understand it within it’s culture and within our own.
It is important to me that we are group of folks who care about our local community. We have fed landslide victims, participate in monthly medical/dental clinics in SoCal who cannot afford regular medical care. We host a small group for those struggling with grief, and connect mosly with people outside our church in that study. We host a family-friendly event every Halloween to provide a safe, fun, candy-filled event for young families. We have the a nursery which is bursting a the seams and a growing Mommy and Me class. we loke to have fun, but we have a heart for the community.
What matters is that we are a multi-generational and multi-cultural church family. That does provide some interesting dynamics, but it is very possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pccpv.org
• Instagram: @pccpv
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pccpv
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PCCPV