By Pastor Mark Hopper

Gordon MacDonald started a new church in Tucson, Arizona in the early 1960’s. Although he worked full-time at the Hughes Aircraft Company, he also worked part-time as a pastor.  He and his family launched a new church in the garage of their home on the southwest side of Tucson.

Gordon had a shepherd’s heart and a love for Christ.  He had a warm smile and bubbled with enthusiasm.  He saw that this new community needed a church and he set out to meet that need.

Gordon and his wife and their children passed out invitations in their neighborhoods. They also mailed postcards to several hundred homes.  A handful of people came.  Gradually the group grew and a church blossomed into existence.  They called it Chapel In The Hills.

When they outgrew the garage, they began to meet at the local elementary school.  As the church grew, they purchased a piece of property and constructed a small church building.

Unfortunately, Hughes Aircraft lost a big government contract and a number of employees lost their jobs.  Gordon was able to find a new job with Texas Instruments and moved his family to Dallas.

Chapel in the Hills had several other pastors during the next few years.  Pastor Gail Bender served in a part-time role for several years hoping they would find a younger pastor to come and lead the church.

I graduated from Dallas Theolgical Seminary in 1975 and I was looking for a church to pastor.  About the same time, Chapel in the Hills in Tucson was looking for a new pastor!

Gordan contacted the Seminary placement office and was given the names of several prospective candidates including mine.

On a hot summer day in 1975, Gordan came to our little apartment in Dallas and asked if I would consider coming to Tucson to serve as the first full-time pastor of Chapel in the Hills.

After visiting the church and meeting the people, we agreed to come and serve there.  That began a 13 year journey for our family.  Three of our four children were born in Tucson.  We made many friends and loved serving at Chapel in the Hills.

The church that Gordan started continued to grow.  In the 1980’s we constructed two additional buildings and remodeled the original one.  Attendance increased and a preschool was launched at the church.

When the church celebrated its 40th anniversary, Gordan was invited to come back to see the church he started.  He expressed his thanks to God and to everyone who was attending the church.  He gave all of the credit to God and he was thankful to have been part of this amazing adventure.

Recently, we learned that Gordan had died.  He was in his 90’s.  His faith in Christ and love for people had never faded.  Although his earthly life was over, the church that he started is alive and well.

The Apostle Paul wrote about his own life in II Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. These words could describe Gordan MacDonald as well.  Gordan’s faith and vision still impact people today through the church he started over 50 years ago.

Have you thought about the legacy that you will leave behind when you die?  What lives have you touched?  Where have you invested your time and energy?  Will generations express their thanks for the things you have done?

I am thankful for a man named Gordan MacDonald and what he started over 50 years ago.  His legacy lives on.

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd.  Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.  For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit Efreedb.org.