God's Love in Action on Lincoln Drive
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church sits at 4455 East Lincoln Drive in the town of Paradise Valley, just outside Phoenix. The congregation calls itself a spiritually diverse, multi-generational community gathered around a single phrase: "God's Love in Action." PVUMC is an affirming congregation in the United Methodist Church, and in 2016 the church adopted an Invitation Statement making clear that all people are welcome, regardless of politics, theology, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The church hosted the convocation that installed the first openly gay bishop in the United Methodist Church's Western Jurisdiction.
At the center of the church's vision is a desire to remain spiritually alive and all-inclusive while continuing to grow. Members and staff work to create a community where people find meaningful relationships, give their gifts in service, and live out a faith rooted in God's love. A Leadership Board, working with the senior pastor, oversees policy, governance, and administration for the whole congregation.
Two Worship Styles at 9:30 AM
Sunday morning at PVUMC offers two services running at the same hour. The Traditional service gathers at 9:30 AM in the Sanctuary, while the Modern service meets at 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Center. The Modern experience features contemporary praise music led by a team of vocalists and instrumentalists, followed by a sermon from the pastoral team. On the first Sunday of each month, a community luncheon follows the Modern service.
Both services are livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings are available to watch at any time. Bulletins from previous Sundays are also posted online so catching up after a missed week is straightforward. Children are welcome in either worship service, and "Praise Packs" are available for kids aged three and up to help them follow along.
Midweek Wednesdays
Midweek is the Wednesday-evening answer to Sunday morning. The programming begins with a study hour from 4:30 to 5:30 PM in the Perk, where kids and families can work on homework and connect with one another. At 5:30 PM a free family-style dinner is served; donations are appreciated but no one is turned away. After dinner, Art Club welcomes children in fifth grade and younger, and Midweek Youth gathers students in grades 6 through 12.
Other Wednesday-night offerings include Ring Together, the church's all-ages, all-abilities handbell choir that rehearses from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in the Sunset Room, and Open Court Pickleball for those who want to move around after dinner. On the third Wednesday of most months, the Earth Care Environmental Forum meets in the PVUMC Library from 6:30 to 8:30 PM and is also available by Zoom.
A Place at the Table for Everyone
Inclusivity runs through everything PVUMC does. The church declares that God invites ALL people to the table and celebrates the full equality of women and LGBTQIA+ members in decision-making and leadership at every level of the church. An educational sermon series on human sexuality and identity is available to watch online, and the church points visitors toward resources such as the Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, and the National Suicide Hotline.
The congregation describes its culture with five words: Restorative, Inclusive, Connection, Affirm Value, and Deconstruction/Reconstruction. Members are invited to bring their full selves, ask honest questions, and walk with Christ in community with all of God's children.
Music from Bell Choirs to Bluegrass
Music is woven into the life of the church. The Worship, Music and Fine Arts Ministry Team brings together volunteers with gifts in drama, liturgy, visual arts, decorating, and music. Each year PVUMC hosts a Community Concert series that has featured the Sahnas Brothers in the open-air amphitheater, the Tetra String Quartet, the multi-ethnic ensemble Traveler, the bluegrass group Run Boy Run, musical theater nights, and seasonal concerts by the church's own choirs at Christmas and just before Holy Week. Concerts are free, with a free-will offering taken to support the series.
For younger musicians, the Modern Service Teams welcome singers and players in kindergarten through sixth grade with no experience needed, and seventh through twelfth graders with some prior experience. Andria Fennig, the Director of Modern Worship Arts, coordinates the vocalists and a worship band that rehearses before each Sunday service.
Kids, Youth, and the PVUMC Preschool
Kristin directs the Kids Ministry, which offers a story-based program for two-year-olds through fifth graders. Environments are designed to be safe and inclusive, including for children with diverse needs, and Praise Packs make it easy for younger children to follow along in worship. Whether a child needs a buddy during Sunday School or a family has questions about placement, Kristin is the point of contact.
