Mountain View Presbyterian Church sits on East Mountain View Road in Scottsdale, Arizona, a congregation within Hope Presbytery of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. The church is known for its twin Sunday morning services held under a single biblical message, a Family Ministry that walks with children from the nursery through high school, and Mountain View Special Needs, an affiliated ministry that supports families across the Valley whose children live with disabilities. The congregation describes itself as multigenerational and earnest about following Jesus Christ without taking itself too seriously.
Two Sunday Morning Services, One Biblical Message
Sunday mornings at Mountain View center on two services that share the same proclamation of Scripture and the same pastoral leadership, while differing in musical style and feel.
At 9 AM the Sanctuary fills for the Traditional Service, the longstanding expression of the church's worship life. The order includes hymns, liturgical prayers, Scripture reading, and a sermon. The 9 AM service is also the one that is livestreamed on YouTube, and weekly bulletins and orders of worship are available for those who wish to follow along from home.
At 10:30 AM the Convergent Service offers a more contemporary but still liturgical shape. The format brings together Scripture, prayer, congregational songs, proclamation, confession, and the weekly celebration of the Sacraments. Both services run about an hour. The vision for the two services is two faithful and strong expressions of worship under a single Reformed identity, so that visitors do not have to choose between music styles at the door but can pick the gathering where they will feel most at home.
Mountain View welcomes visitors in any style of dress: "You will see everything from jeans and casual clothes to dresses and jackets. Come as you are; we want you to feel comfortable." Sunday School for children ages 4 through 5th grade meets alongside the 9 AM hour, and nursery care is available during both services for children from six weeks to three years. Visitors can stop by the Welcome Center after a service or fill out an online connection card. Weekly bulletins and orders of worship are available as PDF downloads.
A Season of Pastoral Transition
After nearly fifteen years of ministry, Pastor Steve Beard announced in May 2025 that he had accepted a new call and would conclude his service at Mountain View on July 20, 2025. Rather than launching directly into a Senior Pastor search, the Session chose to bring in a Transitional Senior Pastor and to use the interim months to clarify vision, strengthen leadership, and prepare the congregation for the next chapter.
The Rev. J. Randolph (Randy) Bare began his work in October 2025, having previously served as Senior Pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach and as Transitional Senior Pastor at Grace Commons Presbyterian Church in Boulder, Colorado. He and his wife Carrie relocated to Scottsdale for the season. Within his first year Pastor Bare launched new sermon series, gathered the congregation into a Church Health Assessment survey, commissioned members for new ministry, and developed a draft Mission Statement and Strategic Plan now moving through town hall conversations.
The Session's longer-term planning is shaped by three priorities. The first is to keep the 9 AM traditional service strong. The second is to grow a renewed convergent service at 10:30 AM that was relaunched in mid-September. The third is to develop an internal church-planting initiative under Pastoral Resident Chris Dalton, supported by Dr. Jim Singleton and the Flourish Institute, with a longer-term vision of forming small missional communities and, in time, a Saturday evening worshiping community on the Mountain View campus.
In February 2026 Jennie Smith was named Executive Minister, providing oversight of operations, finance, and property and partnering closely with the next Senior Pastor when called. The congregation commissioned Jake and Amy Baldwin to a new ministry at Dundee Presbyterian Church in Omaha and welcomed two new Pastoral Residents: Chris Dalton for church planting and communications, and Sonya Hernández for youth and family ministry. A Standing Nominating Committee is preparing the slate for a Pastor Nominating Committee, and the church expects to extend a call to a new installed Senior Pastor in the spring of 2027. In the meantime Pastor Bare's role is to shepherd the congregation through the change, holding both the church's heritage and its next chapter carefully together.
Family Ministry from Nursery to High School
Family Ministry at Mountain View is centralized under Sarah Furrier, Director of Family Ministry, who oversees the nursery, children's programs, youth, women's ministries, and the holiday calendar. Her team works with parents, Sunday School teachers, and a seasonal stable of volunteers to keep children's ministry humming through every liturgical season.
Sunday School meets at 9 AM each Sunday for children ages 4 through 5th grade and is taught with the Orange curriculum, organized by grade. The aim of the program is to give every child a faith foundation for life: that they are a child of God, that they are loved unconditionally, and that they are gifted and called by God to use those gifts.
