Cornerstone Family Church waves goodbye to its longest-serving pastor when it celebrates his retirement Sunday, June 29, at 10 a.m.

Cornerstone Family Church invites the community to attend the celebration of Pastor Tony Pierce.

Lunch will be provided by Renner’s BBQ.

Journey of ministry

Pastor Pierce was born in Wickenburg and grew up in Chandler. He was raised by his parents who were faithful followers of Christ and they attended First Baptist Church of Chandler.

At age 16, Pierce trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord, and a year later he surrendered to the Gospel ministry.

He graduated from Chandler High School in 1976 and later that year, on his 18th birthday, he started his journey in the U.S. Army where he served as a military policeman in Japan.

After the service, Pierce was licensed to the Gospel ministry by First Baptist Church Chandler in February 1980, and then went to Wayland Baptist University to prepare for the ministry.

It was there he met and married Teresa Shannon.

Tony and Teresa began their ministry as minister of youth and education at Parkview Baptist Church of Plainview, Texas. Tony was ordained to the Gospel ministry in September, 1982. It was also there that their son Drew was born in April of 1983.

After graduation, the Pierce’s moved to Arizona to begin their lifelong ministry in Arizona churches.

Tony worked for approximately six months as youth and education minister at McQueen Road Baptist Church in Chandler before being called to Pima Street Baptist Church in Tucson in 1984 in the same role.

It was in Tucson, in June of 1985,  that the Lord blessed the Pierces with their daughter, Shiloh.

After just over a year as youth and education minister, Tony was called to be the pastor of Pima Street Baptist Church. Then, in 1990, First Baptist Church of San Manuel Arizona called Tony to be their pastor. In 1992, Tony and Teresa moved to East Mesa where they lived for 14 years and Tony served as pastor of Skyline Fellowship (Calvary Southern Baptist Church).

In April of 2006, Cornerstone Family Church, formerly First Baptist Church of Fountain Hills, called Tony as senior pastor, where Tony and Teresa served for over 19 years until Tony’s retirement this month.

“During the journey the Lord has blessed our family by adding our daughter-in-law Kathy, and our son-in-law David along with four of the most wonderful grandchildren ever, Owen, Riley, Avery, and Olive,” wrote Tony. “The Lord has been so good to us in allowing us to serve in loving churches through the years. We have been blessed beyond measure.”

Pastor Tony said he is grateful for all the people who have been part of the ministry that God graced him with; a ministry that started by being licensed by First Baptist Church Chandler over 45 years ago and comes to its completion at Cornerstone Family Church Fountain Hills.

Rest assured, though the “formal” ministry ends for Pastor Tony and Teresa, the call to share the Gospel and disciple continues.

“Teresa and I are blessed beyond measure with our loving family, our close friends, our wonderful church families and all the incredible people we have met throughout the years,” he said.

Cornerstone Family Church is located at 10215 N. Saguaro Blvd. For more information, call 480-837-3374 or visit cfcfh.org.