Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church is soon celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Its founding pastor, Glenn A. Atchinson, made his first visit to Arizona in 1972 in order to perform the wedding of his brother Tony Atchinson and bride Sally Ballee, according to a press release written by FHPC elder and longtime Fountain Hills resident Jackie Miles.

Sally Ballee and her two children were the first permanent residents to move to Fountain Hills, Miles said in a press release.

According to Miles, Atchinson then moved to Apache Junction where he worked with youth and young families at the John Calvin Presbyterian Church.

Atchinson made a request to the Presbytery of Grand Canyon that he be allowed to spend time in the new community of Fountain Hills to see if a new congregation could be started there, Miles said in the release.

In 1974, Atchinson was allowed three months to do so with the promise that if the result were positive, he would be allowed to be interviewed for the position of pastor there.

“After talking to people in restaurants and businesses, in February, he met with 12 people in the home of Dick and Joyce Hartley where all twelve committed to help Atchinson if the Presbytery approved,” Miles said. “The Presbytery allotted $18,000 for the project and hired Atchinson as New Church Development Pastor.”

However, no buildings were available for a meeting place, Miles said. So, Tom Colosimo, the owner of Little John’s bar and restaurant, agreed to let them meet in his building on Sunday mornings rent-free and including coffee, Miles said in her press release.

“Sixty people were at the first service on March 31, 1974,” Miles said. “The congregation was seated at tables of four or eight, Standard hymns and newer contemporary music were played from tape recordings, and worshipers sang from song sheets. The space where Little John’s was located is now occupied by The Candle Shop (Put a Handle on your Candle).”

By September of that same year, there were too many people attending Sunday services to continue meeting in the space, so a lease was obtained for the use of a 2,500-square-foot building at the corner of Enterprise and Panorama Drives, Miles said in her press release.

The building still stands, but has been remodeled, Miles added.

The congregation met there on the first Sunday in October 1974, According to Miles.

That is when Tom Colosimo presented a gift to Atchinson; a bar stool from which he had conducted services in Little John’s, Miles said.

“Today that bar stool is on display at the River of Time Museum,” Miles said in her press release.

In 1974, Glenn Atchinson submitted 63 signatures of charter members to the Presbytery, according to Miles. The legal work involved was thanks to the help of member Tom Wade.

The group’s charter service was held Dec. 1 and members of the first session were elected, including Earl Stavely and Harlan Collins, Miles said.

At that time, there were no debts and there was $616.91 in the General Fund and $198.21 in the Building Fund, according to Miles.

At the 1974 Christmas Eve service, communion was prepared for 90 people, but 130 were in attendance, Miles said.

The front rows broke their bread and passed it back and at the end, there was bread left over, recalled Miles in her press release.

“One of the church’s goals was to be active in developing the community, so in 1975 the church joined the Chamber of Commerce and is still a member,” Miles said in her press release. “Rev. Atchinson was elected president of the chamber in 1979.”

Atchinson’s four siblings donated money in 1977 to purchase a piano in memory of their father.

Today the piano is in the “office” of church music director, Debbie Fisher, Miles said.

“The piano was played by Mary Gillespie and sometimes by Ruth Collins,” she added. “Ralph and Peggy Gunn donated an organ in 1979 that was used in the building on Enterprise Drive.

“It was moved to the new church building in 1983. Barbara Wyman and Margaret Wade took turns playing the organ. Soon a small choir was formed. Mary was director, Barbara was organist and Dorothy Parris sang in the choir and also accompanied on piano.”

The church’s present five-acre site was purchased in 1977 from the Town’s developer for $87,000, according to Miles. This was funded by a $50,000 loan from the General Assembly, a $24,000 loan from the Southwest Synod and $13,000 from the congregation, according to Miles.

The church raised $10,000 in 1979 for a new Allen organ, and Barbara Wyman was the first organist, Miles said. Later, when Wyman became the choir director, Caryl Bates was the organist.

In 1979, a building committee was elected and that same year, an annual outdoor worship service was begun, preceded by a cookout breakfast, Miles said in her press release.

“The annual Congregational Meeting was a very special occasion and was always well attended,” Miles said. “It became an Annual Dinner, and there was enough space to hold it at the old Community Center (now the Community Theater building).”

Growth continued, according to Miles, so the Annual Congregational Dinner was celebrated in November 1981 in the Catholic Church of the Ascension, with the meal prepared and served by the women from Shepard of the Hills Lutheran Church.

Groundbreaking for the Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church building was on Sunday, March 20, 1983, and the sanctuary held its first service on Sunday, Dec. 18, according to Miles.

The congregation hosted a community open house on March 18, 1984. Its dedication service was March 25, 1984.

In 1986, the congregation approved plans for a program center building to house a nursery and classrooms, according to Miles, calling for an associate pastor.

Steven Frazier served as associate pastor from 1988 to 1992, Miles said. Also during this time, the church records were computerized.

The program center and the columbarium were dedicated in 1989, Miles added, the same year the Carillon was installed.

The Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church’s Council of Women’s Ministries was established in 1988, Miles said in her press release. It included bible study, book discussions, a hiking group and a missions committee.

The church celebrated its 17th birthday in 1990 with a pig roast, a talent show and Scottish bagpipers during the worship service, Miles said, and in 1991 a Steinway grand piano was given to the church by winter visitors in honor of the church pianist, Dorothy Parris, a church pianist for 44 consecutive years who also served as pianist for the Ft. McDowell Presbyterian Church.

Associate Pastor Leonard Engstrom served from 1993-1997, according to Miles.

During this time, the congregation celebrated its 20th anniversary, Miles said, making note that additional parking was added to the church along with a new Allen organ which was purchased with a $50,000 gift from a non-member in memory of his sisters.

Additionally, Miles said the children of the church led a Heifer International mission project that raised $8,000.

When Rev. Atchinson retired in 1997, Rev. Gary Kush became the Interim Pastor until the year 2000, according to Miles.

Then Dr. T. Ewen Holmes led the congregation until 2008 while Jane Wilson served as interim associate from 2000-2002 and Rev. Benjamin Keller served as associate pastor from 2002-2004, Miles said. In 2003, Marta Ludwig was hired as administrative coordinator and retired in 2023 after 20 years of service, Miles said.

Rev. Stan Jones was parish associate from 2005 until 2015 and Dr. Paul Soderquist served as interim pastor from 2008 until 2010, Miles added.

Rev. Bill Good was appointed as pastor in 2010 and Rev. Ken Brown served as his associate pastor from 2014 until 2019, Miles said. Good retired in 2022 and is now teaching at Grand Canyon University.

The Rev. Dr. Bob Simmons is currently the FHPC transitional pastor at Fountain Hills Presbyterian and Lisa McFarland has just completed her service as a pastoral intern under his guidance, Miles said.

Rev. Simmons’ wife, Jeanette Simmons, heads the Sunday School program according to Miles.

For questions regarding the church or its programs, the church’s Administrative Coordinator Johannah Fernandez is available Monday through Friday at 480-837-1763.