All-church family events anchor the year, including Trunk or Treat in the fall, an Advent Festival leading into Christmas, Jingle Jam (a campus-wide Christmas outreach), and Eggstravaganza in the spring. Vacation Bible School runs in June and typically draws about 100 volunteers for a week of station-based learning, with the team planning and supplies provided. New families are welcomed through a New Family Registration form that walks children from the nursery through MVPC Kids.
MVPC Youth
MVPC Youth gathers middle school and high school students around a shared call: to know Jesus, to discover who God has made them to be, and to live in response to that calling. Beyond the 10:30 AM service, students gather on Sunday evenings during the school year.
- Middle School Girls (6th through 8th grade) meet on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30 PM with Lissa Morazan for Bible study, conversation, and community. Dinner is included.
- High School Girls (9th through 12th grade) gather Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30 PM with Sonya for study and encouragement. Dinner is included.
- High School Guys (9th through 12th grade) meet Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 PM for study, discussion, and fellowship, with dinner included.
- Upperclassmen are invited into monthly leadership gatherings focused on ministry, discipleship, and what it looks like to serve well.
A Youth Ministry Fundraiser called Boots, Bidding, and BBQ raises money each year to support Youth Summer Camp scholarships. MVPC Youth maintains its own presence on Facebook and Instagram.
MomCo
Mountain View runs its own MomCo group, a local expression of a nationwide ministry designed to encourage, equip, and empower mothers. MomCo at MVPC meets on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the EEC (the early education center room next to the playground), September through May. Each evening includes dinner, an encouraging speaker or video, an interactive activity, small group discussion, and full childcare. The annual registration fee covers a national MomCo membership, all materials, dinner at each on-campus meeting, and childcare coverage. Scholarships are available for anyone for whom cost would be a barrier.
In addition to the Monday gatherings, MomCo holds off-campus meetups the fourth week of each month around town: park playdates, coffee outings, story times, and moms' nights out.
Mountain View Special Needs, LLC
Mountain View Special Needs is the church's most distinctive outreach and the ministry for which Mountain View is best known across the Valley. Organized as a separate LLC and led by Director Daniel Pugh, the ministry walks alongside families and children throughout Scottsdale who are navigating life with special needs. Its vision statement is simple: "To walk alongside all families and children as they navigate the unique waters of living with special needs."
The program maintains its own online presence and serves families through ongoing programming, parent connection, and direct support. Each December the ministry hosts an annual golf tournament that has become a Scottsdale tradition in its own right, now in its eighth year and held at Scottsdale Country Club. The day includes a 30-minute clinic on the driving range, a shotgun start, and the participation of Senior Tour Professional Michael Allen and PGA Tour Professional Kevin Streelman. Fees and foursome sponsorships underwrite the year's ministry directly. The Special Needs ministry also hosts a respite event with Educarte as part of the Mexico Mission Weekend each fall.
Care Ministries
Pastoral care at Mountain View is built on a layered team. The pastors and Stephen Ministers walk alongside members in crisis, while a Care Team that includes Stephen Ministers, Stephen Ministry Leaders, Deacons, and a few retired nurses provides a deeper level of extended care. The team is coordinated by Susan Bergstrom, the Faith Community Nurse, and Pastor Kirk Sexton.
Stephen Ministry has been active at Mountain View for more than twenty-five years and is recognized locally as one of the most effective programs of its kind in the country. Each Stephen Minister completes at least 50 hours of in-class training and 40 hours of pre-class study through Stephen Ministries in St. Louis, with Stephen Leaders receiving an additional 50 hours of advanced instruction. Stephen Ministers meet monthly to refine skills and walk alongside those facing illness, divorce, the loss of a loved one, unemployment, and other challenges with confidentiality and care.
Two named support groups offer ongoing care. GriefShare is a weekly group for those mourning the death of a family member or friend, walking through the experience of loss together. The Caregivers Support Group meets monthly and provides space for those who feel overwhelmed, anxious, or isolated as they care for a loved one.
