Pastor Joe was born in Fresno, CA and served in the Army from 1963 to 1966. Following his discharge from the service, he entered Pacific Lutheran University as a pre-law major and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and American History.

After working in business for a couple of years, Pastor Joe felt the call of God to the pastoral ministry and entered Luther Seminary in 1972. That same year he met Paula Gunovich in Tacoma; they were married the following year. The Dillons have two children, Ryan, an aspiring actor, who works and attends California State University at Northridge and Chandra, a 1998 PLU graduate, who works as the franchise trainer for Martin Henry Coffee Company in the Tacoma area. Paula, a cardiac catheterization technologist, works at Phoenix Baptist Hospital. Pastor Joe and Paula enjoy their family, travel and hiking.

Ordained on August 10, 1976, Pastor Joe has served parishes in Anaconda and Billings MT and Auburn, WA. From 1985 to 1988 he served as associate pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Auburn, WA; in 1988 he was called as the senior pastor of Messiah.

Pastor Joe and Paula Dillon arrived at All Saints deep in the heart of Advent, 2002. Their arrival represented the culmination of a 16-month search for a new senior pastor. The post was previously held by the current Grand Canyon Synod Bishop, Michael Neils.

Email Pastor Dillon at: jdillon@allsaintsphoenix.org.

Back

Shari grew up in Brooklyn Park, MN.  After 18 years of freezing cold winters and warm summers by the lake, she headed to college at Northern Arizona University.
Of all her experiences at college, her most profound memories come from her experience on a study-abroad semester in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and her experience in Lutheran Campus Ministry.  In December of 1998, Shari graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Spanish. 
Before any decisions were made to pursue further education, Shari served as a camp counselor in Danbury Wisconsin, and then moved to Miami, Florida to serve as a Young Adult Volunteer for the Presbyterian Church USA.  In Miami, she served as Youth Director of Friendship Presbyterian Church.  These experiences affirmed her sense of call to Ordained Ministry in the ELCA, and by the fall of 2000, Shari was headed for Berkeley, California to pursue a Master of Divinity at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.  After three years of studies, and a wedding on January 18, 2003, Shari and her new husband James Bernau moved to Phoenix for an internship at Grace Lutheran Church in downtown Phoenix.  Meanwhile, James was able to transfer as a store manager of Smart & Final Co.
Her internship at Grace confirmed her sense of call to do Youth Ministry, and that is what led Shari to interview and be hired to serve as the Director of Youth Ministries at All Saints.
Pastor Shari was ordained to the Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament on February 4, 2005, and now servesAll Saints as Pastor of Youth and Family Ministries.

Email Shari Bernau at sbernau@allsaintsphoenix.org    Back

Shari Clark grew up in a Christian home. Her mother was the Education Director in a Methodist church for many years and later became a Diaconal Minister. She has been married to Perry for 22 years, and they have two boys, Rob (19) and Eric (15).

Shari has been called to serve in the church for many years. She worked for a Methodist church in California for 6 years before moving to Arizona and accepting a position here at All Saints. For 14 years, she has been "The Boss," responsible for day-to-day office operations and the taming & management of pastors and other staff.

Email Shari Clark at: sharic@allsaintsphoenix.org.     Back

As All Saints' Secretary, Christy Wirsig creates the weekly and monthly publications of the parish and works beside Shari, Bonnie, and Teresa in all of the day-to-day office activities.

A busy mother of four to Samantha, Skyler, Sierra and Sydney, Christy says that the All Saints Office "is where I actually get to spend time in one place"!! All of the kids have their own interests, so Mom's Taxi is always running! Born and raised in the Show Me State, Christy has been married to Mike since 1984. They have made Arizona their home since 1992.

Members of All Saints since May 1999, Christy & Mike are on the Confirmation Team serving as a Teacher and Shepherd. When she has time, Christy enjoys scrapbooking, stamping and crafts of all kinds. Most of all, she treasures opportunities to travel and spend time with her family.

Email Christy Wirsig at: cwirsig@allsaintsphoenix.org.   Back

All Saints' Music Director Jerry Gunderson grew up in the rural Minnesota town of Hoffman, where his high school graduating class of 33 students was one of the "big classes"! Jerry earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN  and "got hitched" to a delightful and talented pastor's daughter from Montana. Jerry and Karin spent 10 years in Minneapolis, where they served Redeemer Lutheran Church as Music Directors.

Jerry has served as All Saints' Music Director since 1993. He supervises All Saints' entire music program, and serves as organist, pianist, vocalist, Sanctuary Choir director, handbell choir director, and youth choirs accompanist and assistant. He also plans hymns and liturgy, schedules choirs, soloists and instrumentalists, writes music and works with the Worship and Building Teams.

Jerry is active in the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and was elected Region IV (Western US) President in 2002. When he's not busy with music, he does some cooking, spends time with the kids, and (not often enough) enjoys an occasional round of golf. 
 
Wife Karin works for Hospice of the Valley, ministering to patients by playing harp and singing, and the "heavenly" stories and music from this ministry have led to a new CD featuring Karin and Jerry Gunderson (www.heavenlyharp.org).  Karin also teaches private piano and flute lessons, and directs All Saints' annual Summer Arts Camp.  Daughter Joy is musically inclined - she performs regularly as a harpist, and she also sings and plays flute and piano. Son Ryan is interested in music, movies, animals, and anything that flies, and actually got to fly a plane at age 4!

