Red Hill Lutheran
Red Hill Lutheran Church and School in Tustin, California.
Church exterior from an old church postcard.
Church interior from an old church postcard.
Between 1970 and 1986, Jim served as the heart and soul of Red Hill Lutheran School (RHLS). Known for his approachable nature and ever-present good humor, he was instantly recognizable in his short-sleeve white shirts, slightly too-short tie, and the whistle he kept ready in his pocket—a picture of steady leadership and school spirit.
It was a rare day when you did not find Jim welcoming students being dropped off at school or saying goodbye as they left campus for the day.
Jim’s commitment to RHLS was deeply personal. His dedication touched every corner of campus life—classrooms, playgrounds, and sidelines alike. Whether leading chapel, chairing student council, or cheering from the bleachers, Jim was always engaged. Here, he’s pictured at a school sporting event, doing what he did best—showing up with genuine pride and encouragement.
Jim taking a break during a Saturday work party to install a new wooden fort play structure in the back corner of the school playground. Steve recalls this event and also has a particular memory of Jim and others digging a massive hole to unearth a large palm tree from the inner walled play yard used by the youngest children.
With flashlight at the ready, Jim helps chaperone an annual 8th-grade Outdoor Education trip to El Camino Pines, nestled along Frontier Road in Frazier Park. He likewise frequently chaperoned school dances, attended school plays, and supported other programs held in the old Fellowship Hall.
Jim was ever-ready with a corny “dad joke” or a funny face.
Jim hard at work in the principal’s office with at banner featuring the RHLS Eagles emblem proudly displayed behind his desk. The high-soaring eagle is the most common emblem of the Apostle John, especially in his role as the author of the fourth Gospel. It represents his ability to rise to great theological heights and the divine perspective of his writings—a goal the school wished to emulate.
Despite the many duties of being principal of a large school, Jim continued to teach classes, largely 7th and 8th grade math.
You can almost hear the steady whir of the overhead projector—a small sound that brings back an era of chalk dust, transparencies, the sweet, chemical odor of the mimeograph, and Jim’s calm voice guiding the class.
Pencil tucked behind his right ear—classic Jim Neumann.
Wait! Did Anthony Michael Hall attend Red Hill Lutheran School?!
One-on-one instruction—one of the hallmarks of a quality Lutheran education.
Jim may be most remembered for participating in sports with students. Here he is playing basketball—still wearing his tie—along with Mr. Anderson (right) and some students. Teachers vs. students softballs games in the back corner of the parking lot famously marked the end of each school year.
Week after week, Jim was renowned for the Tuesday Newsletter and his thought-provoking, morally grounded messages during Wednesday chapel services (and the fact that as a young boy Steve famously refused to come forward and accept an award from his dad during one such service). One day while traveling along Red Hill Avenue, Jim noticed arborists trimming the trees in front of the Tustin Villas Apartments. He was intrigued that only 7 of the 8 trees were trimmed—one owner apparently refusing to pay to have their tree pruned.
Months and years later, Jim observed that the untrimmed tree was noticeably smaller than those that had been pruned. He used his simple observation as a life lesson in accepting those moments in life when God allows events that “prune” us, for it is only after pruning that we can truly grow. Here is the tree in 2025, still underperforming some 40-plus years after Jim made his famous observation.
Grade 8 in 1974, at the end of Jim’s fourth full year at Red Hill Lutheran. This photo was taken outside the old Fellowship Hall (now Christian Life Center).
Jim’s 1976 Grade 8 graduates. This photo was taken in Fellowship Hall, which was the original church before the current sanctuary was built. Fellowship Hall has since been demolished and over the old footprint was built the new Christian Life Center.
School and Church staff during the 1975-1976 school year.
