About Us

Palo Cristi is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). We are also a diverse community of believers from all walks of life. We are male and female, old and young, rich and poor, healthy and ill, traditional, and progressive, straight, lesbian, gay, White, Black, Latino, Asian, dull, and funny. We are all bound together into one community by the love of God and a desire to serve God in the way that Jesus showed us.

History

In June, 1983, Camelback and Sunrise Presbyterian Churches began to share facilities, program, and staff. Though each congregation maintained its own worship service and identity, the churches came together to do significant work, including outreach to Central American refugees, construction of a medical clinic in Southern Mexico, Christian Education programs for all ages, and shared fellowship events.

In the spring of 1987, a plan to dissolve Camelback and Sunrise Presbyterian Churches, and to form a new church, was presented to the respective congregations. On Sunday, June 21, 1987, at 10:00 AM, the Presbytery of Grand Canyon held a “Service of Organization,” and the new congregation was born: Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church.