Our History
Centerville has been faithfully sharing God’s Word in Fremont for nearly two centuries. Our story began in 1853 when nine local citizens signed a petition requesting Reverend W.W. Brier to organize them into a church of Jesus called Alameda Presbyterian Church under the care of the Presbytery of San Francisco. Those who signed the petition were: Charles Hilton, Elizabeth Brier, Hannah Breyfogle, Chauncey Cornell, Charlotte Cornell, Charles Kelsey, Eliza Beard and James Selfridge. The church was officially formed and had its first Sunday service on Sunday, June 5th, 1853, in J.M. Horner’s School House - and thus our church was born. We are still going strong over 170 years later.
These were the pioneers who founded Centerville Presbyterian Church and organized the cemetery that nearly surrounded the church. Most of them were farmers or merchants in the Centerville area. Many were prominent citizens in the town of Centerville, and several helped found Alameda County. Their leader, Reverend William Wallace Brier, was born in Dayton Ohio in 1821 and was ordained in 1848. He came to California in 1850 and served as District Secretary of Home Missions for California and Nevada. Brier ended up planting over 27 churches across the western United States before his death in 1887. He was buried in our church cemetery, which is now right off of Fremont Blvd. We are part of William and Elizabeth Brier's legacy to this day.
These were the pioneers who founded Centerville Presbyterian Church and organized the cemetery that nearly surrounded the church. Most of them were farmers or merchants in the Centerville area. Many were prominent citizens in the town of Centerville, and several helped found Alameda County. Their leader, Reverend William Wallace Brier, was born in Dayton Ohio in 1821 and was ordained in 1848. He came to California in 1850 and served as District Secretary of Home Missions for California and Nevada. Brier ended up planting over 27 churches across the western United States before his death in 1887. He was buried in our church cemetery, which is now right off of Fremont Blvd. We are part of William and Elizabeth Brier's legacy to this day.
Our Denomination
Centerville has been a member church of The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) since 2013. The EPC exists to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus as a denomination of Presbyterian, Reformed, Evangelical, and Missional congregations. We are evangelical in our zeal for the Gospel and are committed to evangelism, local and global mission, and living obediently as followers of Jesus. At the same time, we are rooted deeply in the Protestant Reformation including the theological and pastoral work of John Calvin. We embrace the Westminster Confession of Faith as our doctrinal standard and the rule of spiritually mature elders as the best way to guide local congregations.
The EPC consists of more than 600 churches with approximately 145,000 members. We have a world missions program that prioritizes sending missionaries to unreached people groups across the world. We are eager to plant churches across the United States and especially in urban communities and college towns. Our desire is that every one of our congregations will be an outpost of the Kingdom, with every member viewing himself or herself as a missionary on mission for Jesus.
The EPC consists of more than 600 churches with approximately 145,000 members. We have a world missions program that prioritizes sending missionaries to unreached people groups across the world. We are eager to plant churches across the United States and especially in urban communities and college towns. Our desire is that every one of our congregations will be an outpost of the Kingdom, with every member viewing himself or herself as a missionary on mission for Jesus.