The Manna Closet Food Pantry is a vital neighborhood resource. More than a typical pantry, it provides pre-made food boxes or individual items tailored to personal needs, with the goal of offering nourishment with dignity. The shelves are stocked with shelf-stable milk, cereal, peanut butter, Spam, canned fruit, pasta, and canned vegetables.
Women's Ministry
MVPC Women is led by a multigenerational Core Team with the stated mission of encouraging, connecting, and discipling women in Christ. The ministry is intentionally broad, welcoming women from the church's youngest ladies to its oldest saints through Bible studies, Circles, fellowship groups, special events, and the outreach of MomCo.
Bible study is the rhythm at the center. A Thursday Bible Study meets in two groups, one from 9:00 to 10:30 AM and one from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, in the EEC next to the playground. The morning and evening groups study the same material with the same shape: Scripture, prayer, and mutual encouragement across the seasons.
Several smaller Circles keep women connected in different cadences. Ruth Circle meets the third Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM in The Gathering Room, September through May, with a Christmas lunch in a member's home in December. Sarah Circle gathers the third Monday of each month at 10:00 AM at the Chapel at Westminster, with fellowship, a short meditation, prayer, coffee, and muffins. Book Circle meets at 10:00 AM on the second Monday of the month, September through June, and discusses one book each month from a published reading list.
Two mission-minded craft groups meet monthly. Stitching Sisters meets the second Wednesday to promote fellowship among women who machine sew or do hand needlework, with a devotion followed by a sack lunch and group projects, including quilts and home goods sold at a November fundraiser for Women's Ministries. Hands-For-Mission meets the second Monday from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the EEC, knitting and crocheting blocks that are assembled into afghans donated to charitable organizations across Arizona, and providing baby blankets to veteran moms.
Seasonal anchor events include a Fall Potluck, Holiday House in late fall (a popular fundraiser with a full vendor roster and a waiting list), an Intergenerational Ladies' Tea in the spring, and a Women's Event with a Speaker planned for the coming year.
Men's Ministry
Men's Ministry at Mountain View centers on a Friday morning Bible Study from 6:30 to 7:30 AM in Annex #101. New men are welcome at any time.
Men's Fellowship Dinners are held several times a year in Meredith Hall, with a short devotion from a pastor and conversation around the table about future fellowship events. Past dinners have featured BBQ from Mission Barbecue and have served as a relaxed entry point for men newer to the church. The Annual Men's Retreat and Sunday morning coffee teams complement the rhythm.
Music Ministry
Music at Mountain View serves both services under Minister of Music Jackie Huber. Jackie directs the 9 AM service's choir, handbell choir, and traditional repertoire. She and the contemporary worship team together shape the 10:30 AM Convergent Service.
- The Sanctuary Choir sings in the 9 AM service from September to May, with rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Choir Room. No audition is necessary.
- The Bell Choir plays in the 9 AM service about once a month from September to May, with rehearsals at 5:30 PM on Wednesdays.
- The Minstrel Singing group is a small ensemble that travels after Sunday services to those in need, singing familiar hymns and spreading joy.
Marion Hostetler serves as Principal Organist and Associate Director of Music, with Jean Spanko on music support staff. "This is a job? I get to come to Mountain View and make music to the glory of God with dear friends," Jackie says of her role.
LifeGroups and Bible Studies
The small-group rhythm at Mountain View is built around LifeGroups, neighborhood-sized gatherings that meet in homes and on campus for study, prayer, and the practical outworking of Christian community. Each week the sermon is paired with both a written Study Guide and a podcast that takes the message deeper, so a LifeGroup leader can open the gathering by playing the message and then guide discussion with the guide.
Beyond the general LifeGroups, the church offers a number of standing Bible studies throughout the week:
- Pastor Lyn Corazin leads a Wednesday morning study at 9:45 AM in Meredith Hall, also available online, walking through the life of David in 1 and 2 Samuel.
- The Women's Bible Study on Thursday mornings and evenings covers Scripture in two parallel groups.
- The Men's Bible Study on Friday mornings at 6:30 AM moves through the Old Testament over coffee.
- Rhythms: Rooted in Christ is a Monday evening hour of Scripture, prayer, and reflection on the current sermon series, gathering in the EEC.
