Ministering to the spiritual wishes of the town for the past 40 years, Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church is not relying solely on divine intervention to evolve in the next few decades.

Church leaders and the congregation are actively reaching out to diversify relationships.

They will participate in a “Friend and Family Sunday” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at both the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services.

“The congregation has been challenged to reach out and invite their friends,” said the Rev. Bill Good, senior pastor and head of staff.

The 9 a.m. service is a traditional Presbyterian service. The 11:15 a.m. one, named “home by another way,” is casual with as many as 10 young children singing and dancing.

In advance of the church’s 40th anniversary, Good and Rev. Ken Brown, interim pastoral associate for in-reach and outreach ministry, discussed the heritage of the church and its future.

“We’re looking for additional ways to become involved in the community,” said Good. He answered a call to the church in November 2010.

“We’re looking for ways to ensure that this voice for Jesus Christ remains on this hill, that we are financially stable, that we have a demographic base so that we will be able to continue,” said Good.

The membership of 300 expands during the winter when seasonal residents come. A typical Sunday during the winter will have 280 to 290 worshippers and more than 300 in weeks approaching Lent and Easter.

“We want to reach the people who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s because we see that as the future of Fountain Hills and therefore the church,” said Brown.

Statistically, 83 percent of non-churchgoers would attend if someone would invite them, said Brown.

“’Friend and Family Sunday’ speaks volumes about the character and the desire of this church,” said Good. “Among the things we have going for us is our friendliness and openness.”

As two relatively newcomers to the church, both Good and Brown said they were most impressed with the incredibly warmness and genuine hospitability of the congregation.

The second informal Sunday service was introduced about a year and a half ago with the intent to reach a younger, family-oriented segment.

The service followed the hiring of Debbie DeBernardi in September 2011 to promote Christian formation.

“I see us growing into an even more vital relationship with the community around us,” said Good.

“We’ve worked hard in the time that I have been here. It’s not my doing. It’s the particular church family to reach out into the community, to become engaged in the community to be involved as a source for hope in the community.”

Active outreach

The church’s mission is to reach out and help individuals in need through several local projects.

Every Sunday, non-perishable and monetary donations are collected for Extended Hands Food Bank and volunteers assist at the Friday fish dinners.

The church created the Good Samaritan Fund years ago, in conjunction with the Fountain Hills Ministerial Association, from offerings that go directly to assist individuals in need of emergency food, shelter or monetary assistance.

Extended Hands now administers the fund.

Before school resumed in August, school supplies were collected for elementary students. A weekend bag project fills backpacks with food so hungry children will have some sustenance during the weekend.

Second career

After more than 30 years in the home construction industry, Good changed careers.

“I never had any intention of becoming a pastor,” said Good, although his grandfather was a minister.

He was raised in Butler, Pa., a town 35 miles from Pittsburgh and similar in size.

His life as a businessman was interrupted by a call to enroll in Fuller Seminary Southwest in 2002. In 2004 he joined the staff of Mt. View Presbyterian Church as student pastor and director of adult education.

Upon receiving a master of divinity degree, he became interim associate pastor at Mt. View, where he remained for two years until coming to the local church.

Between his wife Tami and him, they have five children. Good has a son and daughter, 27 and 29 years old. She has a son and daughter, aged 15 and 17, and together they have a three-year-old daughter.

The Presbyterian Church office can be contacted by calling (480) 837-1763. The church website is www.fhpresbyterian.info. Good’s contact number is (480) 329-8090 or email fhpc.billg@gmail.com.