Email Maestro Gunderson at: jgunderson@allsaintsphoenix.org.    Back

An Arizona native, Rendy lived in Tucson until marrying  Scott and moving to Phoenix in 1990. Scott and Rendy have two sons, Rich and Michael.

All Saints has been the Horners' church home since 1993. Rendy began serving in the church nursery in Sept. of 1994. A gifted organizer and planner, Rendy was asked to direct VBS in the summer of 1994 and has been actively involved in the children's program ever since. This long-time volunteer joined the staff as Director of Children's Ministries in 1998. Rendy is now the director of Sunday School and MOPS.

The MOPS program helps nurture mothers of preschoolers and give them a well deserved time with other moms and mentors while their children are cared for by wonderful "grandma...and grandpa" volunteers. MOPS stemmed from our previous program Moms & Tots and because of the dedication of a handful of young mothers this "new" program to All Saints is now flourishing.

Because her direction of Sunday School is "behind the scenes" Rendy offers her volunteer time with the ARTS program and other children's events in addition to Altar Guilde.

Rendy says, "I love being with kids I enjoy helping teens and caring adults interact and spend time together with the children of All Saints." This inter-generational interplay occurs through All Saints' many children's programs, including: Disciples' Workshop Sunday School, Little Saints Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School. "My passion is helping children discover God's love for them through Jesus and the adults who worship here at All Saints," notes Rendy. "I am so blessed to have the privilege of serving God in this manner."

If you would like to get involved in Sunday School or MOPS, call Rendy and she'll find a niche for you!

Email Rendy at rendyh@allsaintsphoenix.org      Back

Bobbie has been a member of All Saints since its beginning, joining with her parents while the congregation was worshipping in the Lookout Mountain school cafeteria. Since then, Bobbie has served on the Church Council, as an usher captain, and as Chair of the Sharing and Evangelism teams. In addition, she has taught Sunday School and headed up the annual Angel Tree project.

In August, 2000, Bobbie joined the All Saints staff. She considers her staff position at All Saints too much fun to call work. She is responsible for the milestone or baptismal program known as Living the Promise, helping children and parents grow in faith together. In addition, Bobbie helps Rendy Horner with "behind the scenes" work for Sunday School including preparation of materials and teacher training.

Bobbie strives to live the promise in daily life and to help her husband and daughters, ages 10 and 13, to do the same.

Email Bobbie at btomasek@allsaintsphoenix.org    Back

Maritta has been a member of All Saints since February, 1996. She and her husband Jim moved to Phoenix from the northwest Chicago suburbs in 1995. She considers her hometown to be Springfield, Ohio and was confirmed at Fifth Lutheran Church of Springfield.

Email Maritta at mfink@allsaintsphoenix.org

 

Back

Gina joined the staff of All Saints initially as a Communications Consultant in 2004 facilitating the Capital Appeal Campaign for the Building Program. In 2005, Gina’s role expanded beyond the building program to become the Director of Communications and Evangelism and was invited to officially join the staff in 2006. After an extended career in the technology field specializing in marketing, communications and technical education for companies including IBM, Gina felt called to utilize her expertise within the church. This would grow into a mission of intentional and proactive focus on God’s great commission to the church in Matthew 28:19   "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”.

Originally from Minnesota, Gina joined All Saints with her family in 1986. In July of that year she met her future husband Kerwin while playing on the All Saints Co-Ed Softball Team. The team came in second place in the league that year after a hard fought championship game between All Saints and Bethel Lutheran in which Gina broker her ankle while playing 3rd base, it was a memorable season! Gina and Kerwin (both life-long Lutherans) were married at All Saints in 1994 and have 1 son, Joshua Paul. The family enjoys quading and camping in the beautiful Arizona mountains whenever possible.

Gina directs the church’s evangelism, growth and hospitality efforts, church websites, overall marketing, advertising and other communications. Gina is one of the developers and leaders of the Discovery Program as well as a member of the Building Team. In addition to these activities, Gina also enjoys participating in music ministries at All Saints and co-Directing the annual Arts Camp summer program for kids and teens which began in 1994.

Daniel Morrison, who joined the staff in December, 2002, also serves as the Controller at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church. Previously, Dan was employed as the Finance Manager for a privately held business in Phoenix. His professional career began with three years in public accounting at a firm located near Detroit, MI. Dan is a 1983 graduate of Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration, from which he earned a Bachelor of Accountancy degree. He is a licensed CPA in Arizona and Michigan.

Dan and his wife Sharon moved to Arizona in 1986. They are very active in their church's Baptism and Eucharistic Ministry programs and regularly volunteer for social events. Both "Cradle Catholics," Dan and Sharon try to instill love for the Holy Trinity in their two sons, Adam Daniel (13) and Paul Andrew (7) (or "Old Testament" and "New Testament" as their pastor calls them!). Adam and Paul attend Ss. Simon & Jude School. Both children enjoy sports. Adam is also active as an Alter Server, Boy Scout (Paul can't wait for his first year of Cub Scouts this fall) and volunteer at church. 

Back