Sun Lakes United Methodist Church
Clergy - July 2009

 Senior Pastor: Jim O'Neal
Associate Pastor: Don Bommarito
Associate Pastor: Steve Holec

Rev. James O'Neal was appointed to the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church as the Senior Pastor on July 1, 2006.  Primary responsibilities include preaching, administration, leadership development and visioning for the future. Prior to Sun Lakes Rev. O'Neal was the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Glendale where the Church reached out with a variety of programs to help the working poor and the homeless.  Before that Rev. Jim served the North Scottsdale United Methodist Church which grew from around 200 members to over 600 members during his nine years there.  During that time Rev. O'Neal served as an officer on our Conference Committee on Congregational Development.   Other Churches have included:  The new Church at Fountain Hills where Jim was the organizing Pastor, Calvary UMC in Maryvale, and Willcox UMC. in southeastern Arizona.  Rev. O'Neal, also, served, when he first came out of seminary, as an Associate Pastor at Trinity UMC in Phoenix. During that time he led many camps and was our Annual Conference's first Conference Youth COrdinator. Rev. O'Neal has always been active in Church.  His parents took him and his siblings as children to Creighton United Methodist Church in Phoenix.  His parents are still members there.  Jim was active in the local Church Youth Group and in the District.  His parents and other significant adults witnessed their faith to him since childhood.  As a child, Rev. O'Neal expressed that he had a deep trust in God.  Later as a teen he went through those years of rebellion, but on a retreat to Camp Mingus had a strong and life changing encounter with Jesus and claimed the faith of his family as his own.   Jim met Christine Bazzill on a Methodist Youth Fellowship hay ride at South Mountain while they were both in High School.  They were married on January 24, 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona.   Rev. Jim and Chris are both native Arizonans.  And in fact Rev. O'Neal is a third generation Arizonan on his mother's side of the family.  Jim attended Lafayette and Ingleside Elementary Schools.  He went to Arcadia High School.  Jim attended college at Arizona State University and graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design from the College of Engineering.  Jim is, also, a third generation graduate of ASU.  Aunt Jane graduated from the Teacher's Normal at Tempe, and his parents from ASC. Between Rev. Jim's junior and senior years at college, he finally gave up the battle that had been going on for many years in his heart and answered God's call to go into the ministry.  He went to Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1975. Jim and Chris have four grown children:  Julie lives in Nashville, Tennessee and works for the National Division of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship in the new Young Adult Division.  Jason lives in Queen Creek and is married to Joely.  Jason works several jobs and is attending college.  Matthew lives and works in Phoenix.  And Sarah attends ASU West and lives in a dorm on campus.  The O'Neal children are a beautiful study in diversity.  Three of them are adopted.  Julie was born in Seoul, Korea and is of Korean ancestry.  Jason was a local adoption of mixed race.  Matthew came from Dallas, Texas and is black-white in his heritage.  Sarah is the biological child, and thus is Scottish, Irish, English, Welch, German and Dutch in ancestry.   Rev. Jim and his wife Chris live just east of the Church in Cooper Commons.  Chris' mother Berneece Bazzill lives with them, and also attends Sun Lakes UMC. 

Rev. Jim O'Neal brings to our Church over thirty years of ministerial experience.  He has touched our hearts with his preaching and continues to encourage us to be a Church committed to mission and outreach.  He and his family have enjoyed the warm reception given to them by the people of Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.  If youO're lOking for a warm and welcoming Church home, he encourages you to visit Sun Lakes UMC.

Rev. Don Bommarito, Associate Pastor

Rev. Donald C. Bommarito was appointed to Sun Lakes United Methodist Church as a retired, part-time pastor July 1, 2009. His responsibilities include Church Growth, Stephen Ministry, Hospital Visitation, teaching an occasional Bible Study, Assisting in Worship, Preaching at the Saturday evening Chapel Services and preaching occasionally on Sunday.

Don, as he prefers to be called, recently was the Director of Church Growth at Lakeview United Methodist Church for 5 years. He has served 8 churches in Indiana, Illinois, California and Arizona. Was the founding pastor of Mission Bell United Methodist Church.

He is a retired member of the California-Pacific Conference where he served as Associate Council Director for Congregational Development, Evangelism, Religion and Race, and Shared Facilities. Don graduated from Manchester College with a B.S. degree in Sociology and History, received his Master of Divinity degree from Evangelical Theological Seminary.

He has four children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Rev. Steve Holec , Associate Pastor

Steven L. Holec is 56 years of age, born to parents Mary Ann and Milton Holec in Savannah, Georgia on February 21 st, 1953. Steve is married and has no children. Steve and his wife LuAnn make their home in Gold Canyon, Arizona where they have lived since 1997. They are formerly from Awautukee, Arizona.

As a member of Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, Steve is active in the local churchO's Stephen Ministry and has served in a certified leadership capacity for about five years. He is also a certified lay speaker, serves on the pastors worship committee, and is a member-at-large on the administrative council. Additionally, Steve is active in a variety of volunteer ministries such as the alzheimer support group. He has received training in hospice care and occasionally facilitates discussion groups on the subject of end of life issues and care giving.

Over the last 7 years, Steve has been heavily involved in pastoral care and visitation, acting as a volunteer assisting the staff Minister of Pastoral Care, Rev. Hu Rhymes. Steve lends his assistance while the pastoral staff take scheduled vacations, are absent due to illness, or when the work load dictates the need for additional help.

Steve entered the candidacy process in June 2003. He attended Local Pastor Licensing School at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado in August 2004. As a certified candidate, Steve is a 5th year student enrolled in Course of Study at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri.