On Sunday, February 8, 1914, Presbyterian authorities held a meeting in the then rapidly growing Northbrae/Thousand Oaks district of Berkeley.  Dr. Frank S. Brush was chosen to lead the new church.  He served for ten years until October 1, 1924, when Rev. Laurance L. Cross became minister of the church.  Rev. Cross served until his death in 1966 – nearly forty-two years.  He was a moving force in both the community and the church.

Since Northbrae was the only church in the area at that time, and since there were many denominations represented in the membership, the feeling gradually developed that the church should not be denominationally aligned.  In 1943, the members voted overwhelmingly to become a true community church, multi-religious in nature and governed only by its own members through a representative Church Council.  In order to accomplish its independence, the congregation reimbursed the Presbyterians $18,000 which had been invested in the founding of Northbrae.

In May, 1967, Rev. Craig Jessup was called to become minister.  He was joined in March, 1971, by Rev. David Sugarbaker.  After eight years of co-ministry, Rev. Jessup retired in the spring of 1979 and Rev. Sugarbaker continued his responsibilities for the programming and ministry of the church, retiring in September of 1997, after 27 years of ministry with Northbrae.  Rev. Don Felt served as interim minister until September of 2000, when the church called Dr. Ron Sebring to be our minister.

Frances Conley, Northbrae's church historian, has written a history covering 1905 to 1920.

Our Ministers: