Rev. David M. Devine, Pastor

In 1965, during my junior year at Waipahu High School, Hawaii, I attended a Billy Graham Crusade and accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. Six months later I felt that the Lord called me into ministry, but I refused to accept the call.

Instead, I attended Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Arizona where I majored in Fine Arts and Secondary Education. Later I taught Art and Photography at Ray District High School in Kearny, Arizona for ten years. I also taught similar classes through Central Arizona College and the Arizona College of Technology.

During the time between being called into ministry, finishing high school and college, and working as a teacher in Kearny, Arizona the Lord did not give up on my call into ministry. Finally in 1981, I accepted the Lord’s call to ministry. I left teaching to attend the School of Theology at Claremont, in California.  

Since my graduation from seminary I have served for more than twenty years in various churches.  I have served churches in Winchester and West Los Angeles, California as well as Yuma, Eloy, and Willcox, Arizona and in Las Vegas, Nevada. While serving in Las Vegas the congregation decided to merge with Sunrise Mountain UMC. The new congregation became the Heritage UMC.

Then I was appointed to the Shepherd of the Pines UMC in Overgaard, Arizona. While serving in Overgaard I found my wife Bev on the internet by way of E-Harmony.com. Bev was the Pastor of the Camp Verde UMC at that time. We dated for a year and were married in November of 2004.  We continued to serve our churches and lived separately for eight months before being appointed to two churches in the valley.

I was appointed to Los Arcos UMC in July of 2005.  Bev was appointed in 2006  to serve as an Associate Chaplain to the Beatitudes Campus of Care in Phoenix. Bev has two grown daughters. Jenny is married to Scott and they have two wonderful children, Molly and Nathaniel. They live in Chandler only minutes away.  Jenny is a District Manager for “Baby Signs,” in Arizona.  Julie, her other daughter, lives and works in Long Beach, California.

Pets?

We have three indoor cats or should I say they have us: Little Bit (the smallest and the oldest- 14 years old), Pax (meaning “Peace”) and Grace (or Gracie).

My favorite color?

Blue

My best summer memories are…

Leading four Volunteer In Mission Medical Teams to San Mateo and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala during four summers.  

The best drink in the world is definitely...

A Starbucks hot or iced Carmel Macchiato made with soy milk, venti sized.

If I weren’t at work I would definitely be...

Hanging out with my wife

Bible verses that means the most to me?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

“If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, and behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Favorite thing about being at Los Arcos United Methodist Church….

The amazing people God has gathered in this church to be about the Lord’s work. It is made up of good “salt of the earth” people who live their lives lovingly and caringly.

Mary Anne Boyles, Secretary

I was brought up in church but did not know Jesus as my personal Savior till I was in my thirties. We had a Lay Witness team from another Methodist church come and talk about knowing Christ as a real personal friend and I did not understand what that meant. I had an intellectual knowledge of Christ but not a heart knowledge; as person who loved me and was with me wherever I went and was with me no matter what circumstances I was going through. After accepting Christ, my life and focus was drastically changed and I’m thankful for His presence each day.

I have had many work experiences; as a teacher, day care director, credit manager, school secretary but this position here at Los Arcos has been the most enjoyable.

Although I’m from North Carolina, I have felt at home in Arizona. I love the people at Los Arcos who have been so helpful and supportive while I have been getting settled in Scottsdale.

My most meaningful Bible verses are:

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9

My favorite pastime besides reading is finding a bargain at the Goodwill, thrift store or yard sale.

My most enjoyable fiction author is Dee Henderson who wrote the O’ Malley Series.

My favorite foods Tapioca pudding and dark chocolate.

Jody Topping, Director of Sidewalk Sunday School

I was born in Brazil, Indiana, but moved to Southern California when I was three years old, so I really consider myself a “California Girl” at heart.  I grew up in a middle class suburb of Los Angeles where my family attended the Methodist Church in Tujunga (later Tujunga United Methodist Church).  I was not only baptized and confirmed in that church, but attended both Junior High and Senior High UMYF, and was married there in 1979 as well.  I attended Crescenta Valley High School, got my Bachelor of Arts Degree at California State University, Fullerton, married my husband, David Topping while attending CSUF, then spent a year living in Germany while David studied choral conducting in Frankfurt.  We eventually ended up in Porterville, CA where our two children, Ryan and Erika, were born while he was teaching high school choral music and I was working in the Personnel office of the school district office.  One day, while pregnant with Erika, David announced he wanted to move to Tempe, Arizona to go to graduate school…so we packed up our little family (when Erika was 6 months old) and moved.  The intention was we would be here long enough for David to finish his degrees – the reality is that we’re still here, nearly 19 years later!!  I eventually went back to school and earned a Masters’ Degree in Human Resource Administration, and in 1990 started working for the City of Mesa Human Resources Division, where I am currently the Employee Benefits Administrator.  My responsibilities include managing the City’s health and welfare plans, many of which are self-insured and self-administered.  In order to keep my vocal talents current, I sing in the choir at Los Arcos UMC (where David is the Music Director).

My ministries at Los Arcos UMC include directing Sidewalk Sunday School, which brings me great joy each and every week.  This ministry, which targets underprivileged children in our south Scottsdale neighborhood, strives to bring the Love and Hope of Jesus Christ to children of all ages who might otherwise not know what a joy it is to have Jesus in their lives.  I’m also a certified lay speaker at Los Arcos, which means I can provide love and care to members of our congregation, as well as preach from the pulpit in our pastor’s absence from time to time as needed.  I see this as a stepping stone toward the possibility of entering the ministry sometime in the future…God and I are still having discussions about that!

Family?  Children?  Grandchildren?
Husband David; Son Ryan; Daughter Erika;  No Grandchildren…please, not yet!

Pets?
Daisy (a mixed breed) and Sheba (a Sharpei and who-knows-what-else mix).  Both are high energy, young dogs…like having two little kids again!!

Hobbies or Special Interests…
Scrapbooking and crocheting blankets.

Best summer vacation memory…
Several years ago David and I went to Tahiti with my mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law.  It was one of the best vacations I ever had…no stress!!  One day David and I went bike riding, another we went canoeing…although I still haven’t forgiven him for waking me up early and dragging me out to the beach to watch the sunrise nearly every morning!!

Favorite color…
Almost any shade of blue

Someday I want to…
Retire from my job and do the things I WANT to do instead of the things I HAVE to do!!

Favorite restaurant…
Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant

Most influential person in my life…
My mom…she was not the most educated person in the world, but she had strong values and a firm belief in God that she passed on to her children.

Favorite Christmas Carol
Silent Night, sung in German, by candlelight, accompanied by guitar.

Bible verse that means the most to me…
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  John 15: 13
(This verse was first shared with me when I was in high school by a very dear friend of mine and it has stayed with me all of my life.)