On Sunday, Sept. 22, Resurrection at SaddleBrooke will celebrate its 10th anniversary in SaddleBrooke.
The church was founded when some SaddleBrooke residents wanted a second place to attend services in the community. Pastor Al Jensen and the church council at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley were asked, and they agreed to sponsor a satellite congregation in SaddleBrooke, and the management at SaddleBrooke One agreed to let it use the Vermillion Room for its services. On Sept. 14, 2014, the first service was held, with an expectation of about 30 attending, but it ended up with an attendance of 75! Pastor Wayne Viereck delivered the first sermon.
Our first choir had seven members and has grown to as many as 25 members under the direction of first Charles Riddell, then Susan Tjossem, and now Peter Yanez. We are always looking for more singers to participate in the choir in a low-pressure, fun, and uplifting environment.
There is an active and thriving women’s group named Soul Sisters that grew out of a fundraising social meeting into a casual luncheon gathering where the ladies grow in relationships with one another and in their Christian faith. Soul Sisters meets the third Friday of each month from October through May.
The church’s main pastor is Carol George, who recently arrived from Alaska, and she shares the pulpit with a rotating crew of pastors from both inside and outside the main church. Pastors Wayne Viereck, Roy Guinn, Jim Vadis, Roger Pierce, and Paul Caseman, among others, have graced us with their presence in the past. We are now privileged to have, in addition to Pastor George, Pastors Tim Nybroten, Erin Morris, Wyatt Lynde, and Sharon Raglan conducting our services.
Although we are affiliated with Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley and consider ourselves one congregation, we welcome all Christians of any denomination. We consider ourselves a community church serving all of SaddleBrooke, and we also have members from the SaddleBrooke Ranch and Catalina areas. Members participate in the services as ushers, greeters, Bible readers, communion servers, and prayer leaders, led by an active coordinating committee. Mimi Heywood is our representative on the main church council.
We believe that one of the foundations of the Christian Church is Holy Communion, which we celebrate every Sunday and in which everyone is invited to participate if they so choose, no matter what their religious background or affiliation is.
The 10th Anniversary Celebration on Sept. 22 will include remembrances and blessings during the service, as well as recognition of founding members. A cake reception will follow the service. All are welcome to attend.
The church now meets in the MountainView ballroom at 9 a.m. every Sunday, and attendance has grown to over 150 during the fall and winter months. Services can also be viewed online at the main church’s website at orovalley.org.