In 1978, a small group of Christians in Sun Lakes felt led to seek a full-time Pastor who would help them begin a church. They wanted an inter-denominational church, which would be conservative in theology and evangelical in its approach. They secured a Pastor through Village Missions, an affiliated outreach program of Stonecroft Ministries.
On September 2, 1979, the first worship service was held under the leadership of Pastor Mike Cappiello and his talented wife, Mary Ellen. The congregation met in the Arizona Room of Sun Lakes Country Club. The Sun Lakes Community Church was incorporated on November 6, 1979. Charter Membership Day was held on January 6, 1980 and eighty people were enrolled. When the Community Chapel construction was completed, the congregation began meeting there.
Pastor Mike Cappiello resigned on May 22, 1988 because of poor health, and Jack Huffman, a member of the congregation, was asked to fill in as Interim Pastor. Jack, a retired commercial airline pilot, had been serving as Associate Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Phoenix. After experiencing his preaching and personal ministry, the congregation invited Jack to serve as Pastor, which he did through September 1992. Dr. Earl Riley, a retired Pastor living in Mesa, served as Interim Pastor from October 1992 through April 1993.
Reverend Gary Vaughn began serving as Pastor on May 1, 1993. He and his wife, Jody, were former missionaries to Okinawa. He served as pastor at a church in Bakersfield, California for 20 years prior to accepting the call to Sun Lakes. Pastor Vaughn served for five years before retiring on May 31, 1998. From June through August of 1998, Reverend Carl Rambo served as Interim Pastor while the Search Committee was actively searching for a new pastor.
In September 1998, Reverend Jerry McGhee began serving our church as pastor. Pastor McGhee and his wife, Ernestine, ministered at Faith Community Church in Chandler, Arizona for twenty-one years, before being called to Sun Lakes Community Church. Pastor McGhee resigned on April 27, 2003 to accept a temporary position with Hard Hats for Christ, a volunteer Christian ministry. He and Ernestine then joined SOWERS, a Christian couples RV ministry, where they served for 13 years.
Reverend Don Hendricks, and his wife Laura, began serving our congregation in April 2003. Pastor Hendricks came to us after serving two churches in Mississippi and others - the last one in Queen Creek, AZ. He retired from the church in April 2017.
On May 1, 2016 Pastor McGhee returned to Sun Lakes Community Church as Transitional Pastor, and in April of 2017, he was voted to be the permanent Pastor once again. Pastor McGhee went home to be with the Lord on March 5, 2019. Rev. Doug Ross had been assisting Pastor Jerry, and upon his passing was asked to serve as Interim Pastor. He served in that position for two months until a new full time Pastor was called.
On May 19, 2019, Pastor Mitch McDonald was called as our pastor. He and his wife, Mona, had served in multiple churches throughout Arizona and led numerous short-term mission trips prior to coming to Sun Lakes Community Church.
On September 2, 1979, the first worship service was held under the leadership of Pastor Mike Cappiello and his talented wife, Mary Ellen. The congregation met in the Arizona Room of Sun Lakes Country Club. The Sun Lakes Community Church was incorporated on November 6, 1979. Charter Membership Day was held on January 6, 1980 and eighty people were enrolled. When the Community Chapel construction was completed, the congregation began meeting there.
Pastor Mike Cappiello resigned on May 22, 1988 because of poor health, and Jack Huffman, a member of the congregation, was asked to fill in as Interim Pastor. Jack, a retired commercial airline pilot, had been serving as Associate Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Phoenix. After experiencing his preaching and personal ministry, the congregation invited Jack to serve as Pastor, which he did through September 1992. Dr. Earl Riley, a retired Pastor living in Mesa, served as Interim Pastor from October 1992 through April 1993.
Reverend Gary Vaughn began serving as Pastor on May 1, 1993. He and his wife, Jody, were former missionaries to Okinawa. He served as pastor at a church in Bakersfield, California for 20 years prior to accepting the call to Sun Lakes. Pastor Vaughn served for five years before retiring on May 31, 1998. From June through August of 1998, Reverend Carl Rambo served as Interim Pastor while the Search Committee was actively searching for a new pastor.
In September 1998, Reverend Jerry McGhee began serving our church as pastor. Pastor McGhee and his wife, Ernestine, ministered at Faith Community Church in Chandler, Arizona for twenty-one years, before being called to Sun Lakes Community Church. Pastor McGhee resigned on April 27, 2003 to accept a temporary position with Hard Hats for Christ, a volunteer Christian ministry. He and Ernestine then joined SOWERS, a Christian couples RV ministry, where they served for 13 years.
Reverend Don Hendricks, and his wife Laura, began serving our congregation in April 2003. Pastor Hendricks came to us after serving two churches in Mississippi and others - the last one in Queen Creek, AZ. He retired from the church in April 2017.
On May 1, 2016 Pastor McGhee returned to Sun Lakes Community Church as Transitional Pastor, and in April of 2017, he was voted to be the permanent Pastor once again. Pastor McGhee went home to be with the Lord on March 5, 2019. Rev. Doug Ross had been assisting Pastor Jerry, and upon his passing was asked to serve as Interim Pastor. He served in that position for two months until a new full time Pastor was called.
On May 19, 2019, Pastor Mitch McDonald was called as our pastor. He and his wife, Mona, had served in multiple churches throughout Arizona and led numerous short-term mission trips prior to coming to Sun Lakes Community Church.