St. John's Lutheran Church sits at 7205 North 51st Avenue in Glendale, Arizona, in a quiet residential stretch just north of Camelback Road and a short walk from Valley Metro Bus Stop #13469. The single building is home to three worshiping communities and to a long list of outreach ministries that have made St. John's a regional hub for serving the West Valley. Its mission is stated plainly: "We celebrate God's love, proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and serve our neighbors." Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Grand Canyon Synod, the congregation draws a mix of longtime Lutherans, lifelong Arizonans, families, and young adults into a community shaped by both Reformation-rooted worship and a warm, casual welcome.
Three Services, Three Styles
St. John's offers three weekend worship services, each with its own feel.
On Saturday at 5:00 p.m., an informal service uses a traditional liturgy accompanied on the piano. It is a good option for those whose Sundays are already spoken for, or for anyone who prefers a quieter start to the weekend. The Saturday gathering is also a gentler entry point for visitors stepping back into church after time away.
Sunday morning opens at 8:30 a.m. with the formal traditional service, accompanied by the pipe organ and featuring both the sanctuary choir and the bell choir. This is the service of choice for members who appreciate the depth of the historic liturgy and the richness of choral music.
At 11:00 a.m., the contemporary service fills the Worship Center with a band leading contemporary Christian music in an informal setting - the gathering for families and others who prefer a more modern feel.
Between services, the Coffee Hour fills the Worship Center from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. with baked goods, coffee, and conversation. The Education Hour runs alongside it from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
All three Sunday services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook, so friends and family who are traveling or shut in can worship alongside the congregation.
A Campus That Welcomes Three Congregations
The building at 51st Avenue and Myrtle is shared by three Lutheran congregations that worship side by side and support one another in ministry. Each November, all three gather for the Ministry Partner Picnic, a day of worship, fellowship, and international culinary delights.
Emmanuel Sudanese Lutheran Fellowship began on August 4, 2013, when South Sudanese leaders in Phoenix approached St. John's for worship space and a place to explore what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. Lay members preached, and Pastor Peter presided at Holy Communion twice a month. In 2021, the fellowship called Solomon Machar Kuch as its leader, who pursued studies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in California with an eye toward ordination in the ELCA. Emmanuel partners with St. John's and Vida Nueva for Vacation Bible School, Camp ALOMA, property work days, and the annual picnic.
Vida Nueva Iglesia Luterana began worshipping in St. John's chapel on July 7, 2019, under the leadership of Pastor Joaquin Garcia Guzman. The relationship goes back further: Vida Nueva was originally founded on the campus of the former Messiah Lutheran Church on 29th Avenue and Camelback, where St. John's members joined them for joint confirmation classes for seventh and eighth graders, and the two congregations began celebrating traditions together, including Las Posadas and the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. After their previous properties were sold, Vida Nueva moved to St. John's chapel, and the two now partner in the Shower Ministry, Vacation Bible School, property work days, and the annual picnic.
A Building Open to the Neighborhood
If you visit St. John's on most weeks, you will find the building at work well beyond Sunday morning. The church's outreach is anchored by an Associate Pastor for Outreach on staff and a long roster of partnerships that bring food, showers, and summer relief to neighbors across the West Valley.
The West Valley Community Food Pantry has been hosted at St. John's since 2005. Designated by the state as an emergency food pantry, it provides families and individuals facing crisis with a three-day supply of healthy food, and prepares separate bags for neighbors experiencing homelessness. The pantry, operated by its own 501(c)(3) organization, is also an Arizona State Tax Credit qualifying charity, allowing donors to direct part of their state tax liability to its work. In 2022 alone, the pantry served over 23,000 neighbors.
On the first and third Fridays of each month, the parking lot fills with the "Feet-N-More" Shower Truck from Church of the Palms UCC in Sun City. From 7:00 to 11:00 p.m., the Shower Ministry offers unhoused neighbors hot showers, hygiene products, clean towels, and a warm, respectful presence. St. John's volunteers help with hospitality and setup, and the ministry is described as an act of "dignity, hospitality, and expressing God's love through small, caring actions."
Each summer, the church partners with Arizona Faith Network to operate a heat respite center on its campus, offering relief during the hottest months of the year. St. John's also hosts Family Promise of Greater Phoenix several times a year, providing meals, overnight hosting, and support for families moving from homelessness to stable housing.
