Leadership & Staff

Covenant Presbyterian Church Leadership & Staff

If you are looking for a church home, please consider Covenant Presbyterian Church. Here you will find a wealth of teaching, warm fellowship, and opportunities to grow in your Christian walk. To learn more about us, please talk to an elder or deacon.


Officers

Covenant Presbyterian Church is governed by a session of ruling elders. They carry out the oversight and maintenance of the spiritual government of the church, along with the board of deacons, who manage our facilities, financial operations and minister to those who are in need.


Pastor Paul Muresan TE/Moderator

Paul Muresan was born in Romania and immigrated to the US in 1983. He studied at Lee University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. In his education he pursued studies in preaching and was blessed to receive his doctorate, studying with Dr. Haddon Robinson.

Paul is married to Tatiana, also a Romanian born. Their son Jean-Paul Muresan lives with them in Peoria. He is involved in the music ministry of our church. Their daughter Tasha lives in New York.

For over three decades, Paul and Tatiana have been involved in mission work in Eastern Europe and different parts of the world. The church has embraced their vision of mission as ministry outreach “across the street and across the world”. 


Ruling Elders

Alan Pitts RE

Alan Pitts grew up in Pleasant Grove, a suburb of Birmingham, graduating from the University of Alabama with a master’s degree in History. He began attending Briarwood Presbyterian Church in 1980 and met his future wife Ginger in the Twenty-Five and Alive ministry. They married in 1984 and have two sons, Geoffrey and Eric. During his career, Alan designed software for churches, telephone companies, banks, commercial insurance and construction businesses.

Alan and Ginger supported several different ministries at Briarwood; Alan serving as a Deacon twelve years, while Ginger taught a number of women’s studies. Alan and Ginger came to Phoenix and joined Covenant in 2010, Alan becoming a Ruling Elder in January 2012. He enjoys college football, movies, family research and American history.


David Campbell RE

Dave Campbell grew up in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn and graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Industrial Management. During his career, Dave worked in technical sales and marketing for several companies in the semiconductor industry and held significant positions in sales management and marketing. Dave retired and moved to the Phoenix area in the fall of 2006. He has four children and nine grandchildren that live in various parts of Northern California. While living in California, Dave and his wife Karen joined a local PCA church and became deeply involved, Dave as a Ruling Elder, a position he has served in since being ordained in 1998. Dave and Karen feel blessed to have been led to Covenant Presbyterian Church, where they continue to serve our great King, the Lord Jesus.


Deacons

Charles “Chuck” Barton

Charles “Chuck” Barton lived in Fort Worth, TX until age nine. His family then moved to Kansas, Colorado and eventually California. Graduating from Oakland High School in 1951, he served four years in the U.S. Navy. He later earned a business degree from East Los Angeles Community College. Chuck married Audrey Taplin in October 1955 and enjoyed 57 years together, having a son, a daughter and three grandchildren. Chuck and Audrey lived in Scottsdale, Tucson, Payson, and Sun City West. They moved from Payson to Salem OR in 2006, coming back to Sun City West two years later. While in the wholesale apparel business, Chuck traveled California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Hawaii.

Audrey passed away in February 2013, and Chuck later decided to become a permanent resident here. He met Marjorie Barchenger at Covenant where they married in February 2015. Elected as a deacon, Chuck has also served as church treasurer. When not working at church, Chuck plays golf and enjoys time with friends and family.


Lawrence Coldon

Lawrence Coldon is a retired Technical Specialist, who worked for Compass Learning Inc. as lead project manager in the Los Angeles Unified School District. With his computer expertise, he managed a major three-year data integration project for LAUSD. Lawrence is married to Goldia, and they have a daughter.

His Christian experience began at an early age, as his mother insisted on her children’s inclusion in all Christian services. Lawrence continues to grow in his faith and Christian experience. He has long been active in the Gideons International, and in the churches the Coldons have attended. Lawrence was a Sunday School teacher at McCarty Memorial Church in Los Angeles, was ordained a deacon at First Presbyterian Church, Bakersfield, CA, and elected a deacon at Covenant in March 2018.


Don Duncan

Don Duncan is a native son of Texas who grew up in Olathe KS. Graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute of Technology), Don was employed by General Motors for thirty-eight years. He worked as Maintenance General Supervisor, Superintendent of Tools and Manufacturing engineering, and finally Superintendent of Research and Development for high-performance rare-earth magnets.

Married for fifty-four years, Don and Ilma have three daughters, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. After retirement, Don and Ilma moved to Surprise AZ in 2007. They joined Covenant in 2010, where Don has been serving as Deacon since 2013. His many hobbies include designing, building and flying model airplanes, bicycling and classic automobile restoration.


Stephen Hohl


Ron Shelley

Ron was born and raised in Wichita, KS, and his family attended Grace Presbyterian Church. He graduated from University of Kansas with a BS degree in Education. He worked 21 years in the Federal Government in Denver, CO. He is married to Terri and has a son and two grandchildren.


Mike Sundell

Mike Sundell became a Deacon of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2016. Born in Pennsylvania, Mike has been sales manager and company owner, working in Des Moines IA, Toledo OH, Greenville SC and elsewhere during a long and successful business career. Mike and Denyse married in 1984 and moved to Sun City West in 2014. At last count Mike and Denyse have 10 children, 24 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren!


Staff

Jan English, Office Manager

Jan was born and raised in Mississippi, where she was baptized in the Baptist Church. As a USAF daughter and wife, she traveled the world and remained active in base chapels all along the way. During those years, she served on chapel boards, Protestant Women of the Chapel board, taught Sunday School and VBS while raising her children, Austin, Candace, Taylor, and Evan. She now has 6 grandchildren and hopes for more.

Jan came to Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2014 from Desert Springs Presbyterian in Tucson, AZ, where she joined the PCA.


Deborah Bunker, Assistant Office Manager

I was born and raised in Seattle Washington. After graduating from Holy Names Academy in Seattle in 1973 I went to work for Clark’s Ferry Concessions at the Seattle Ferry Terminal where I met and married Steven Bunker in 1975. We moved to Mukilteo Washington where we raised our two sons, and I continued my college education in courses specific to my line of work. Both of my sons are now married and members of Reformed Presbyterian Churches in Costa Mesa and Jess Ranch Community Church CA. So far, I have been blessed with 10 grandchildren.

My early work history included furniture sales, printed advertising, and inventory management. After 20 years at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the Materials Management Organization, I retired and moved to Surprise Arizona where we could be closer to our children and grandchildren in California, and we joined Covenant Presbyterian Church PCA in Sun City West.


June Ruyle, Organist

June Ruyle came to Covenant in October 2012. She has a background of playing church organs most of her life. June especially loves the hymns and gospel songs used in the evangelical churches where she has played. Ten years previous to Covenant she was the organist for a Lutheran church and still enjoys using Advent, Lent, and Easter hymns seasonally.

Along with music June has dedicated much of her time to church librarianship. She served a Lutheran day school as librarian and board member for seven years before moving to Arizona. She is an avid advocate for utilizing small group Bible studies as a way to reach neighbors and introduce them to the Good News. In these groups the Bible is openly discussed and leaders are trained to include those who appear to have questions, which oftentimes sparks further discussion.

13601 W Aleppo Drive, Sun City West, AZ 85375