They said that it was time for the ELCA to develop a new congregation in the Pinnacle Peak area of Scottsdale, and asked Pastor Selbo to consider the possibility of becoming the developing pastor. After much deliberation, prayer, and conversation, Pastor Selbo accepted the Call from the ELCA to be pastor/developer of this north Scottsdale mission.

In May of 1997, Pastor Selbo resigned his position as pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Phoenix and began as developer. Knocking on thousands of doors, handing out brochures, and issuing invitations were the first orders of business. Much of this was done even before a place of worship was established.

The first worship service was held on Christmas Eve, 1997, with 81 people in attendance. The first Sunday morning worship was on January 3, 1998, with 85 people present, including twenty members of the Prince of Peace choir.

In October of 1998 Living Water moved into Grayhawk elementary school, more centrally located amidst the new housing developments.

The Charter for membership was opened on March 7, 1999, and closed in the year 2000 with a total of 150 names. A strong word of thanksgiving goes out to Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Mt. Olivet was the Mission Founder congregation for Living Water, providing salary support for the first few years in order to help get this new congregation off the ground. A wonderful relationship has been established between these two congregations and we look forward to many more years together. Mission Partner congregations, St. Timothy’s in San Jose, and Prince of Peace in Phoenix, have also provided financial support as needed in these first years. Living Water could not have had its fine beginnings without the support of all these congregations.

We held our first service in our new buildings on Palm Sunday, 2003! The congregation continued to grow and the need arose for the calling of a 2nd pastor. In October of 2005 Pastor Marcia Kifer joined the staff as Associate Pastor, with responsibilities largely tied to the continued development of Youth and Family Ministries. Living Water continues to be a strong and vital community of faith, with an emphasis on reaching out locally and globally in the name of Jesus.