Our History

Desert Mission United Methodist Church began as an offshoot from Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (PVUMC), a ministry in North Scottsdale/Phoenix, Carefree, Cave Creek on Easter Sunday, 1997. A Sunrise Service at El Pedregal, a local shopping center, was attended by 350 people. The decision was made to follow-up with a Sunday morning, 7:30 a.m. service on the first Sunday of June. In September of 1997, PVUMC began holding services at El Pedregal on the first Sunday of each month. 

On October 4, 1998 the Paradise Valley United Methodist Church opened a satellite office in Carefree to minister to its growing congregation. Rev. Ken Morrison and Ms. Karen McFarland (both employed by PVUMV) were assigned to lead what would become known as the “Carefree Worship” until 2001.  

The former senior pastor of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church, the Rev. Fred Trevino, is credited with developing the vision for the 1,800 member church sponsoring the outreach.

It became the responsibility of the Rev. Dr. Ken Morrison to carry out the logistics of the new church start. 

The incorporation date of what would become Desert Mission United Methodist Church is March 6, 2001. On July 1, 2001, after the departure of Pastor Ken and Karen, Pastor Doug Handlong became the first appointed Pastor of Desert Mission. Early founders included Rick and Mary Anne Allen, Karen McFarland, Henry and Marie Wall and Brian and Lisa Jungman-Kloft. Eventually, church services moved from El Pedregal to Century Bank’s community room, to Desert Arroyo Middle School, then to Christ’s Church and later to Bella Vista Private School in Cave Creek. Desert Mission United Methodist Church was chartered in the fall of 2004.  

A 17.6 acre parcel of land was purchased on the southeast corner of Dixileta and Scottsdale Road for construction of a new church building at 7373 East Dixileta, Scottsdale, Arizona. The construction of our church was completed in 2008 and the first service was held in June 2008.