Our History

The Classis of California organized its first church in Arizona in Phoenix in 1950, and it became Longview Reformed Church. The consistory of that church reported that many Reformed Church people were moving into Tucson. On April 7, 1953, land was purchased for the church and a parsonage was purchased to house the summer seminarian sent to call on families in the area. In May 1953, the Classis Extension Committee visited Tucson. They met interested people and helped by paying a deposit on a two-acre site on East Winsett Street. That summer Mr. Raymond Weiss, a student at Western Theological Seminary, performed missionary duties. He visited people who desired a new church.

The plan was to hold services in the parsonage until a sanctuary was built, but neighbors requested that the parsonage not be used for worship services. Later that week, an art gallery offered its space to conduct worship services at the Kay Bonfoey Studio and Gallery on South Swan Road. As the congregation grew, they needed to move into a larger space and started meeting at Bonillas Elementary School.

In a classis meeting on August 4, 1953, a call was extended to Dr. Henry Beltman to serve as founding pastor of the Tucson Reformed Church. He accepted the call. The Beltmans arrived in Tucson in late October, hoping to serve the community, to create a congregation that would proliferate, and to create a church that would become self-sustaining. The church was organized as Dr. Beltman approached his 60th birthday. A ground breaking ceremony took place on May 30, 1954, to build our sanctuary, fellowship hall and kitchen. The initial charter group included only thirty-three communicants and eight baptized members. In the mid 1950's, our church included a large percentage of members who had no Dutch or Reformed background!

In 1958, the first organ was purchased and installed. Years 1960 to 1961 marked a high point in the early life of the church, with 90 families and 235 communicant members. Dr. Beltman served the Tucson Reformed Church for 10 years, fulfilling his initial goals.

From 1960 to 1968, the pastor's study, consistory room, now the Music Building, and Chapel were built. The Chapel was named in honor of Dr. Beltman. Dr. Beltman retired in 1965. He served several churches as supply pastor before moving his ministry to the Crystal Cathedral. Dr. Beltman was the uncle of Dr. Robert Schuller. (Dr. Schuller, an RCA minister, is well known for the Hour of Power program and founder of the Crystal Cathedral.) Dr. Beltman is buried on the grounds of the Crystal Cathedral.

Rev. Spencer De Jong was called to serve Tucson Reformed Church. Rev. De Jong brought a zeal for missions and evangelistic outreach to the congregation. Rev. De Jong resigned to accept a position with World Vision.

Until the calling of a minister, Rev. Erich Pfundt served as interim pastor. Rev. Pfundt was a retired minister. He worked hard to continue ministering to the congregation and to bring forth church growth.

In August 1967, Rev. Lloyd Menning was called. Emphasis was placed on physical and spiritual improvement. Construction on the west side of the Sanctuary was completed in the fall of 1969, and a second organ was purchased. He worked to restore spiritual enthusiasm among the members. Mission giving increased. Rev. Menning accepted a call to serve a struggling church in Des Moines, Iowa.

Rev. Robert Spencer was installed as the pastor in 1973. Rev. Spencer had served churches in New York and Florida and brought a particular zeal for Christian witness. Early in 1973, 50-60 members joined the Fifty Days of Pentecost program to study the work of the Holy Spirit. The Lamplighter, our congregational newsletter, was introduced and began appearing on a monthly basis. In the fall of 1973, another 50+ members took part in a city-wide Lay Institute for Evangelism conducted by Campus Crusade for Christ staff members. Each week an ambitious Youth Club program offered Bible study, singing, crafts and recreation for children from first through eighth grade. The church stood in full vigor with 120 families and 250 active communicant members and looked ahead to greater service and commitment to Christ's work. Rev. Spencer accepted a call to Rochester, New York, in December of 1975.

Rev. Alan Rice was called to serve Tucson Reformed Church. Rev. Rice had served as an assistant pastor to a church in Michigan. He and his family enriched the worship service with their musical abilities. Rev. Rice left Tucson Reformed to accept a professorship in Pennsylvania.

In 1980, Rev. Edwin Parsil was called to serve the church. Rev. Parsil re-established the Lamplighter which still appears on a regular basis. His wife, Anita, was instrumental in bringing children and music together in praise productions. Pastor Ed was instrumental in the Classis Youth Summer Camp program in Arizona. Pastor Ed gave special attention in caring for the sick and elderly. He faithfully called on them and followed up with new visitors. Rev. Parsil retired in 1992.

While the search committee sought to call a minister, Rev. Fred Doidge served as interim pastor. He conducted worship services as the Consistory, under supervision of Classis, took care of church operations, and the congregation.

A call was extended to Judith Marvel in the summer of 1993. She was ordained and installed by the Classis of the Southwest at Tucson Reformed Church, her first church. The parsonage was sold.

The Youth Education building was dedicated as the Gosselink Building and a mural was designed and drawn by Keri (Auvil) Stahlman in memory of David Pitts, child of Bill and Susan Pitts. Emphasis was placed on children's ministries. TRC (Truly Remarkable Children), an after school and summer program for elementary age children, was born. With development of the Williams Center one block east of the church and the changing of the neighborhood, the Consistory investigated changing the name of Tucson Reformed Church. On April 6, 1998, the church became Rosemont Community Church.

In November 1999, an arson fire started outside the storage building and caused major damage to the office and library buildings.

During this time, Rev. Don Jansma came to Pastor Judy's rescue and coordinated the rebuilding projects. He also served as an associate pastor during this period.

Mission groups from the Crystal Cathedral, from churches in Washingtion, Iowa, and Michigan, and others came to the aid of repairing the building. The Beltman Chapel was remodeled with a kitchen area to serve the after-school program. Later, a toddler ministry, POLO (Parents Of Little Ones) was created to assist students who are young parents of little ones. The Beltman Chapel went through more remodeling to house that program. The children's ministries are under the direction of a separate Board of Directors.

In March 2000, Jana Marvel took an assignment as a short-term RCA missionary associate and served in Japan for four years. Jake Marvel was ordained at Rosemont in June of 2001. In March 2004, the congregation was again blessed to witness an ordination -- this time of Jud Marvel.

In the summer of 2004, a new children's program was created under the umbrella of the POLO. LAPS (Little Angels' Play School) caters to children ages 3 to 5 years, and stresses a Christian learning environment.

The congregation's children collected pennies to buy goats through the RCA World Service Give-A-Goat project.

We celebrate the life of the church, we were so excited about our 50th Anniversary and want to give special thanks to God's annointed who came and were part of our congregation through the years. There were special articles in the Lamplighter, to highlight the lives of retired pastors and missionaries.

Our Pastor, from September 1, 2008 to August 15, 2010 was Rev. David Klanderman. Pastor David (or PD) revitalized the congregation and we brought in over 10 new members during his short time here.

PD brought a dynamic preaching style to Rosemont that involved members of the congregation and our choir in the worship services. There are videos of some services on our video page.

Tucson Reformed Church History - 1953 to 1974

The Tucson Reformed Church History - 1953 to 1974 is a Portable Document Format (.pdf) document.
If you do not have a PDF reader, download a free one by clicking on either of these two links:

The webmaster was given this copy of the early history of Tucson Reformed Church (later to become Rosemont Community Church) on January 1, 2011. The original was scanned to create the .pdf document.