Historic First Baptist Church gets new pastor

By Michelle Chance

First Baptist Church of Maricopa has seen many transformations during its time in the city. Over the past 60 years, the church has served its faithful followers long before the housing boom and period of the city’s incorporation.

It has been a staple within Maricopa since the 1950s when the town’s economy was blooming with cotton and many of the roads were still dirt.  Today, First Baptist still stands as a familiar structure along John Wayne Parkway after a renovation a few years ago. It survived an electrical fire last August.

Undoubtedly, the church and its followers are no stranger to change. Most recently, Pastor Jim Johnson stepped down from his position at the church in December, following his wife’s health complications. The congregation is once more in a new era.

The new pastor of First Baptist Church of Maricopa fittingly began leading the congregation on the first day of the new year – ushering a year of new beginning for himself and for the church.

Kevin Treacy moved to Maricopa with his wife Colleen 14 years ago. They are raising three children here: 12-year-old Austin, 10-year-old Tyler, and Morgan, who is 7.

Before accepting his new position at the church, Kevin worked as a financial analyst. Colleen homeschools their children.

Prior to Maricopa’s incorporation, Treacy also worked on the Public Safety Committee and served on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Treacy grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio State University. In 2001, he moved to Phoenix to manage a few businesses his family owned.

Treacy worked for his family business for 13 years and then as a financial analyst for two years after that. Finally, he said it became too much with raising a family.

“I was gone more than I was home and I wanted to make my family a priority, so I stepped down from running that business and now I’m here,” he said.

From working with numbers to leading a congregation, Treacy said the transition has been smooth.
“I love people, I just love people, and I love this congregation in particular.”

In fact, the church is very familiar with Treacy. He and his family have been members of the church for 11 years. Additionally, Treacy said he has served in the youth ministry for the last five years and performed “supplemental” preaching for the past six years when Johnson was out-of-town.

“They know my lifestyle, they know my family, they know all of the things we are all about and what we have been doing the last 11 years. It’s not an introductory period in that sense,” he said.

He is leading the congregation back from the displacement of the past few months. In the post-fire recuperation, the church is also now ready to re-open two of its ministries. Starting Jan. 31, the Food Pantry will be open Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Treacy preached for the first time as pastor on Jan. 22, and even though there is a different face leading sermons inside the sanctuary, Treacy said his message will not change from his predecessor’s.

“Pastor Jim stepped down, so it won’t be his body behind the pulpit, or his voice, but the words that are going to be spoken are going to be the same continually, and that is just the gospel of Christ.”