- Restoration of All Things is a weekly Sunday elective held between services, currently exploring N. T. Wright's vision of God's restoration of creation, facilitated by Carl Johnson in Room 101.
The teaching and study ministry is supported by a Fellowship Institute of Theology partnership, equipping members of MVPC who are pursuing ministry through formal theological education.
Mission Near and Far
The mission program is grounded in three values: Evangelism (that Jesus would be made known by word and deed), Compassion (helping the homeless, hungry, disadvantaged, and orphaned), and Redemptive Justice (following the Holy Spirit to make wrongs right). The church's operating principle is that "Money follows Mission": as members discover specific needs, the funding follows their involvement rather than the other way around.
Local Partners
- Phoenix Dream Center, a partner since 2016. Mountain View hosts Christmas celebrations, Easter activities, and a Spring Prom for residents, and volunteers teach weekly life skills classes, build and maintain the community garden, and remodel rooms for residents.
- Justa Center, the only resource and day center in Phoenix exclusively serving homeless seniors age 55 and older, providing benefits assistance, transportation, and help finding permanent housing.
- Community House AZ, a Monday outreach at South Scottsdale Presbyterian Church that serves roughly 75 neighbors with rest, physical resources, clothing, food, and showers. The Phoenix Rescue Mission provides on-campus support for identification, behavioral health, and long-term housing.
- OCJ Kids, a foster girls ministry with which Mountain View builds long-term relationships through events and intentional presence in the girls' homes.
- Cochise Elementary School, the church's neighboring school, partnered through responsive support for special needs as they arise.
- Theological Education Grants, supporting members of MVPC who are exploring the call to full-time ministry.
International Partners
- Oc3an View Ministries in Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Mexico. A compassion-driven ministry with construction projects, clothing distribution, meals, school assistance, and a sports ministry. Mountain View takes two trips each year.
- Escuela de Victoria in Puerto Peñasco, providing educational pathways out of poverty through tuition, uniform, and supply assistance, plus homework clubs and a new therapy center for special needs children.
- Adam and Michelle Cain in Honduras, serving under Mission to the World in La Ceiba, proclaiming the Gospel, caring for the poor, educating church leaders, and responding to disaster relief.
- Al-Basma Vocational Training Center in Bethlehem, providing day-time work and life skills training for young adults with learning disabilities, with Mountain View teams visiting to encourage leadership and meet ongoing needs.
Mexico Mission Weekend
Twice a year Mountain View takes a mission weekend to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, in partnership with Oc3an View Ministries. The weekend is family-friendly: there are hands-on construction opportunities for those who enjoy building and painting, community outreach through children's ministry, and a special needs respite event with Educarte. No construction experience and no Spanish are required, only willing hands and an open heart. Travelers leave the MVPC campus early Friday morning and return Sunday after breakfast and a shared worship service. Passports are required for entry to Mexico. Costs are tiered by age and room type, with discounts for families of four or more.
The Mountain View Presbyterian Church Foundation
The Mountain View Presbyterian Church Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3), established so that gifts given to the long-term ministry of the church stay distinct from the operating budget. Overseen by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Session, the Foundation raises and manages funds for long-term projects, missions, and the future security of the church.
Gifts may be designated for seminary scholarships, mission projects, the Special Needs ministry, facility improvements, music programs, youth programs, and other priorities, or may be unrestricted for the most pressing needs. Endowments allow only a percentage to be spent each year, with the fund managed under the Foundation's investment policies. The Foundation's largest role is to help "secure the future of our church ... reaching out many years into the future," through estate planning that includes the church as a beneficiary of life insurance, property, IRAs, 401K accounts, securities, cash, or other assets.
Proceeds from the sale of Mountain View's former South Campus have been placed into the Foundation and earmarked for church-planting initiatives now unfolding under the Session's direction.
Getting Connected at MVPC
Visitors can fill out an online connection card or a "Tell Us About You" form, submit a prayer request online, or stop by the Welcome Center on Sunday morning. The MyMVPC portal keeps members connected to group sign-ups, giving, and church directory functions. Subscribing to the weekly email is the easiest way to keep up with everything from sermon series to small group openings and mission trips.