Ben directs the Youth Ministry for students in grades 6 through 12, offering Sunday classes, regular events, and an annual mission trip. Recent trips have partnered with FaithWorks to serve the Navajo Nation and other Native American communities near Flagstaff, giving students an immersive experience of a different culture while giving back in meaningful ways.
Mary Cooper directs the PVUMC Preschool, a weekday program for younger children on the same campus, with its own dedicated site at pvumcpreschool.org.
The Birthplace of Open Table
PVUMC is the birthplace of Open Table, a relationship-based ministry that has since spread around the world. In the core model, six to eight members come around a brother, sister, or family in transition out of poverty and walk with them for a year, meeting weekly to help them reach goals in life. The church has hosted more than two dozen tables, including partnerships with South Mountain High School's Lady Jags basketball program and healthcare networks like Mayo Clinic and Valleywise Health. A newer Network Table model works with organizations to provide social and relational connections that level the playing field for underserved communities.
Dave's Table is another local outreach, with volunteers meeting on the first and third Fridays of each month from 8 to 9 AM in the church's circle drive to collect healthy snacks for students at Esperanza Community School and Zion Early Learning Academy.
The PVUMC Foundation underwrites projects outside the regular budget: seminary scholarships, Stephen Minister training, building needs, and missional outreach. Donations can be arranged through an estate gift, a provision in a will, or directly to the Foundation. Recent gifts have supported events on healthy families, marriages, and parenting.
Caring Ministry and Pastoral Support
The Caring Ministry Team at PVUMC is a group of lay volunteers whose gift is compassion and encouragement. They keep a Prayer Chain that goes out three times a week, write cards to those on the prayer list, maintain the Prayer Room, organize an annual Blood Drive, and call members who are 80 or older on their birthdays.
Grief classes and Divorce classes are open to both members and non-members. The Best Friends in Faith Ministry pairs trained volunteers with homebound members for regular visits, friendship, prayer, and communion. A Flower Ministry places bouquets on the altar in honor of loved ones, with the extras delivered to those who are homebound.
For pastoral needs, the church phone line connects visitors with a pastor, and prayer requests can be sent to prayer@pvumc.org. The Caring Minister, Debbie Doran, also fields specific care questions and connects people with the right team.
Earth Care and Spiritual Spaces
Earth Care is an environmental initiative of PVUMC rooted in the conviction that all creation belongs to God. Drawing on the United Methodist Social Principles and the writings of John Wesley, the team sees stewardship of water, soil, plants, animals, and energy as a sacred duty. The Earth Care Environmental Forum meets monthly in the PVUMC Library and by Zoom, and the church maintains a sustainability-focused collection in the library. Members are also pointed toward United Methodist resources for creation-care work in their own lives.
Spiritual spaces on campus invite a slower pace: the Chapel, the Sanctuary, the Biblical Garden, the Fellowship Center, the Desert Labyrinth, the Church Library, and the Prayer Room are all open for retreat and reflection.
The Perk, the Gift Shop, and the Campus
The Paradise Perk Coffee House, located in the Fellowship Center on the east side of campus, is open Sundays from 8 AM to noon and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 PM. It serves espresso, latte, cappuccino, iced coffee, and tea, and functions as a hospitality hub for the whole church.
Serendipities Gift Shop specializes in gifts of inspiration, love and concern, and thank-you, with a focus on items made in the USA, fair-trade products, sustainably produced goods, and items from artists and artisans. As a not-for-profit, the shop charges no sales tax and reinvests its profits in local causes such as the Mingus Scholarship Fund. It is open Sundays from 9 to 11:30 AM and Wednesdays from 9 AM to noon, with online shopping available around the clock. Private shopping can be arranged by emailing giftshop@pvumc.org.
Office volunteers are welcomed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and the Leadership Board, Foundation, Music Ministry, Care and Counseling team, Preschool, and Earth Care team all have a presence on the campus alongside the Sunday and Midweek rhythm that defines parish life.