The Caring Committee runs an annual school supply drive for nearby Glen Burton School, and the church has long-standing ties to MOSAIC's housing programs for developmentally disabled adults and to Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Members also volunteer regularly at the West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop, which fills more than 35,000 square feet of retail space with over 350 volunteers and channels profits to area nonprofits.
Forming Faith from Childhood to Adulthood
St. John's takes seriously the call to equip every generation to live out their faith.
Sunday School for children in kindergarten through sixth grade meets at 9:45 each Sunday, divided by grade and centered on teaching the love of Jesus through Bible stories, crafts, and games. Seventh and eighth graders are invited to a confirmation class with Pastor Peter.
Adults gather for Bible study twice a week. On Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m., study is offered both in person at St. John's and online via Zoom. All are welcome.
The West Valley Young Adults Community, an extension of St. John's, brings together people aged 19 to 35 for weekly events built around food, fun activities, and conversation in what the group calls a "brave space" for sharing truths and passions. The conversations range from random fun facts to deeper questions of faith and life.
Music Director Geert Ruelens leads the congregation's musical life. A Belgian-born pianist and organist, he graduated from Temple University with a Master's in Piano Performance and Pedagogy after studies at the Royal Academy for Music in Berchem, Flanders, and the Royal Conservatory for Music in Antwerp. Before joining St. John's, he served as accompanist for Opus One: Berks Chamber Choir and as an organist at several local churches, and he is currently pursuing a commercial pilot's license at the United Aviate Academy.
Meals, Music, and Milestones
Hospitality is woven into the church week. Wednesday Soup Suppers are a long-standing tradition of breaking bread together midweek, with Men's Group Breakfasts, Women's Group Brunches, and holiday potlucks for New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas filling in around them. Each Halloween, the parking lot turns into a Trunk or Treat, with members decorating their cars and inviting the neighborhood to come in costume. Through the year, the church also marks Confirmations, Ordinations, and other significant moments with shared joy around the table.
The Lutheran Center of This Church
St. John's roots its identity in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with more than 4 million members across the country. Locally, the congregation belongs to the Grand Canyon Synod, served by Bishop Deborah K. Hutterer. The wider church is led by Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry, who took office on October 1, 2025.
Lutheran theology, as St. John's describes it, is Christian faith with a particular history, theology, and worship. Lutherans affirm one God known in Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and Jesus Christ as fully human and fully divine. They hold the Bible to be God's Word, and salvation by Christ alone through faith. As Christians, they worship together, study the Bible, pray, tell others about God's love in Jesus, serve neighbors, and give their time, talents, and treasure.
A land acknowledgment posted by the church reads: "St. John's Lutheran Church is located on the original and ancestral homelands of the Akimel O'odham (Upper Pima), O'odham Jewed, and Hohokam peoples, and we give thanks for their presence here since time immemorial. We also wish to recognize and honor all our Indigenous siblings who have and continue to call this land their home."
Planning Your Visit
St. John's is located at 7205 North 51st Avenue in Glendale, Arizona, directly behind Valley Metro Bus Stop #13469 at the corner of 51st Avenue and Myrtle Avenue, accessible by public transit. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and can be reached at (623) 931-2451.
Pastor Peter Perry has served St. John's since 2009. He grew up east of the church, attended Washington High School and the University of Arizona, and graduated from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Before coming to St. John's, he earned a Ph.D. in New Testament from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, specializing in the book of Revelation and ancient communication practices. He is married to Dana, and they have two daughters, Ruth and Esther.
Associate Pastor Dan Potaznick grew up Lutheran on Long Island in an interfaith household, experienced both Christian and Jewish traditions, and earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo before his M.Div. from United Lutheran Seminary. He moved to Phoenix in the summer of 2022 and was called to St. John's in 2023, with a focus on welcoming all people and building faith communities outside the congregation. He also serves as the Director for Generosity and Strategic Development for the Grand Canyon Synod.
Members and friends can stay connected through the Elvanto Member Portal, a blog called The Cactus & Cross, a weekly newsletter, and online giving through Tithe.ly and ZellePay directed to finance@stjchurchaz.org. Anyone with a question or a prayer request can reach the church office at office@stjchurchaz.org or by phone, and all are welcome to come as they are.