Staff – Desert Skies United Methodist Church

Rev. Candace Lansberry

Senior Pastor

Lent. Spring. I love this season where new life unfolds, new insights come, and the world just warms up and explodes with color and activity and joy. Lent is that time of preparation where we open our hearts and minds to seeing the world in new ways as we study and reflect on God, God’s world, and our place in it as followers of Jesus Christ. It readies us for the joy of the Resurrection at Easter, where we celebrate who and whose we are. Welcome to the journey!

Reverend Doctor Candace Lansberry is the Senior Pastor at Desert Skies United Methodist Church. She came to the church in 2015 excited about the possibilities for growth and ministry in the northeast part of Tucson. That excitement is fueled by the belief that vital mainline churches are an important part of reaching people of all ages who have been turned off by more extreme expressions of Christianity. The Desert Skies congregation is a vital, service-oriented congregation ready to take on the challenging task of reaching new people for Christ in new ways… and that is Rev. Candace’s passion as well.

Rev. Candace most recently served as a District Superintendent in the North District of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference (Las Vegas area) and prior to that planted two new United Methodist Churches, one in Mesa/Queen Creek and one in Las Vegas. She earned her Master of Divinity Degree at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California where she received the President’s Award for Academic Excellent and her Doctor of Ministry at Drew Theological Seminar in Madison, New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University in Theater and Cinematic Arts.

Candace has been married to Mark, also a United Methodist pastor, for 30 years. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.

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Tammy Concienne

Administrative Assistant

Spring time in the desert is here! The warm rays of the morning sun shining upon my face, the sweet smell in the air of all that is blooming around me, green grass, open windows, evening walks, the weather is not too hot or too cold…it’s just a beautiful time of year! It’s a time to look around and see the beauty of each day…life is alive in everything! Welcome… to the season of renewal.

This time of year brings me feelings of peace, comfort, hope and gratitude for the gift of life I have been given. With Resurrection (Easter) Sunday around the corner, I am ready to celebrate that Jesus is alive and has never-ending love for me! I am ready to rejoice for the blessings that I have been given, and I am ready to reflect on my past, present and future. To everything, there is a season. With every season comes change.

During this season of your life, may the Lord fill your soul with the light of hope and give you a new start to your life…a new beginning! Remember, that HIS resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is given to all who believe in him. Resurrection (Easter) Sunday means HE lives! And, isn’t it great to be ALIVE in the spirit of our savior!

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Dr. Alex “Doc” Shawn

For Dr. Shawn, music is his passion, which extends into his life as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, composer, singer, instrumentalist, and pianist. His conducting experience and abilities encompass choral, orchestral, and wind band literature, with a strong emphasis on interpretation of the music and a keen focus in bringing the music “alive” for his audiences.

Dr. Shawn earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Alaska; a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Calgary, Canada; and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Arizona.

For several years “Doc” combined his talent as a performer and a touring artist for the Artist in Schools Residency Program in Alberta and established a successful musical theatreprogram throughout Western Canada and Alaska. After several years of traveling, he began teaching as a music specialist for the Calgary Board of Education. During this period of time he was also the Conductor and Artistic Director of the Savridi Singers, Calgary’s Premier Women’s Choir, as well as a festival adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician for choirs and bands in and around Western Canada.

In 2006, he was offered a position to teach at the prestigious St. Gregory College Preparatory School in Tucson, Arizona. After seven years of teaching in the private sector, he transferred to the Tucson Unified School District for four years for the opportunity to teach the more under-privileged children in southwest Arizona.

After twenty-five years in the education field, “Doc”, retired from teaching and presently works as the Director of Music and Congregational Care at Desert Skies United Methodist Church in Tucson, Arizona. In June 2019, Dr. Shawn and his choir will be traveling to New York City to perform in Carnegie Hall.

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Scott Jones

“Easter people, raise your voices…” , the opening admonition of the famous hymn by William M. James, is for many Christians as comfortable and predictable a part of the celebration of Easter as baskets full of goodies, coloring eggs, or a traditional feast with family and friends. Less comfortable and predictable is the challenge to live our lives as “Easter people” – to embrace the transformative reality of the resurrection, the empty tomb, our sins forgiven. Proclaiming these truths contained within the hymns and liturgy on Easter Sunday reflects an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual reality that we are called to embody as we live out our everyday lives amidst the often frenetic, technologically driven pace of the second decade of the 21st century, fraught with deterrents and distractions from without and within that challenge our faith. To live out the joy and power of the resurrection as Christ-followers, as a community of faith, we are called to share the great Good News of the resurrection in how we live our lives each day, reflecting the love and forgiveness of Christ in our thoughts, words and actions. In this way, we authentically live our lives as “Easter people”, and in so doing, proclaim the Gospel.

Scott Jones, Music / Worship Leader at our Vail campus, grew up in Gloucester, MA, where he began his musical studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, and a Master of Music Education from Boston University. Prior to joining the staff at Desert Skies, Scott served as Organist / Choir Director at the United Methodist Church in Ipswich, MA, and as Praise Band Director at Christ Church United Methodist here in Tucson, where he and his family have resided for the past ten years.

Verna Mazur

Nursery

Ms. Verna or Grandma Verna, as I’m known in the nursery. In 2016 I was lucky to join the little ones in the nursery on Wednesday evenings, and Sunday mornings. I was looking for part-time work and came across this job by dropping off my grandchildren at ACES. I was handed a fax, came right over and applied. Lucky me!

I so love the kids! They are growing so fast. We’ve gone from diaper and bottle to them leaving me for higher grades. They still stop by to see me. We rock, watch movies, play games, listen to music and tell each other how our week has gone.

I bring gold fish and Teddy Grahams. We do stickers, paint the girls nails, (Miss Katie, Clare and Emma). Weather permitted, we go to the playground. All in all, I LOVE MY KIDS!

Barbara Gutierrez

Custodian

We welcome Barbara Gutierrez, our new custodian, to the staff at Desert Skies. She and her children, Ali, Valeria, Leo and Azul can be seen frequently around the church . . . be sure to say Hi! Or Hola! as the three youngest have just moved here from Mexico! Barbara is passionate about our church . . . and keeping it looking great for the glory of God.

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Rev. Candace Lansberry

Tammy Concienne

Dr. Alex “Doc” Shawn

Scott Jones

Verna Mazur

Barbara Gutierrez

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