The Village is a neo-monastic mega house church nestled in the heart of Tucson. Its unique way of following God is born out of a passion to love our neighbors well by taking them into our lives and homes and serving each other out of the gifts and abilities God gives us collectively and individually. It is the way in which we live out our vision to bring healing to the city, one person at a time.
Neo-monasticism is a Village understanding of community that is different from some classic forms of monasticism. In the past, a monastery was most often a cloistered community that separated from the world in order to dedicate itself to a simple life and communion with God. Those within the walls kept vows in order to maintain community and be disciplined in seeking God. There are certainly modern day equivalents to these ancient communities. Our new form monastery seeks to tear down walls along the lines of St. Patrick’s entry into Ireland for the purpose of the mission of God. We seek to walk among our neighbors and friends as the embodiment of the gospel and live our lives together in such a way that the mission of God is honored. To that end, we choose to engage each other in homes and over meals.
The building
The place God gave us looks and feels like a house. You walk through the kitchen into a living room where we sing songs we have written, hang art we have made, and share meals we cook, unless someone needs a break and we order pizza. Kids’ rooms sit in the back and stay messy no matter how much we plead. Picnic tables and a small playground fill the yard, and inside the chairs and couches keep moving as we make space to talk, pray, and rest. It’s our home.
We keep inviting people in, even when we forget to point out the bathrooms or offer a drink before the kids grab seconds. We want guests to stay long enough to feel like family, even if it’s as distant cousins. We know it’s hard to enter someone else’s space and feel at ease, so we try to shape this house with love. We are an open monastery guided by shared vows: community, accessibility, authenticity, creativity, truth, and the disciplines. We do our best to live them with one another before God.
The Essentials
The church fathers had a simple way of talking about our shared faith. They said something like this: hold tightly to the things that sit at the center of the gospel, give each other room on the things that sit near the edges, and let love shape everything in between.
A value-driven church is shaped less by trends or programs and more by shared convictions that guide how we live, worship, and care for one another. Our values give us a common language for making decisions, telling the truth, practicing grace, and staying faithful in the ordinary rhythms of life together. They keep us grounded in the way of Jesus, even when the path is slow, costly, or unclear.
To belong at the Village is to be known by name and welcomed as you are, not as who you think you should be. Belonging grows as we share meals, stories, prayers, and the slow work of following Jesus together. It is less about signing on and more about being woven into a community that practices grace, truth, and love side by side.
Leadership at The Village is carried by Elders, who provide spiritual oversight through teaching, prayer, discipleship, and pastoral care while serving in practical ways too. Lead Ministers help lead the everyday care and coordination of the community, stepping in with their gifts so the whole church grows into a shared life of ministry.
Leadership Team
At the Village, elder is an appointed office entrusted with care, wisdom, and shared oversight of the community. Pastor is understood as a gift given by the Holy Spirit, offered for the teaching, shepherding, and formation of God’s people. Together, these roles serve the church by guarding the gospel, practicing discernment, and leading with humility rather than control.
Elder-Pastor Eric Cepin / Jedipastor@gmail.com
Eric Cepin is a founding pastor of The Village Church in Tucson, AZ.
Elder-Pastor Mark Crawford / markosthebard@gmail.com
Mark was born in Michigan and moved to Nogales, AZ/MX, when he was 5 for his family to serve as missionaries in northern Mexico. He started attending The Village in 2012 and has been serving as a pastor and elder since being ordained by The Village in 2016
At the Village, Lead Ministers who are pastors serve on staff and help carry the day-to-day pastoral life of the church. They direct and support the work of the Lead Ministers while also sharing in the shepherding responsibilities alongside the elders. In this way, leadership remains collaborative, attentive, and grounded in the care of people rather than titles.
Lead Minister-Pastor
Susan Cepin smcepin@gmail.com
Susan Cepin, also known as Pastor Sue, is a Tucson native. She is a founding member of The Village Church and has served as a lead minister, worship leader, band organizer, teacher, volunteer coordinator, songwriter, and Pilgrim Group facilitator and trainer.
Lead Minister-Pastor Daniel McConnell
Pastor of Youth and fun!
In the early church, Lead Ministers, often called Deacons, served as men and women who helped the community live out the mission of Jesus together. They were appointed in the New Testament to care for real, everyday needs among people who were saying yes to following Christ. As the church grew, elders entrusted ministers with the work of holding the community together, offering practical leadership and pastoral care so the Spirit’s work could flourish. These were women and men marked by faith, shaped by the Spirit, and known for lives that reflected the character of Jesus. They were trusted to serve the people of God with humility, wisdom, and love. At The Village Church, we see Lead Ministers as carriers of this same story. We hope they embody a faithfulness that makes space for shared life, honest care, and the ongoing work of becoming a people formed by Jesus for the sake of our city.
Corey Gilchrist
Hannah Yeakley
Ashton Cepin
Coleen Gilchrist
Layne Crawford
Lauren Sommitz
Ryan McCulley
Trizia Williams
Jeremy Lefevre
Andrea McCulley
David Sommitz
David Crawford
Steve Yeakley
Russell Lewis
At the Village, Operations Admin serve as partners to the pastors, assisting with the wide range of details that sustain the life of the church. They help shape, plan, and coordinate events, ensuring that gatherings are thoughtful and welcoming.
Operations Administrator
Jessica Dennes villagersonline@gamail.com
