Sahuarita church to construct first building

The Santa Cruz Valley United Methodist Church in Sahuarita, a growing congregation looking to build a permanent home, officially has received the financial commitment needed to get the ball rolling, said Pastor Brian Osborn.

By the end of this year, construction should begin on their 6.5-acre plot near the northwest corner of Sahuarita Road and La Villita Road, he said.

“We’re happy that we’ll be right in the heart of the community,” said Osborn, pointing out nearby Rancho Sahuarita, Sahuarita High School and the new Town Council building. “The final piece of the puzzle is a church.”

The seeds of the Santa Cruz Valley Church were planted in 1999 when a “fourth service” of the Green Valley Community Church began meeting at the Santa Rita Springs Recreation Center, with hopes of starting a new congregation focused on inter-generational outreach. Osborn was appointed pastor in 2000, and since that time services have been held in the gym of the Sahuarita Primary School.

The congregation’s more than 200 church members and regular attendees have been encouraged to get involved with the process of securing a physical church home, what Osborn calls the congregation’s “journey of faith.”

“Every member of the church has chosen a stone that will be worked into the foundation of the building,” said Vern Butler, chairman of the 30-member development team in charge of planning the new structure. The practice is scripturally based, said Butler, and comes from Chapter 4 of the book of Joshua, which tells of the Israelites crossing the River Jordan after having wandered 40 years in the desert, and building an altar to God with 12 stones taken from the river, each one representing a tribe of Israel.

“A church home is made by its members — each one is an integral part of our community,” he said.

The kids of Santa Cruz Valley’s booming youth program were especially excited to choose their stones, said Osborn, and are actively engaged in the “journey of faith,” filling up their church-shaped piggy banks made in Sunday school, even making presentations to the congregation expressing their “hopes and dreams” for the church.

The first structure will be a multi-purpose building that serves as a sanctuary and an event-space, though long-term plans to add two more buildings to the campus are set for the next 10 years, he said.

The church is still in the early planning stages, said Osborn, and funding from different agencies — including the United Methodist Development Fund — is being finalized.

“The congregation is ready for this, and we’re thankful to be able to take this next step,” he said.

Information: Call 331-2450 or visit www.santacruzvalleychurch.org.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726