Our History

Song of Life began in July, 2000, when founding pastor Rev. Candace Lansberry was appointed by the Desert Southwest Conference of The United Methodist Church to begin a new faith community in the East Valley region, near Queen Creek.

With help from First United Methodist Church of Gilbert and St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Mesa, people interested in developing a new form of faith community - a contemporary expression of the Church of Jesus Christ - gathered gathered for the first time at Williams Field, and soon began several small groups meeting in peoples' homes. Song of Life chose its name at one of these group meetings, during a celebrative singing of the hymn “Joyful, Joyful.” The final line of the hymn reads:

Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music leads us sunward, in the triumph song of life.

To this day, the song “Joyful, Joyful” remains a song close to the heart of many members at Song of Life!

Song of Life held its first worship service on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001 in an elementary school in Mesa. Over 90 individuals attended that first service! For several months Song of Life continued to hold a single monthly worship service, with emphasis being place on small groups meeting in people’s homes. Song of Life began weekly worship during Advent, 2001.

In 2004, after meeting in several schools over the years, Song of Life was promised 10 acres of land at the corner of Sossaman and Queen Creek Roads. We began meeting at Cortina Elementary School - within the community immediately adjacent to this future property - in 2006.

Our current pastor, Rev. Ron V. Bartlow, was appointed as our spiritual leader beginning July 1, 2006