“My relationship with the church began long before Desert Hills was Desert Hills. My father always told me, ‘Go to church! You can give God one hour of your time!’” Merle began.
“Being from an ELCA church in North Dakota and seeing a need for an ELCA congregation here in Green Valley, my late husband, Paul, and I felt a calling and a passion to bring an ELCA church here,” Merle continued. “We joined alongside 35 like-minded individuals to begin this journey. At first, we gathered at the Green Valley Recreation Desert Hills Center, doing that for several years and having an off-site church office.”
“An important first step was for us to form a committee to search for land for our church building, and that came with many roadblocks and obstacles. Our prayers and God’s direction led us to the site that we are currently on, but our current land was unfortunately federally owned. This was a great barrier to our mission, but God made a way, and we were able to agree on a lease, eventually with that lease converting to a land purchase. This congregation is incredible, as we did not carry that purchase debt long.”
“It has been a blessing seeing how the church has grown from its infancy, watching the building come into being, seeing the changes throughout the years, and witnessing the growth of this congregation full of God’s Grace.”
Since its inception in 1985, Merle has taken an active role in the church. “I sang in the church choir for many years, served on the church council, and became involved in Global Mission. I was one of a handful of ladies who began the Sewing Bee. We had the heart and the drive to help others with our quilts, but the Sewing Bee was also helping us. This is a place where we all feel a sense of accomplishment from working with our hands, but we also have a cherished time of friendship and laughter together. Being part of the Sewing Bee is a source of great joy.”
“Sharing God’s Grace with others has always been very important for Desert Hills and me. I am grateful that our pastors emphasize God’s unfailing Grace. I enjoy the Wednesday Bible Fellowship because the lessons taught by the pastors are Biblical, and they really encourage an open forum for back-and-forth discussion. I appreciate this. Wednesday Bible Fellowship is also a wonderful opportunity for just that, fellowship with others.”
“I am fulfilled in my life knowing that going to church has become a lifetime for me and not an hour.”
We invite you to join us at Desert Hills for an hour or a lifetime.